Neptune's Inferno_ The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal Part 18

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(Photo Credit: 7) An F4F Wildcat prepares to launch from the Wasp in support of Watchtower, August 7, 1942.

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(Photo Credit: 8) Before dawn, the heavy cruiser Vincennes opens fire on j.a.panese positions on Guadalca.n.a.l. She went down in glory two nights later.

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(Photo Credit: 9) Captain Frederick L. Riefkohl, commanding officer of the Vincennes and Task Group 62.6.

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(Photo Credit: 10) The Astoria, in the early days of Operation Watchtower.

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(Photo Credit: 11) Astoria gunners in drills, spring 1942.

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(Photo Credit: 12) Captain William G. Greenman commanded the Astoria before her loss, then ran Guadalca.n.a.l's makes.h.i.+ft naval base.

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(Photo Credit: 13) The Astoria, shown in Hawaiian waters in July 1942, prepares to recover a floatplane using her starboard-side crane.

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(Photo Credit: 14) The last photo of the Quincy, caught in the glare of j.a.panese searchlights, down by the stern in the Battle of Savo Island.

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(Photo Credit: 15) Rear Admiral Gunichi Mikawa, victor in the Battle of Savo Island.

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(Photo Credit: 16) Captain Samuel N. Moore, commander of the Quincy, was killed in action.

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(Photo Credit: 17) The Quincy in the South Pacific, August 1942.

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(Photo Credit: 18a) Two U.S. destroyers, the Blue and the Patterson (U.S. Navy)

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(Photo Credit: 18b) Chicago sailors cut away bow plating damaged by a j.a.panese torpedo, August 10, 1942.

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(Photo Credit: 19) Captain Howard D. Bode of the Chicago was among many who performed poorly at Savo Island. He would bear more than his share of the blame.

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(Photo Credit: 20) Two U.S. destroyers, the Blue (left) and the Patterson, a.s.sist the burning HMAS Canberra on the morning of August 8. She could not be saved.

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(Photo Credit: 21) Lloyd M. Mustin (shown here as a rear admiral), served as a.s.sistant gunnery officer in the Atlanta.

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(Photo Credit: 22) Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Imperial Combined Fleet, believed he would find his decisive battle off Guadalca.n.a.l.

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(Photo Credit: 23) Rear Admiral Norman Scott (shown here as a captain) taught the Navy's light forces how to fight.

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(Photo Credit: 24) The light cruiser Boise in a South Pacific port, late August 1942.

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(Photo Credit: 25) Captain Robert G. Tobin (right) commanded Scott's destroyers in the Battle of Cape Esperance. Here he receives the Navy Cross from Admiral William F. Halsey.

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(Photo Credit: 26) The antiaircraft cruiser Atlanta (foreground) maneuvers with four destroyers from Task Force 16, July 10, 1942.

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(Photo Credit: 27) The destroyer Farenholt, shown here in August 1942, took a beating from friendly fire on October 11.

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(Photo Credit: 28) Radar first came to the fleet in 1941. Once the fighting sailors learned how to use it, the new technology would change everything.

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(Photo Credit: 29) The SG radar, with its 48-inch by 15-inch parabolic transmitter, was the first to employ the familiar circular display. Used for search, fire control, or navigation, it gave commanders an unprecedented picture of the enemy at night.

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(Photo Credit: 30) Major Joseph Foss, the executive officer of VMF-121 at Henderson field, arrived in October and became the USMC's leading fighter ace of WW2.

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(Photo Credit: 31) Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift, USMC, paid all costs to hold Henderson Field against repeated j.a.panese a.s.sault from air, land, and sea.

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(Photo Credit: 32) Marine tanks prowl the killing field near Alligator Creek, where Colonel Ichiki's detachment was slaughtered on August 21.

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(Photo Credit: 33) Lieutenant Colonel Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller (shown here, second from left, in January 1944 with his regimental staff on Cape Gloucester) worked closely with the Navy in defense of Marine positions on Guadalca.n.a.l.

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(Photo Credit: 34) The SBD Dauntless served as the princ.i.p.al s.h.i.+p killer of the Cactus Air Force while Henderson Field's Wildcats controlled the skies of the Slot by day.

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(Photo Credit: 35) Nimitz with Vandegrift. Nimitz boosted morale with his September visit to Guadalca.n.a.l.

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(Photo Credit: 36) As the Wasp burns in the background, the destroyer O'Brien is rocked by a torpedo from the submarine I-19.

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(Photo Credit: 37) Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka led the Tokyo Express, as the j.a.panese seaborne reinforcement runs to Guadalca.n.a.l became known.

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(Photo Credit: 38) The Wasp sank quickly. j.a.panese submarines were nowhere more effective than off Guadalca.n.a.l.