USS Columbia - Naval Cruise Book

Page 18 text:

Battle of Empress Augusta Bay destroyers, was contacted. An engagement (the first major surface engagement for the Gem), took place 40 miles west of Cape Torokina, Bougainville Island. At 0230 the American task force commander announced a surface contact distant 32,000 yards and ordered the task force destroyers to attack with torpedoes. At 0241 contact was made on a second group of enemy ships and later contact was made on a third. Range was closed to 6 guns on the first group and firing on that group commenced. At 0300 one enemy ship of the leading group was seen burning in two places; this group probably consisting of destroyers fired torpedoes and then retired. The American destroyer FOOTE was torpedoed in this preliminary round. At 0310 firing on the second group commenced. This group apparently contained most of the Japs ' cruiser strength. The enemy immediately opened fire and illuminated with starshells and directly after the DENVER reported being hit forward. The COLUMBIA was under fire from one or two Jap eight-inch gun cruisers from about 0310 until 0326. Two minor hits were The morning after 14

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We ' ve seen it all — we ' ve been to Sydney! COLUMBIA proceeded to Sydney, Australia, for recreation. Returning to the combat area on September 24, rendezvous was made with a large task group and the Gem received orders to proceed with the task group east and north of Vclla La Vella Island to intercept possible enemy vessels en- route to Kolombangara Island. The task group proceeded to a position off Sanka Point, Vella La Vella and deployed. Enemy torpedo planes in small groups made attacks on the formation on September 25 from 0100 to 0330. There was also evidence that enemy submarines were attacking with torpedoes for a torpedo wake was sighted ahead of the Gem at 0311; two at 0326; and another at 0336. No ships of the task group suffered damage and all planes were taken under fire. On November 1, CRU DIV 12 and DESRON 23 aided in conducting a night bombardment of Buka airfield. Later, early on the morning of November 2, bombardments of Falsi Island and Karove Peninsula (on Shortland Island) were carried out. The effectiveness of these bombardments, as far as shipboard observers could judge, was most satisfactory. At Buka, two fires were started, one of which seemed to increase in intensity and was plainly visible for sixty miles. No return fire from the beach at Buka was noted but return fire at the Short- lands, while persistent, did no damage to any ship of the force. X lIs believed that guns of the GOT.TJMBIA silenceH three shore batteries on t he.se islands. U pon completion ot the bombard- ment, the task force took up a position off Empress Augusta Bay in order to cover the American forces landing there. During the night of November 2-3, while CRU DIV 12 and DESRON 23 were screening the landings at Empress Augusta Bay, an enemy surface force which was estimated to consist of a minimum of three cruisers and five destroyers and possibly to consist of four cruisers and eight The bombardment of Shortland Islands.

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Navy Cross presented to Captain Frank E. Beatty, USN, by Admiral Merrill, USN, for Empress Augusta Bay action. sustained. The battle continued until the Japs began retiring. Although assessment of damage to the enemy in a night engagement is difficult, the Gem and her battlemates carried out their mission in covering the Empress Augusta Bay landing and sent the remaining Jap vessels high-tailing it for Rabaul. In the engagement the COLUMBIA was credited wi th assistmg m the rip ;triirtir n nY nnp enem y cruiscr and one dcstrov oi: her own damage irom thg Ivv ' O iiilUui ' hits was as follows: damaec at frame 9 on the starboard side seven feet above the water hne, triang-ular in shape apparently c cm jr ' ' ■y hv b ase plug of an 8 shell ; damage to the search ra dar antenna, caused by an 8 shell passing through the antenna Puring the nght. the COLUMP TA ' S main hattery firp.; the l argest a mount of ammnnitinn nf :ir| v cruiser in the American group. As the task force was retiring from the battle area, the Japs sent out an air strike estimated at seventy planes. The attack began on the morn- ing of November 3, at which time friendly air cover had not yet arrived. Heavy AA fire on the part of the task force and violent maneuvers limited the damage suffered to two small bomb hits on the MONTPELIER. e COLUMBIA chalked up four enemy plancs as destroyed anH three more as probably destroyed. Back at the Augusta Bay landing area after the battle, the TF continued covering the beach- head on the nights of November 5, 6, 11, and 12. Enemy planes attacked repeatedly and snooped the task force and were fired at sufficiently to keep all hands in a sleepless status. On the night of November 11, approximately l.T enemy planes made a determined torpedo attack but no damage was incurred. On the night of November 13, approximately the same number of torpedo planes attacked the task force, result- ing in the torpedoing of the DENVER. During this engagement the COLUMBIA was credited with downing one of the attacking planes. After Empress Augusta Bay, the COLUMBIA with CRU DIV 12 and DESRON 23 on December 24, gave the airfield on Buka Island a Christmas Eve bombardment. The air spotter Cutting the Truk-Kavicng supply line.