Eastern Solomons order of battle

The Battle of the Eastern Solomons was fought August 23–25, 1942 in the waters east and northeast of the Solomon Islands by forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet and the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. The battle resulted from a major effort by the Japanese to reinforce their troop strength on the island of Guadalcanal. The Japanese high command had realized this reinforcement was necessary following the annihilation of the Ichiki Detachment by the 1st Marines a few days earlier.

The battle can be counted both a tactical and strategic American victory: greater ship losses were inflicted on the Japanese, and the transports were turned back from their mission of landing reinforcements.

Forces deployed
Japanese forces
 * Combat ships: 2 fleet carriers, 1 light carrier, 3 old battleships, 13 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 30 destroyers, 2 1st-class submarines, 1 2nd-class submarine
 * Aircraft: 69 fighters, 41 dive bombers, 57 torpedo bombers

🇺🇸 American forces
 * Combat ships: 3 fleet carriers, 1 fast battleship, 5 heavy cruisers, 2 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 18 destroyers
 * Aircraft: 100 fighters, 54 dive bombers, 54 scout bombers, 45 torpedo bombers

Ship losses
 * IJN : 1 light carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 1st-class submarine
 * USN : none

Guadalcanal Supporting Forces
Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo in heavy cruiser Atago


 * Advanced Force
 * Vice Admiral Kondo


 * Main Body
 * Cruiser Division 4
 * 3 Takao-class cruiser heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Atago, JAPANESE CRUISER Maya, JAPANESE CRUISER Takao
 * Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Takeo Takagi)
 * 2 Myoko-class cruiser heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Myoko, JAPANESE CRUISER Haguro
 * Destroyer Squadron 4 (Rear Adm. Tamotsu Takama):
 * 1 Nagara-class cruiser light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Yura
 * 2 Asashio-class destroyer destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Asagumo, JAPANESE DESTROYER Yamagumo
 * 3 Kagero-class destroyer destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Kuroshio, JAPANESE DESTROYER Oyashio, JAPANESE DESTROYER Hayashio


 * Support Group
 * 1 Nagato-class battleship battleship (8 × 16-in. main battery): JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Mutsu
 * 3 Shiratsuyu-class destroyer destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Murasame, JAPANESE DESTROYER Harusame, JAPANESE DESTROYER Samidare




 * Striking Force
 * Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in fleet carrier Shokaku


 * Carrier Group
 * Vice Admiral Nagumo
 * 2 Shōkaku-class aircraft carrier fleet carriers
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku (Capt. Masafumi Arima)
 * 27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Hideki Shingo)
 * 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Cdr. Mamoru Seki)
 * 18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Cdr. Shigeharu Murata)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuikaku (Capt. Tameteru Notomo)
 * 27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Ayao Shirane)
 * 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Sadamu Takahashi)
 * 18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Shigeichirō Imajuku)
 * Screen
 * 1 Kagero-class destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Akigumo
 * 3 Yugumo-class destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Yugumo, JAPANESE DESTROYER Makigumo, JAPANESE DESTROYER Kazegumo
 * 2 Fubuki-class destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Shikinami, JAPANESE DESTROYER Uranami


 *  Vanguard Group 
 * Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe
 * Battleships
 * 2 Kongo-class battleship fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery): JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Hiei, JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Kirishima
 * Cruiser Division 7 (Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura)
 * 2 Mogami-class cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Kumano, JAPANESE CRUISER Suzuya
 * 1 Tone-class cruiser (8 × 8-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Chikuma
 * Destroyer Squadron 10 (Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura)
 * 1 Nagara-class cruiser light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Nagara
 * 1 Akizuki-class destroyer destroyer (8 × 4-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Akizuki
 * 5 Kagero-class destroyer destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsukaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Maikaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Nowaki, JAPANESE DESTROYER Tanikaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Yukikaze


 *  Diversionary Group 
 * Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara in heavy cruiser Tone
 * 1 light carrier: Ryujo (Capt. Tadao Katō) (sunk)
 * 24 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Kenjirō Nōtomi)
 * 9 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Binichi Murakami)
 * 1 Tone-class cruiser heavy cruiser (8 × 8-in. main battery): Tone
 * 2 Kagero-class destroyer destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Amatsukaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Tokitsukaze

Southeast Area Forces
Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara


 * Outer South Seas Force
 * Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa


 * Reinforcement Group
 * Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka
 * Transport Unit
 * 1 auxiliary cruiser: Kinryu Maru
 * Embarking 800 men of the 5th Yokosuka SNLF
 * 4 patrol boats: No. 1, No. 2, No. 34, No. 35
 * Embarking 700 men of the 2nd echelon of the IJA Ichiki Detachment
 * Escort Unit
 * 1 Sendai-class cruiser light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery, 1 scout plane): JAPANESE CRUISER Jintsu
 * 2 Kagero-class destroyer destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Kagero, JAPANESE DESTROYER Isokaze
 * 3 Shiratsuyu-class destroyer destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Kawakaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Suzukaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Umikaze
 * 3 Mutsuki-class destroyer destroyers (4 × 4.7-in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Mutsuki (sunk), JAPANESE DESTROYER Yayoi, JAPANESE DESTROYER Uzuki


 * Covering Group
 * Vice Admiral Mikawa
 * 1 Takao-class cruiser heavy cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Chōkai
 * Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Adm. Aritomo Gotō)
 * 2 Aoba-class cruiser heavy cruisers (6 × 8-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Aoba, JAPANESE CRUISER Kinugasa
 * 1 Furutaka-class cruiser heavy cruiser (6 × 8-in. main battery): JAPANESE CRUISER Furutaka


 * Submarine Group
 * 2 1st-class submarines: JAPANESE SUBMARINE I-121, JAPANESE SUBMARINE I-123 (sunk)
 * 1 2nd-class submarine: JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ro-34

Task Force 61
Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher in Saratoga

Task Force 11
Vice Admiral Fletcher


 * 1 Lexington-class aircraft carrier fleet carrier
 * USS Saratoga (CV-3) (Capt. DeWitt C. Ramsey)
 * Air Group (Cmdr. Harry D. Felt)
 * VF-5: 27 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Leroy C. Simpler)
 * VB-3: 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Dewitt W. Shumway)
 * VS-3: 15 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Louis J. Kirn)
 * VT-8: 13 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Harold H. Larsen)
 * Cruisers (Rear Adm. Carleton H. Wright)
 * 2 New Orleans-class cruiser heavy cruisers (9 × 8-in./55-cal. main battery)
 * USS Minneapolis (CA-36) (Capt. Frank J. Lowry)
 * USS New Orleans (CA-32) (Capt. Walter S. DeLany)
 * Screen (Capt. Samuel B. Brewer)
 * 5 destroyers
 * 1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in./38 SP/low elevation main battery): Phelps
 * 4 Farragut-class destroyer (4 × 5-in./38 DP main battery): Farragut, MacDonough, Worden, Dale

Task Force 16
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in Enterprise


 * 1 Yorktown-class aircraft carrier fleet carrier
 * USS Enterprise (CV-6) (Capt. Arthur C. Davis)
 * Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell F. Leslie)
 * VF-6: 29 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Louis H. Bauer)
 * VB-6: 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Ray Davis)
 * VS-5: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Turner F. Caldwell)
 * VT-3: 15 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Charles M. Jett)


 * Battleship and Cruisers (Rear Adm. Mahlon S. Tisdale)
 * 1 North Carolina-class battleship fast battleship (9 × 16-in./45-cal. main battery)
 * USS North Carolina (BB-55) (Capt. George H. Fort)
 * 1 Portland-class cruiser heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in./55-cal. main battery)
 * USS Portland (CA-33) (Capt. Laurance T. DuBose)
 * 1 Atlanta-class cruiser anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in./38-cal. main battery)
 * USS Atlanta (CL-51) (Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)


 * Screen (Capt. Edward P. Sauer)
 * 6 destroyers
 * 1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in./38 SP/low elevation main battery): Balch
 * 2 Gleaves-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. dual purpose main battery): Grayson, Monssen
 * 1 Gridley-class destroyer (4 × 5-in./38 dual purpose main battery): Maury
 * 2 Benham-class destroyer (4 × 5-in./38 dual purpose main battery): Benham, Ellet

Task Force 18 (deployed but did not take part in battle)
Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes in Wasp


 * 1 Wasp-class fleet carrier
 * Wasp (Capt. Forrest P. Sherman)
 * Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Wallace M. Beakley)
 * VF-71: 28 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Shands)
 * VS-71: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. John Eldridge)
 * VS-72: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Ernest M. Snowden)
 * VT-7:  15 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Henry A. Romberg)


 * Cruisers (Rear Adm. Norman Scott)
 * 1 Pensacola-class cruiser heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) (Capt. Charles H. McMorris)
 * 1 New Orleans-class cruiser heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS San Francisco (CA-38) (Capt. Ernest G. Small)
 * 1 Atlanta-class cruiser anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in. main battery)             S
 * USS San Juan (CL-54) (Capt. James E. Maher)


 * Screen (Capt. Robert G. Tobin)
 * 7 destroyers
 * 1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in. main battery): Selfridge
 * 2 Gleaves-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery): Aaron Ward, Buchanan
 * 3 Benham-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery): Lang, Stack, Sterett
 * 1 Benson-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery): Farenholt

Attack on Enterprise (Nagumo carrier group 1st wave)

 * 10 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: 4 from Shokaku, 6 from Zuikaku
 * 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers: 18 from Shokaku, 9 from Zuikaku

Nagumo carrier group 2nd wave (found no targets)

 * 9 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: 3 from Shokaku, 6 from Zuikaku
 * 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers: 9 from Shokaku, 18 from Zuikaku

Ryūjō Attack on Henderson Field

 * 6 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers: all from Ryūjō
 * 14 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: all from Ryūjō

B-17 strike on Nagumo carrier group

 * TBD

Saratoga strike on Ryūjō

 * TBD

B-17 strike on Ryūjō

 * TBD