Savo Island order of battle

The Battle of Savo Island was part of Guadalcanal Campaign and was fought on 9 August 1942 in the waters around Savo Island by forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and Allies' Guadalcanal—Tulagi invasion force composed of ships from the United States Navy (USN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The battle resulted in a major Allied defeat, losing four heavy cruisers. The Japanese lost no ships but failed to capitalize on the temporary strategic advantage gained from the battle, leaving the unprotected Allied transports unharmed.

Because the Japanese had the tactical initiative, their forces are listed first.

Striking Force
Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa in heavy cruiser Chokai
 * 8th Fleet
 * 1 heavy cruiser
 * 1 Takao-class cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Chokai (damaged)
 * Top speed: 34.25 knots
 * Main battery: 10 × 8-inch
 * Secondary btty.: 8 × 5-inch
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 8 × 25mm, 4 × 13mm
 * Torpedo tubes: 16 × 24-inch
 * 1 destroyer
 * 1 Kamikaze-class destroyer: JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūnagi
 * Top speed: 37.25 knots
 * Main battery: 4 × 4.7-inch
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 2 × 7.7mm
 * Torpedo tubes: 6 × 21-inch


 * Cruiser Division 6
 * Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō in heavy cruiser Aoba
 * 4 heavy cruisers
 * 2 Furutaka-class cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Furutaka, JAPANESE CRUISER Kako (sunk by a submarine near Rabaul on 10 August)
 * 2 Aoba-class cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Aoba, JAPANESE CRUISER Kinugasa (damaged)
 * Top speed: 33 knots
 * Main battery: 6 × 8-inch
 * Secondary btty.: 4 × 4.7-inch
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 8 × 25mm, 4 × 13mm
 * Torpedo tubes: 8 × 24-inch


 * Cruiser Division 18
 * Rear Admiral Mitsuharu Matsuyama in light cruiser Tenryū
 * 2 light cruisers
 * 1 Tenryū-class cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Tenryū (damaged)
 * Top speed: 33 knots
 * Main battery: 4 × 5.5-inch
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 1 × 3-inch, 2 × 13mm
 * Torpedo tubes: 6 × 21-inch
 * 1 Yūbari-class light cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Yūbari
 * Top speed: 35.5 knots
 * Main battery: 6 × 5.5-inch
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 1 × 3-inch, 2 × 13mm
 * Torpedo tubes: 4 × 24-inch

Task Group 62.6
Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley (RN) in heavy cruiser Australia


 * Southern Force
 * Captain Howard D. Bode (USN) in heavy cruiser Chicago
 * 3 heavy cruisers
 * 2 County-class cruiser / Kent-subclass: 🇦🇺 HMAS Australia (D84), 🇦🇺 HMAS Canberra (D33) (damaged and scuttled)
 * Top speed: 31.5 knots
 * Main battery: 8 × 8-inch guns
 * Secondary btty.: 8 × 4-inch
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 8 × 2-pounder, 8 × 50-cal.
 * Torpedo tubes: 8 × 21-inch


 * 1 Northampton-class cruiser: USS Chicago (CA-29) (damaged)
 * Top speed: 32.7 knots
 * Main battery: 9 × 8-inch guns
 * Secondary btty.: 8 × 5-inch/25-cal. dual-purpose
 * 2 destroyers
 * 2 Bagley-class destroyer destroyers: USS Bagley (DD-386), USS Patterson (DD-392) (damaged)
 * Top speed: 36.5 knots
 * Main battery: 4 × 5-inch/38-cal.
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 4 × 1.1-inch
 * Torpedo tubes: 16 × 21-inch


 * Northern Force
 * Captain Frederick L. Riefkohl (USN) in heavy cruiser Vincennes
 * 3 heavy cruisers
 * All New Orleans-class cruiser: USS Vincennes (CA-44) (sunk), USS Astoria (CA-34) (sunk), USS Quincy (CA-39) (sunk)
 * Top speed: 32.7 knots
 * Main battery: 9 × 8-inch guns
 * Secondary btty.: 8 × 5-inch/25-cal. dual-purpose
 * 2 destroyers
 * 1 Benham-class destroyer: USS Wilson (DD-408)
 * 1 Bagley-class destroyer: USS Helm (DD-388)
 * Top speed: 36.5 knots
 * Main battery: 4 × 5-inch/38-cal.
 * Anti-aircraft btty.: 4 × 1.1-inch
 * Torpedo tubes: 16 × 21-inch