Battle of Cape St. George

Battle of Cape St. George
Part of the Bougainville Campaign of the Pacific Theater (World War II)

Track chart of the battle
Date25 November 1943
Location
Near Buka Island, north of Bougainville
Result American victory
Belligerents
 United States Empire of Japan Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
United States Navy Arleigh Burke Empire of Japan Kiyoto Kagawa †
Units involved
Destroyer Squadron 23 Destroyer Division 31
Strength
5 destroyers 5 destroyers
Casualties and losses
None 3 destroyers sunk,
1 destroyer damaged,
647 killed[Note 1]

The Battle of Cape St. George was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on 25 November 1943, between Cape St. George, New Ireland, and Buka Island (now part of the North Solomons Province in Papua New Guinea). It was the last engagement of surface ships in the Solomon Islands campaign. During the engagement, a force of five US Navy destroyers led by Captain Arleigh Burke intercepted a similar sized Japanese force that was withdrawing from Buka towards Rabaul, having landed reinforcements on the island. In the ensuing fight, three Japanese destroyers were sunk and one was damaged, with no losses amongst the US forces.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference makina was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference onami was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Morison, Breaking the Bismarcks, p. 353.


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