Battle of Kula Gulf

Battle of Kula Gulf
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II
USS Helena and St. Louis in action at Kula Gulf, seen from USS Honolulu
Date 6 July 1943 Location Kolombangara, Solomon Islands Result Inconclusive; 1,600 of 2,600 Japanese troops landed at Vila, remainder either killed or not landed
Belligerents
United States	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Walden L. Ainsworth Robert W. Hayler	Teruo Akiyama †
Units involved
Task Group 36.1	3rd Destroyer Squadron
Strength
3 light cruisers, 4 destroyers	10 destroyers
Casualties and losses
1 light cruiser sunk, 168 killed[1]	2 destroyers sunk, 2 destroyers damaged 324 killed[2][3]

The Battle of Kula Gulf (Japanese: クラ湾夜戦) took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II. The battle involved United States and Japanese ships off the eastern coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. It took place during the early stages of the New Georgia campaign when a Japanese force landing reinforcements at Vila was intercepted by a force of US Navy cruisers and destroyers. One US light cruiser was sunk during the engagement while two Japanese destroyers were sunk and two more were damaged. The Japanese withdrew after the engagement, having landed 1,600 troops.