Battle off Horaniu

Battle off Horaniu
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II
U.S. destroyers (from right to left): O'Bannon, Chevalier, and Taylor head towards Tulagi harbor in the Solomon Islands on 15 August 1943, two days before engaging in the Battle off Horaniu.
Date 17–18 August 1943 Location Near Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands Result Successful Japanese evacuation
Belligerents
United States	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Thomas J. Ryan	Matsuji Ijuin
Strength
4 destroyers	4 destroyers, 22 barges and auxiliary ships
Casualties and losses
None	5 auxiliary ships sunk, 2 destroyers slightly damaged[1]

The Battle off Horaniu (Japanese: 第一次ベララベラ海戦) was a minor naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought near Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands. On the night of 17–18 August 1943, four U.S. Navy destroyers intercepted an Imperial Japanese Navy convoy carrying troops to Horaniu, on the northern coast of Vella Lavella, where they were to establish a barge base to support the movement of troops through the region.

The Japanese convoy was escorted by four destroyers, and both sides exchanged torpedoes and gunfire from long range. After two Japanese destroyers were slightly damaged, the escort withdrew, allowing the U.S. force to sink five small ships from the convoy. However, the majority of the troop carrying barges escaped by hiding along the Vella Lavella coast and subsequently completed their mission on 19 August. In October, the Japanese used the base to support the mass withdrawal of troops from Kolombangara.