Navy Department Communique No. 169
OCTOBER 26, 1942
South Pacific (All dates are east longitude).
- On October 25th the Japanese launched a coordinated land, sea and air attack against our positions on Guadalcanal Island. Army and Marine Corps troops and aircraft on Guadalcanal opposed these attacks in heavy action throughout the day. On October 26th a U. S. carrier Task Force exchanged aerial thrusts with a strong enemy force northeast of Guadalcanal. An incomplete resume of these engagements with the enemy, based upon reports received to date, is given below.
- On October 25th:
- (a) During the early morning, enemy troops launched a determined attack against the southern flank of our positions on Guadalcanal. Army and Marine Corps troops held their positions.
- (b) About the middle of the morning, a force of enemy cruisers and destroyers shelled our Guadalcanal positions from the northward.
- (c) During the early afternoon, our Douglas “Dauntless” dive bombers from Guadalcanal attacked a force of enemy cruisers and destroyers north of Florida Island. A direct bomb hit damaged and stopped 1 enemy heavy cruiser. Shortly after this attack, about 16 enemy dive bombers attacked our airfield. Five of these bombers were shot down. Nine more enemy bombers attacked the airfield soon after this last action and inflicted minor damage.
- (d) During the late afternoon, our dive bombers from Guadalcanal again struck at the force of enemy cruisers and destroyers north of Florida Island. One bomb hit was reported on a heavy cruiser. Army “Flying Fortresses” struck at this same force about 10 minutes later and scored two bomb hits on an enemy light cruiser which was left burning and dead in the water.
- (e) Enemy fighters were active over our positions periodically throughout the day. Seventeen of these planes were reported to have been destroyed by our Grumman “Wildcats.”
- On October 26th, a Pacific Fleet carrier Task Force exchanged air attacks with strong enemy forces northeast of Guadalcanal. The U. S. S. Porter (destroyer) was sunk by enemy action and one of our aircraft carriers was severely damaged. Other U. S. vessels have reported lesser damage. Two enemy aircraft carriers were damaged in this action, the details of which are still incomplete.
- The Bureau of Naval Personnel will notify, by telegram, the next of kin of those lost or wounded in the above actions as soon as information is received.