| Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa (August 29, 1888 – February 25, 1981) Mikawa commanded the force of cruisers that slammed into the Allied screen northwest of Guadalcanal on August 8, 1942. Known as the 1st Battle of Savo Island, Mikawa handed the US and Australian Navies the most decisive defeat of the Guadalcanal campaign. Mikawa’s cruisers, led by his flagship Chokai, caught an Allied force that had ample warnings of his arrival through aircraft sightings, but their commanders were asleep or away from their ships. He slipped past the destroyer screen, and opened fire on HMAS Canberra and USS Chicago (CA-29), sinking Canberra and damaging Chicago. Mikawa then turned North, encountering the USS Quincy (CA-39), USS Astoria (CA-34), and USS Vincennes (CA-44). All were quickly sunk. Mikawa had won a tactical victory, but did not engage the transports which no longer had protection. Mikawa feared the morning light would expose his ships to air attack. He did not know the US carriers were gone – he could have stopped the Guadalcanal operation before it had finished landing. Because he did not, Yamamoto censured him for not achieving a strategic victory. Mikawa’s reputation never recovered from his failure to attack the transports, but he served in other Guadalcanal campaigns. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1688.jpg |
| Image Size | 888.95 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 4512 x 5707 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1940 |
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| City | |
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| Country | Japan |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | NH 63697 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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