Battle of Empress Augusta Bay

Naval Battle

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  Naval Operations off Bougainville - 31 Oct-2 Nov 1943
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  View of U.S. Destroyers EDISON, SCHROEDER, SPENCE, and FOOTE at Norfolk, Spring 1943.
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  USS Denver in a South Pacific harbor, circa 1943.
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  USS Montpelier (CL-57) enters Havannah Harbor, Efate, New Hebrides, as seen from USS Columbia (CL-56) on 22 April 1943.
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  USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570) Underway in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands on 23 March 1944, photographed from USS Montpelier (CL-57).
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  USS Thatcher (DD-514) underway in Boston harbor, Massachusetts, 28 February 1943.
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  Japanese cruiser Haguro, c. 1931
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  USS Charles Ausburne receiving mail by highline from USS Columbia (CL-56), while steaming in the Solomon Islands, 27 September 1943.
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  Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill (left), working with a maneuvering board on USS Montpelier, during operations in the Solomon Islands, 23 December 1943. Captain W.D. Brown is also present.
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  Captain Arleigh A. Burke, USN, Commander Destroyer Squadron 23 (seen in profile, left center), reading on the starboard bridge wing of his flagship, USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570), during operations in the Solomon Islands in 1943-1944.
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  Captain Arleigh A. Burke, Commander Destroyer Squadron 23 (seated, right center) with other officers of the squadron.
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  Japanese captain Tameichi Hara, a destroyer squadron commander who flew his flag on Shigure during the battle.
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  After 6"/47 gun turrets of USS Columbia firing during the night bombardment of Japanese facilities in the Shortlands that covered landings on Bougainville. November 1, 1943.
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  A Japanese plane plunges into the sea ahead of USS Columbia as she steams in column with other cruisers during the attack on Bougainville, 1-2 November 1943.
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  Aircraft of the USAAF 3rd Bomb Group attack Japanese ships in Simpson Harbor, 2 November 1943. The heavy cruiser Haguro is in the foreground. She had been somewhat damaged during the battle of Empress Augusta Bay the previous night.
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  Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill, USN Receives the Navy Cross medal from Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, in ceremonies held on the after deck of USS Montpelier (CL-57), 11 December 1943. Probably taken in Tulagi Harbor, Solomon Islands.
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  USS Cleveland in floating drydock ABSD-1, at Aessi Island, off Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 12 January 1944.
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  Navy Unit Commendation letter, signed by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, circa 1944. It commends Cruiser Division Twelve and the crews of the division's cruisers -- USS Cleveland (CL-55), USS Columbia (CL-56), USS Montpelier (CL-57) and USS Denver (CL-58) -- for their performance in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, on 2 November 1943.

Land Battle

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  U.S. troops go over the side of a Coast Guard manned combat transport to enter the landing barges at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, as the invasion gets under way. November, 1943.
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  Troops of the 24th Infantry, attached to the Americal Division, wait to advance behind a tank assault on the Japanese along Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville in 1944.