Battle of Kula Gulf [SEP] point in time
Battle of Kula Gulf
The naval Battle of Kula Gulf (Japanese: クラ湾夜戦) took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.
Background.
On 5 July, United States Navy Task Group 36.1 (TG 36.1)—commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth and consisting of the light cruisers , , and , plus four destroyers, had received word of another "Tokyo Express" mission down "the Slot
, in the aftermath of the naval battles of Kula Gulf and Kolombangara, she escorted the cruisers and "St. Louis" into Purvis Bay. Two days later, she received orders to head for Vella Lavella—located northwest of New Georgia—to pick up survivors from "Helena" which had been sunk during the Battle of Kula Gulf. She embarked three war correspondents at Koli Point and cleared Guadalcanal at 1325 on 15 July. At 2258 that night, she hauled in sight of her destination and began searching for the "