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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Atlanta

Ship Designation: 
CL-51
Date Lost: 
Friday, November 13, 1942
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
While operating off Guadalcanal, Japanese dispatched 25 aircraft to destroy the US forces and disrupt the invasion. Atlanta was credited with shooting down two of the aircraft, but as the air attack ended. A Japanese surface action group was detected entering the area. During the early morning hours the Japanese surface force comprised of 2 battleships and twelve other ships was detected steaming into the area. Atlanta, the lead ship in a column of 13 ships was initially illuminated by Japanese searchlights and within 10 minutes of engagement commencement, she had taken two surface launched torpedo hits and 50 major caliber hits from the battleships and cruisers. As a result of battle damage Atlanta lost all ship's power other than auxiliary power. Before drifting out of the fight in the urgency of battle, darkness and confused intermingling of friend and foe, San Francisco mistook Atlanta for an enemy cruiser and took 2 additional hits from eight inch projectiles. ... Shipboard damage control parties valiantly set to work repairing battle damage, shoring up holes and jettisoning topside weight to improve stability. Remaining powerless, other than auxiliary power Atlanta drifted perilously close to enemy held island east of Cape Esperance and was forced to anchor rather than going aground. ... A total of 172 men died and another 79 were seriously wounded during the battle.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 168

Name Service Branchsort ascending
SM 1c William Scholl USN
Sea 1c William Schneider USN
Sea 2c John Shea USN
Sea 1c John Shields USN
Sea 1c Nicholas Siers USN
LCdr James Smith USN
MM 2c Howard Smith USN
Cox George Smith USN
EM 3c Theodore Salawa USN
F 2c Stephen Sabo USN
Sea 1c Thomas Rucker USN
Sea 1c Roy Rech USN
Sea 2c Richard Reibe USN
Sea 1c Francis Rice USN
Y 1c Gilbert Reznicek USN
Lt(jg) Allison Rhodes USN
F 1c Houston Richardson USN
Sea 2c Thomas Walker USN
Matt 2c James Waites USN
F 1c George Tucker USN

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Prepared by CAPT R.O. Strange USN (Ret.)