Air Attack off Laguna Point
San Francisco, operating in the Guadalcanal area as flagship for TG 67.4 was spotted by a Japanese twin-float reconnaissance plane which began shadowing the formation. As the transport vessels were unloading off Lunga Pt , an approaching Japanese air group was detected and ships commenced evasive maneuvering. Soon afterward 21 enemy planes attacked the force and a damaged torpedo plane dropped its torpedo off San Francisco's starboard quarter. The torpedo passed alongside, but the plane crashed into San Francisco's control aft, and plunged over the port side into the sea. ... Fifteen men were killed, 29 wounded, and one missing. Control aft was demolished. The ship's secondary command post, Battle Two, was burned out but reestablished by dark. The after antiaircraft director and radar were put out of commission. Three 20 millimeter mounts were destroyed. The wounded were transferred to attack transport President Jackson (APA-18) just before the approach of an enemy surface force was reported.
