Ironbottom Sound
"Ironbottom Sound" (alternatively Iron Bottom Sound or Ironbottomed Sound or Iron Bottom Bay) is the name given by Allied sailors to Savo Sound, the stretch of water at the southern end of The Slot between Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and Florida Island of the Solomon Islands, because of the dozens of ships and planes that sank there during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942–43. Before the war, it was called Sealark Channel. Every year on the battle's anniversary, a U.S. ship cruises into the waters and drops a wreath to commemorate those who lost their lives. For many Navy sailors, and those who served in the area during that time, the waters in this area are considered sacred, and strict silence is observed as ships cruise through.
See also
Battles
- Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942
- Battle of Cape Esperance, 11–12 October 1942
- Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13–15 November 1942
- Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942
- Operation I-Go, 1–16 April 1943
Sunken ships
Allied
- Aaron Ward (US Gleaves-class destroyer)
- Astoria (US New Orleans-class cruiser)
- Atlanta (US Atlanta-class anti-aircraft cruiser)
- Barton (US Benson-class destroyer)
- Blue (US Bagley-class destroyer)
- Canberra (Australian Kent-class cruiser)
- Colhoun (US Wickes-class destroyer)
- Cushing (US Mahan-class destroyer)
- De Haven (US Fletcher-class destroyer)
- Duncan (US Gleaves-class destroyer)
- George F. Elliott (US Heywood-class attack transport)
- Gregory (US Wickes-class destroyer)
- Jarvis (US Bagley-class destroyer)
- John Penn (US attack transport)
- Kanawha (US Kanawha-class fleet oiler)
- Laffey (US Benson-class destroyer)
- Little (US Wickes-class destroyer)
- Moa (New Zealand Bird-class corvette)
- Monssen (US Gleaves-class destroyer)
- Northampton (US Northampton-class heavy cruiser)
- Preston (US Mahan-class destroyer)
- PT-37 (US PT boat)
- PT-44 (US PT boat)
- PT-111 (US PT boat)
- PT-112 (US PT boat)
- PT-123 (US PT boat)
- Quincy (US New Orleans-class cruiser)
- Seminole (US Navajo-class oceangoing tug)
- Serpens (United States Coast Guard-manned Liberty ship)
- Vincennes (US New Orleans-class cruiser)
- Walke (US Sims-class destroyer)
- YP-284 (US Yard Patrol craft)
Japanese
- I-1 (Japanese Type J1 submarine)
- I-3 (Japanese Type J1 submarine)
- Akatsuki (Japanese Akatsuki-class destroyer)
- Ayanami (Japanese Fubuki-class destroyer)
- Azumasan Maru (Japanese freighter)
- Fubuki (Japanese Fubuki-class destroyer)
- Furutaka (Japanese Furutaka-class cruiser)
- Hiei (Japanese Kongō-class battlecruiser)
- Hirokawa Maru (Japanese military transport)
- Kashi Maru (Japanese freighter)
- Kikuzuki (Japanese Mutsuki-class destroyer)
- Kinugawa Maru (Japanese military transport)
- Kirishima (Japanese Kongō-class battlecruiser)
- Makigumo (Japanese Yūgumo-class destroyer)
- Takanami (Japanese Yūgumo-class destroyer)
- Teruzuki (Japanese Akizuki-class destroyer)
- Toa Maru (Japanese military transport)
- Yūdachi (Japanese Shiratsuyu-class destroyer)
References
- The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal, Robert D. Ballard, ISBN 0-446-51636-8
External links
- Casualties: U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Vessels, Sunk or Damaged Beyond Repair during World War II, 7 December 1941-1 October 1945\
- National Geographic: The Lost Fleet of Guadalcanal, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
See also
Coordinates: 9°15′S 160°0′E / 9.250°S 160.000°E