US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

582 Amphibians Came To Conquer
The Radford and the Gzuin expended some 1,100 rounds of counter-battery
fire, but since they had only the flashes of the Japanese guns as a point of
aim, the Japanese batteries were still shooting at 0559---dawn-when Com-
mander Transports, unloading having been reported completed about 0555,
directed the last of the ships underway to return to base.
After their capture five days later, it was determined the Japanese guns
were four 5,5-inch guns. It was discovered much sooner that one APD had
failed to unload an essential radio transmitter belonging to the 3rd Battalion
of the 145th Infantry of the 37th Division and that the Trever had two
Army oficers and 64 men left aboard out of seven Army officers and 209
men embarked.53
,The Northern Landing Group’s initial landing and its further logistic
support brought on several gun fights between United States and Japanese
cruisers and destroyers in Kula Gulf. These gun fights have gained considerable
historical interest. In one, the Task Group Commander claimed the
sinking of eight Japanese ships when he had actually sunk but two.54 On
the other hand, the prosaics of the amphibians and logisticians have largely
been swept under the historical rug. The Landing Force Commander disappeared
into the jungle and was so little heard from that when on 8 July,
Rear Admiral Turner inquired of Major General Hester:
What is Liversedge’s situation?
he received back no answer until the next day, and then it read:
No contact with Liversedge.s~
On 12 July three fast transports of Transport Division 22 (Kdty, Crosby
and Scbiey) with the destroyers Woodworth and Taylor as screen, returned
to Rice Anchorage with further troop and logistic support. Unloading commenced
about 0120 and was stopped about 0430 because of a firm desire
to be under our air cover by daylight. Only a partial unloading job was done
under difficult but somewhat less difficult circumstances than the first am-
phibious landing at Rice Anchorage.
Commander Transport Division 22 recorded his problems and disappointments
as follows:
There has been no challenge from the beach, no boats to meet us, no signs
of life whatever. . . . Boats had difficulty in finding channel and some ran
a Tyever Log.
u COMTHIRDFLT to CINCPAC 070626 Jul. 1943.
m (a) CTF 31 to Rendova, 070320 Jul. 1943; (b) Rendova to COMSOPAC to CTF 31, 080121
Jul. 1943.