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Cummings, Damon Morris (Navy Cross), LCDR.
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Casualty Info
Home Town La Jolla
Last Address La Jolla, CA
Casualty Date Nov 13, 1942
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Solomon Islands
Conflict World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings
Location of Interment Manila American Cemetery - Taguig City, Philippines
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of Cape Esperance
From Month/Year
October / 1942
To Month/Year
October / 1942
Description Cape Esperance (Second Savo) October 11–12, 1942. The Battle of Cape Esperance, also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the Sea Battle of Savo Island, took place on 11–12 October 1942, and was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Navy. The battle was the second of four major surface engagements during the Guadalcanal campaign and took place at the entrance to the strait between Savo Island and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Cape Esperance (9°15′S 159°42′E) is the northernmost point on Guadalcanal, and the battle took its name from this point.
On the night of 11 October, Japanese naval forces in the Solomon Islands area—under the command of Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa—sent a major supply and reinforcement convoy to their forces on Guadalcanal. The convoy consisted of two seaplane tenders and six destroyers and was commanded by Rear Admiral Takatsugu Jojima. At the same time, but in a separate operation, three heavy cruisers and two destroyers—under the command of Rear Admiral Aritomo Goto-were to bombard the Allied airfield on Guadalcanal (called Henderson Field by the Allies) with the object of destroying Allied aircraft and the airfield's facilities.
Shortly before midnight on 11 October, a U.S force of four cruisers and five destroyers—under the command of Rear Admiral Norman Scott—intercepted Goto's force as it approached Savo Island near Guadalcanal. Taking the Japanese by surprise, Scott's warships sank one of Goto's cruisers and one of his destroyers, heavily damaged another cruiser, mortally wounded Goto, and forced the rest of Goto's warships to abandon the bombardment mission and retreat. During the exchange of gunfire, one of Scott's destroyers was sunk and one cruiser and another destroyer were heavily damaged. In the meantime, the Japanese supply convoy successfully completed unloading at Guadalcanal and began its return journey without being discovered by Scott's force. Later on the morning of 12 October, four Japanese destroyers from the supply convoy turned back to assist Goto's retreating, damaged warships. Air attacks by U.S. aircraft from Henderson Field sank two of these destroyers later that day.
As with the preceding naval engagements, around Guadalcanal, the strategic outcome was inconsequential because neither the Japanese nor United States navies secured operational control of the waters around Guadalcanal as a result of this action. However, the Battle of Cape Esperance provided a significant morale boost to the US Navy after the disaster of Savo Island.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
October / 1942
To Month/Year
October / 1942
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories On 7 October, TF 64 departed Espiritu Santo and moved back into the Solomons to cover Allied reinforcements and to intercept similar operations by the Japanese. On the 11th, at about 1615, the ships commenced a run northward from Rennel Island, to intercept an enemy force of two cruisers and six destroyers reported heading for Guadalcanal from the Buin-Faisi area. The force continued north, to approach Savo Island from the southwest.
By 2330, when the ships were approximately six miles northwest of Savo, they turned to make a further search of the area. A few minutes after setting the new course, radar indicated unidentified ships to the west, several thousand yards distant. At about 2345, the Battle of Cape Esperance began. Initial confusion caused both sides to momentarily check their fire in fear of hitting their own ships. Then, the battle was reopened and continued until 0020 on the 12th, when surviving Japanese ships retired toward Shortland. Two American cruisers, Salt Lake City and Boise, and two destroyers, Duncan and Farenholt, had been damaged. Later, Duncan went down. A Japanese cruiser and a destroyer had been sunk during the surface action. Two more enemy destroyers were sunk on the 12th by planes from Henderson Field. After the engagement, TF 64, having shown the United States Navy to be the equal of the Imperial Japanese Navy in night fighting, retired to Espiritu Santo.
