This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Shaun Thomas (Underdog), OSC
to remember
Baskett, Thomas Slack (Tom), CAPT.
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Contact Info
Home Town St. Louis
Last Address Webster Groves, Missouri
Date of Passing Feb 07, 2002
Location of Interment Middlebury Cemetery - Middlebury, Vermont
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of the Eastern Solomons
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
August / 1942
Description The naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons (also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands and, in Japanese sources, as the Second Battle of the Solomon Sea took place on 24–25 August 1942, and was the third carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the second major engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal Campaign. As at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, the ships of the two adversaries were never within sight of each other. Instead, all attacks were carried out by carrier-based or land-based aircraft.
After several damaging air attacks, the naval surface combatants from both America and Japan withdrew from the battle area without either side securing a clear victory. However, the U.S. and its allies gained tactical and strategic advantage. Japan's losses were greater and included dozens of aircraft and their experienced aircrews. Also, Japanese reinforcements intended for Guadalcanal were delayed and eventually delivered by warships rather than transport ships, giving the Allies more time to prepare for the Japanese counteroffensive and preventing the Japanese from landing heavy artillery, ammunition, and other supplies.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
August / 1942
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Between 17 August and 13 September, S-37 conducted her sixth war patrol, a defensive patrol in the Savo Island area in support of the Guadalcanal campaign. On 2 September, she scored her only hit of the patrol when she damaged the last destroyer in a column of four which was steaming to the north of Savo. Four days later, she moved into the Russell Islands, whence she departed the Solomon Islands and headed back to Brisbane. On 19 October, she cleared the latter harbor for the last time, and, four days later, she arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia. After refueling, she served on picket line station in defense of that base. On 5 November, after a fire in her port main motor added to problems of tank trouble, fuel shortage, and mechanical failures, she headed for Pearl Harbor.