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Michael Kohan (Mikey), ATCS
to remember
Scott, Norman Nicholas, RADM.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Indianapolis
Last Address USS Atlanta (CL-51) CENOTAPH- Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Philippines; name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing.
Casualty Date Nov 13, 1942
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Buried at Sea, Pacific Ocean
Wall/Plot Coordinates Buried at Sea in the Pacific off Guadalcanal.
Military Service Number 7 749
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
While aboard the light cruiser USS Atlanta off the coast of Guadalcanal, Admiral Scott directed his ships to intercept a Japanese bombardment force comprising two battleships, a light cruiser, and six destroyers steaming toward Guadalcanal to shell Henderson Field.
As two Japanese destroyers crossed Atlanta's line of fire, an enemy torpedo punched into Atlanta's forward engine room, causing an interruption of her gunfire. Shortly thereafter, the Atlanta reeled under the impact of a flurry of nineteen 8-inch hits from the American heavy cruiser San Francisco.
Due to the urgency of battle, darkness, and confused intermingling of friendly and enemy warships, the San Francisco had accidentally fired into her. Fragments from the impact of these projectiles killed many men, including Rear Admiral Scott. Because of his extraordinary heroism during this action, Admiral Scott was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Medal of Honor
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Atlanta (CL-51)
Citation: The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Rear Admiral Norman Scott (NSN: 0-7749), United States Navy-
"For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty during action against enemy Japanese forces off Savo Island on the night of 11 - 12 October and again on the night of 12 - 13 November 1942.
...
In the earlier action, intercepting a Japanese Task Force intent upon storming our island positions and landing reinforcements at Guadalcanal, Rear Admiral Scott, with courageous skill and superb coordination of the units under his command, destroyed eight hostile vessels and put the others to flight.
...
Again challenged, a month later, by the return of a stubborn and persistent foe, he led his force into a desperate battle against tremendous odds, directing close-range operations against the invading enemy until he himself was killed in the furious bombardment by their superior firepower.
...
On each of these occasions, his dauntless initiative, inspiring leadership and judicious foresight in a crisis of grave responsibility contributed decisively to the rout of a powerful invasion fleet and to the consequent frustration of a formidable Japanese offensive. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."
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.
