This Military Service Page was created/owned by
CWO4 Lou Collazo
to remember
Mandrackie, Andrew (Andy), SCPO.
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Contact Info
Last Address New York
Date of Passing Sep 10, 2005
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Last Known Activity:
He served in the United States Navy for 37 years retiring in 1980 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. He saw action in 13 Naval battles during World War II including Guadalcanal, Cape Esperance, Savo Island, Munda, Southern Solomons, New Georgia, Rondova, Stanmore Plantation, Enogia Inlet, Bairoko Harbor, Rice Anchorage. He served on the U.S.S. Helena, his favorite ship during his career, which was torpedoed and later sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor as well as on the USS Roche in the Kula Gulf, where again the ship sank after being torpedoed. For both of these incidents, he was awarded two purple hearts. While in the Naval Reserves, Mandrackie worked as a printer for the Strawberry Hill Press in New York City. He was placed in charge of overseeing the USS Intrepid?s transport to New York City Harbor where it is now docked as a Naval Museum. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, carpentry and cabinet making. He was an avid history buff and enjoyed telling stories and answering questions about his war service. He did extensive historical research at West Point in regard to recreating the Naval Revolutionary War Uniforms as well as the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Milford. He was a member of the NRA, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Legion and the Pearl Harbor Survivors. He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years Helen (Dobson) Mandrackie in 2002.
Other Comments:
Andy was my recruiter in North Bergen, NJ. A great Sailor and friend. We will truly miss him. Fair Winds and Follwing Seas, Shipmate.
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.
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