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Richard Kirkland (Kirk), ET1
to remember
Van Voorhis, Bruce Avery, LCDR.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Aberdeen, WA
Last Address Coronado, CA
Casualty Date Jul 06, 1943
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Solomon Islands
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (VA) - St. Louis, Missouri
Northern Solomon Islands Campaign (1943-44)/Battle of Kula Gulf
From Month/Year
July / 1943
To Month/Year
July / 1943
Description The naval Battle of Kula Gulf took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.
Background
On 5 July, United States Navy Task Group 36.1 (TG 36.1)—commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth and consisting of the light cruisers USS Honolulu (CL-48), USS St. Louis (CL-49), and USS Helena (CL-50), plus four destroyers, had received word of another "Tokyo Express" mission down "the Slot" in the Solomon Islands, and the task group proceeded northwest past New Georgia Island.
The Allies were in the process of launching their next offensive in the Solomon Islands, having just landed troops on the island of Rendova as a preliminary step to seizing the major Japanese airstrip at Munda on New Georgia Island. In support of this landing, which was to set up an initial beachhead for moving U.S. troops across Blanche Channel to New Georgia, Admiral Ainsworth had the night before conducted a cruiser bombardment of Vila on Kolombangara Island and Bairoko on New Georgia and, short of fuel and ammunition, was in the process of retiring to the Coral Sea to replenish. A U.S. Marine landing was scheduled on the northern shore of New Georgia on 10 July, that would require further naval support.
Battle
At 01:06 off Kolombangara, the task group came into contact with a Japanese reinforcement group commanded by Admiral Teruo Akiyama which consisted of ten destroyers loaded with 2,600 combat troops that were bound for Vila, which they used as a staging point for moving into Munda. The Japanese were divided into two forces, a formation of three escorts trailing the main column first came under attack.
The U.S. ships opened fire at 01:57, firing 612 shells in 21 minutes and six seconds, quickly sinking the destroyer Niizuki and killing Admiral Akiyama. However, Helena had expended all of her flashless powder the previous night, she was forced to use smokeless powder, thus illuminating herself to the Japanese ships with every salvo. Two of the Japanese destroyers launched their Long Lance torpedoes and hit Helena, fatally damaging her. The main Japanese force, which had countermarched away from Vila with the first contact, then broke away, having landed only 850 of the 2,600 troops. The Japanese destroyer Nagatsuki ran aground, while Hatsuyuki was damaged.
Both forces began to withdraw from the area, but one Japanese and two American destroyers remained to rescue survivors. At about 05:00, the destroyers Amagiri and USS Nicholas exchanged torpedoes and gunfire. Amagiri was hit and retired. The beached Nagatsuki was abandoned by her crew in the morning, she was bombed and destroyed by American aircraft.
Aftermath
The destroyers USS Radford and Nicholas both stayed behind to rescue survivors from Helena. While rescuing over 750 men, Radford and Nicholas had to reengage the enemy three times, they were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their rescue. Amagiri escaped and later rammed and cut in half the motor torpedo boat USS PT-109, captained by future President of the United States John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), in Blackett Strait southwest of Kolombangara on August 2.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
July / 1943
To Month/Year
July / 1943
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Most of the members of Patrol Squadron 14, as well as appropriate equipment, were transferred to the newly commissioned Bombing Squadron 102 (VB-102). The squadron was commissioned on 15 February 1943 at NAS Kaneohe Bay, T.H., LCDR Bruce Van Voorhis Commanding. The Navy had acquired an allotment of B-24 aircraft and assigned them a designation of PB4Y-1. VB-102 would be the first Navy operational squadron to receive the aircraft. Archive records indicate that VP-14 later became VPB-14 and still later, VPB-197. The squadron operated out of NAS Kaneohe Bay until transition training was completed. On 19 April 1943 aircraft and crews proceeded to Carney Field, Guadalcanal via Espiritu Santo. On 1 May 1943 deployment was complete. All personnel and aircraft had arrived at Carney Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Compliment consisted of 52 officers, 160 enlisted men and 15 PB4Y-1 Aircraft.
On 6 July 1943, LCDR Bruce Van Voorhis, Commanding Officer of Bombing Squadron 102, was lost while bombing the Japanese held island of Kapingamarangi. Subsequently Gordon Fowler was named Commanding Officer and Curtis F. Vossler Executive Officer.
On 14 October 1943 VB-102 arrived back at Alameda NAS. All personnel were issued orders for leave and reassignment. Many of personnel would receive orders to report to NAAS Camp Kearney in San Diego, California. The combat experience of these officers and men would be valuable in the reforming of VB-102 for deployment on a second tour. Primarily, personnel who had completed tours in VP-14 and VB-102 were reassigned to other duty, although some returned for a third tour of duty. Many who had completed only one tour of combat duty would be reassigned to VB-102 to complete a second tour.
Bruce Avery Van Voorhis-born on 29 January 1908 in Aberdeen, Wash.-grew up in Nevada and was appointed to the Naval Academy in June 1925. Following graduation from the Academy on 6 June 1929, Ens. Van Voorhis reported for duty in Mississippi (BB-41). That assignment lasted until November 1930 when he transferred to the naval air station at Pensacola, Fla., for aviation training. He received his wings on 3 September 1931 and was assigned to Maryland (BB-46) as a member of Observation Squadron 4B (VO-4B). In June 1934, he transferred to Bombing Squadron (VB) 5B on board Ranger (CV-4) and, soon thereafter, to VB-2B attached to Saratoga (CV-2). From July 1935 until May 1937, he served in the Panama Canal Zone and flew patrols from Coco Solo with Patrol Squadron (VP) 2F. The following June, 1938, Van Voorhis returned to carried-based aviation and served first in Enterprise (CV-6), then in Yorktown ( CV-5 ), and finally back to Enterprise. In June 1940, Van Voorhis joined the aviation unit assigned to Honolulu (CL-48) where he served for a year In July 1941, he reported for duty at the Naval Air Station, Anacostia, where he served until November 1942. In December, Van Voorhis, a lieutenant commander since July, assumed command of VP-14, but soon thereafter took command of VB-102. While serving in that capacity, Lt. Comdr. Van Voorhis gave his life for his country near Hare Island of Kapingamarangi Atoll, the southernmost of the Eastern Caroline Islands. After a 700-mile flight alone, Lt. Comdr. Van Voorhis launched successive bombing and strafing attacks on the enemy ground installations. During his onslaught, he succeeded in destroying a radio station, antiaircraft emplacements, and at least one airborne fighter as well as three others on the water. However, the strength of Japanese aerial opposition eventually forced Van Voorhis lower and lower until either the intense antiaircraft barrage, the fighters, or-perhaps-his own bomb blasts knocked him out of the sky near the island.
