Naval Battle of Vella Lavella
Naval Battle of Vella Lavella was a naval engagement fought on 6 October 1943 at Vella Lavella. It was part of the Pacific War, which ran from 1941 to 1945. The recorded result: Japanese victory. Recorded strength: 6 destroyers against 9 destroyers; 20 barges; auxiliary ships.
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The U.S. Navy destroyers USS Selfridge (DD-357), left, and USS O'Bannon (DD-450) damaged at Noumea, Espiritu Santo, after the naval Battle of Vella Lavella, on 7 October 1943. Selfridge´s bow was torn. USN, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons .
Fought 6 October 1943
Where Vella Lavella 7.500S, 156.233E
Outcome Japanese victory
Belligerents United States against Empire of Japan
Where it sits in the Pacific War Battle of Guam, 1941 Battle of Hong Kong, 1941 Battle of Wake Island, 1941 Battle of Corregidor, 1942 Battle of Manado, 1942 Battle of Kuala Lumpur, 1942 Battle of Balikpapan, 1942 Battle of Port Moresby, 1942 Battle of Singapore, 1942 Battle of Kranji, 1942 Battle of Sarimbun Beach, 1942 Battle of Bukit Timah, 1942 Battle of Palembang, 1942 Battle of Pasir Panjang, 1942 Battle of Badung Strait, 1942 Battle of Tjiater Pass, 1942 Indian Ocean raid, 1942 Battle of Midway, 1942 Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo, 1942 Battle of the Tenaru, 1942 Battle of Edson's Ridge, 1942 Actions along the Matanikau, 1942 Battle for Henderson Field, 1942 Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 1942 Koli Point action, 1942 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 1942 Battle of Tassafaronga, 1942 Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse, 1942 Battle of Rennell Island, 1943 Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 1943 Battle of Blackett Strait, 1943 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 1943 Battle of Attu, 1943 Battle of Wickham Anchorage, 1943 Battle of Viru Harbor, 1943 Battle of Kula Gulf, 1943 Landing at Nassau Bay, 1943 Battle of Enogai, 1943 Battle of Kolombangara, 1943 Drive on Munda Point, 1943 New Georgia counterattack, 1943 Battle of Bairoko, 1943 Battle of Munda Point, 1943 Battle off Horaniu, 1943 Landing at Nadzab, 1943 Huon Peninsula campaign, 1943 Battle of Scarlet Beach, 1943 Naval Battle of Vella Lavella, 1943 Bougainville Campaign, 1943 Landings at Cape Torokina, 1943 Battle of Koromokina Lagoon, 1943 Battle for Piva Trail, 1943 Battle of the Treasury Islands, 1943 Battle of Sattelberg, 1943 Battle of Piva Forks, 1943 Battle of Wareo, 1943 Battle of Arawe, 1943 Battle of Hellzapoppin Ridge and Hill 600A, 1943 Pacification of Rabaul, 1943 Battle of Mindoro, 1944 Formosa Air Battle, 1944 Action of 11 January 1944, 1944 Battle of the Green Islands, 1944 Battle of Biak, 1944 Battle of Saipan, 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea, 1944 Battle of Tinian, 1944 Battle of Angaur, 1944 Battle of Morotai, 1944 Battle of Leyte, 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf, 1944 Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, 1944 Battle off Samar, 1944 Battle of Cabo Engaño, 1944 Battle of Ormoc Bay, 1944 Battle of Peleliu, 1944 Battle of Pearl Ridge, 1944 Battle of Tarakan, 1945 Action of 8 June 1945, 1945 Battle of Sulu Islands, 1945 Battle of Luzon, 1945 Battle of Camotes Islands, 1945 Battle of Tsimba Ridge, 1945 Battle of Baguio, 1945 Battle of Balete Pass, 1945 Invasion of Palawan, 1945 Battle of Mindanao, 1945 Battle of the Visayas, 1945 Battle of Bacsil Ridge, 1945 Battle for Cebu City, 1945 Battle of Slater's Knoll, 1945 Operation Ten-Go, 1945 Battle of the Hongorai River, 1945 Battle of Davao, 1945 Battle of the Malacca Strait, 1945 Battle of Bessang Pass, 1945 Battle of Ratsua, 1945 Battle of Porton Plantation, 1945 Battle of North Borneo, 1945 Battle of Labuan, 1945 Battle of Balikpapan, 1945 1941 1945 Naval Battle of Vella Lavella, 1943 101 placed engagements of the Pacific War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.
Record
Date 6 October 1943 Place Vella Lavella7.500S, 156.233E Kind Naval engagement, interwar and Second World War Strength 6 destroyers 9 destroyers; 20 barges; auxiliary ships Casualties and losses 1 destroyer sunk; 2 destroyers heavily damaged,; 67 killed; 47 wounded; 36 missing 1 destroyer sunk,; 138 killed; 103 captured Commanders
Naval Battle of Vella Lavella Naval Battle of Vella Lavella Land Battle of Vella Lavella Battle off Horaniu Battle of the Treasury Islands Battle of Vella Gulf Battle of Kula Gulf Battle of the Treasury Islands Battle of Vella Gulf Battle of Kula Gulf 100 km 7.500S, 156.233E The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.
Naval Battle of Vella Lavella is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas.
Sources
Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q701908 , released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Vella Lavella (naval) , revision 1370592340, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.
