Henderson Daily Dispatch

Loss Of Three
Big Cruisers
Is Announced

Washington, October 13.—(AP)—
The loss of three heavy American
cruisers in a fierce, night-time naval
battle fought during the initial phase
of the attack on the Solomon Islands
was announced yesterday by the
Navy.

Covering the landing of the reinforcements in the Tulagi-Guadalcanal area, the second night of the
attack on the islands, the cruisers
Quincy, Vincennes, and Astoria were
outlined against the glare of enemy
searchlights and star shells and were
sunk by a Japanese force of cruisers
and destroyers.

In the same action, the night of
August 8-9, the Australian cruiser
Canberra was hit by shells and torpedoes, heavily damaged and set on
fire. Abandoned during the night
she sank the morning of Aug. 9, as
already announced by the Australian
Government.

Although a majority of the crew
of the three cruisers was saved, a
Navy communique reported the loss
of life was heavy, and the commander of the Quincy, Captain Samuel
Moore of Alexandria, Va. was
of those lost. Captain F. L. Rote of
Manabo, Puerto Rico, commanding the Vincennes, and Captain W.
L. G. Greenman of Watertown, N.
Y., skipper of the Astoria, were
saved.

The action began about 1:45 a.m.
Aug. 9, as transports and supply
ships were pouring reinforcements
shore for the Marines who had occupied the Tulagi-Guadalcanal area
in the Solomons in a surprise attack Aug. 7.