Historium
Back to Photo History

Photo History Historium

USS Hornet’s Last Battle: Santa Cruz, October 26, 1942

Period
World War II, Pacific War, 1942
Place
Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands, South Pacific Ocean

Nine original U.S. Navy photographs follow USS Hornet through dive-bomber attacks, fires, an attempted tow and the evacuation of her crew during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands on October 26, 1942.

View 9 photographs
About this photo essay

A Japanese dive-bomber trails smoke above the aircraft carrier. Seconds later, the plane will smash into the ship. It is the morning of October 26, 1942, and USS Hornet is fighting for her life east of the Solomon Islands.

Four months earlier, Hornet had helped win the Battle of Midway. In April, aircraft launched from her deck had carried out the Doolittle Raid on Japan. Now she was supporting the bitter campaign for Guadalcanal. American carriers Hornet and Enterprise faced Japanese carrier aircraft near the Santa Cruz Islands. The battle was fought mostly beyond sight of the opposing fleets; aircraft carried the blows across the open sea.

Hornet was struck in a rapid sequence of bomb and torpedo attacks. One Japanese dive-bomber hit the carrier's island and flight deck, worsening fires and damage. Torpedo hits robbed her of speed and left her vulnerable. The photographs taken by nearby American ships show fire climbing over her upper works, destroyers closing to assist and the carrier leaning heavily in the water.

For a time, the crew hoped to save her. The heavy cruiser USS Northampton tried to take the disabled ship in tow, but renewed Japanese attacks made the rescue impossible. Orders to abandon ship followed. Sailors moved onto assisting vessels as Hornet, the carrier that had launched the Doolittle Raiders, was left adrift. Japanese destroyers subsequently finished her off during the night.

The United States had lost a valuable carrier, but Japan also paid a steep price in aircraft and veteran aircrew. Santa Cruz was a tactical Japanese success with costs that weakened its carrier force in later operations. The campaign for Guadalcanal continued.

Unlike many wartime stories illustrated with photographs from unrelated battles, this gallery uses nine actual U.S. Navy images from the Santa Cruz action on October 26, 1942. The dates, ships and archive numbers are recorded for each frame, with no modern recreations.

Sources: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands; National Museum of the U.S. Navy photographic records 80-G series.

Topic: USS Hornet CV-8; Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands; WWII carrier warfare

U.S. Task Force 17 ships maneuvering in the South Pacific during the Santa Cruz carrier battle.

Task Force 17 under attack, October 26, 1942

At the opening of the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, U.S. Task Force 17 maneuvers to avoid Japanese aircraft. USS Hornet (CV-8) is visible with nearby escort ships. The American carriers and their opponents fought through aircraft strikes across long stretches of ocean, not a direct surface-gun duel.

Photo details
Date
October 26, 1942
Location
Near the Santa Cruz Islands, South Pacific
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
Japanese aircraft attacking USS Hornet, with a smoke-trailing dive bomber above the carrier on October 26, 1942.

A smoking Japanese dive-bomber descends toward Hornet

A Japanese Aichi D3A “Val” dive-bomber trails smoke as it dives toward Hornet during the morning attack. Two Nakajima B5N “Kate” torpedo planes can be seen beyond the carrier. This original U.S. Navy combat image shows the terrifying proximity of aircraft attacking an exposed flight deck.

Photo details
Date
Morning, October 26, 1942
Location
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, South Pacific
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
U.S. Navy photographic series 80-G-33947
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
U.S. Navy photographic series 80-G-33947 / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
Japanese Aichi D3A dive bomber striking USS Hornet during the 1942 Santa Cruz naval battle.

The moment a Japanese bomber crashes into Hornet

A Japanese Aichi D3A dive-bomber strikes Hornet during the Santa Cruz attack. The caption in the source places this moment at about 09:14. The aircraft hit the carrier near her island and flight deck, feeding the fires that spread through the ship during the battle.

Photo details
Date
Approximately 09:14, October 26, 1942
Location
USS Hornet (CV-8), Battle of Santa Cruz
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
U.S. Navy / HyperWar historical photo archive
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
U.S. Navy / HyperWar historical photo archive / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
Japanese Kate torpedo aircraft dropping a torpedo alongside USS Hornet on October 26, 1942.

A Japanese torpedo aircraft attacks the carrier

A Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” torpedo bomber passes low near Hornet’s island. The splash on the lower right marks a torpedo entering the water on its way toward the carrier. Japanese torpedoes were among the blows that immobilized Hornet and made a successful rescue increasingly unlikely.

Photo details
Date
October 26, 1942
Location
USS Hornet (CV-8), South Pacific
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
Official U.S. Navy combat photograph
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
Official U.S. Navy combat photograph / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
Burning USS Hornet aircraft carrier with a U.S. Navy destroyer alongside, October 26, 1942.

Hornet burns as a destroyer comes alongside

Fire pours from USS Hornet during the battle. A destroyer is close against the carrier’s side, one of several ships working to help her damaged crew. This photograph was taken from USS Pensacola and archived by the U.S. Navy as 80-G-32813.

Photo details
Date
October 26, 1942
Location
USS Hornet near Santa Cruz Islands, photographed from USS Pensacola
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-32813
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-32813 / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
USS Northampton attempting to tow the disabled aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the South Pacific in 1942.

Northampton attempts to tow the helpless carrier

The heavy cruiser USS Northampton tries to take Hornet in tow after Japanese attacks leave the carrier unable to maneuver under her own power. Renewed attacks eventually forced the Americans to abandon the attempt. The original Navy photograph carries collection number 80-G-33897.

Photo details
Date
October 26, 1942
Location
Near Santa Cruz Islands, South Pacific
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-33897
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-33897 / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
USS Russell alongside damaged USS Hornet as U.S. ships attempt to save the carrier during Santa Cruz.

USS Russell closes in to assist Hornet

USS Russell (DD-414) moves alongside the crippled carrier during rescue operations. The Navy image places Northampton close by, preparing to help with a tow. The ships’ work continued under the threat of another Japanese attack. This is an actual wartime photo, not a modern depiction.

Photo details
Date
October 26, 1942
Location
USS Hornet, Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
U.S. Navy photographic collection, 80-G-304514
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
U.S. Navy photographic collection, 80-G-304514 / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
Crew members of USS Hornet prepare to abandon the damaged aircraft carrier on October 26, 1942.

Sailors prepare to abandon USS Hornet

Sailors on the damaged carrier prepare to leave their ship after repeated air strikes. The photograph was taken from the destroyer USS Russell and preserves the dangerous human side of a battle usually described in terms of aircraft losses and carrier damage. The Navy archive number is 80-G-34110.

Photo details
Date
October 26, 1942
Location
USS Hornet photographed from USS Russell, South Pacific
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-34110
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-34110 / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain
USS Hornet heavily listing after Japanese air attacks in the Battle of Santa Cruz, 26 October 1942.

The carrier lists after the final Japanese attacks

Photographed from USS Pensacola, USS Hornet leans sharply to one side after the last Japanese attacks on October 26. The heavy cruiser Northampton is visible in the distance. By late afternoon the American crew had abandoned the carrier; enemy ships would later complete her destruction.

Photo details
Date
Late afternoon, October 26, 1942
Location
Near Santa Cruz Islands, photographed from USS Pensacola
Photographer
U.S. Navy official photographer (name not recorded)
Archive / collection
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-33899
Rights / license
Public domain in the United States: original photograph made by U.S. Navy personnel on official duty. Faithful digital copy; source citation and archive credit included.
Credit
National Museum of the U.S. Navy, photo 80-G-33899 / Wikimedia Commons / U.S. public domain

More Photo History

Swipe to browse. Zoom in to pan; pinch to change the zoom.

Open image
Read the story