The USS Atlanta received 49 major calibre hits, and one torpedo, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal disabling all but the aftmost 5"mount. The midship magazine was set afire and the bridge was riddled, killing most personnel in those spaces including Admiral Scott. The Japanese were using shore bombardment shells that night which had a devastating effect on an unprotected ship. A single torpedo struck her on the port side in way of the forward engine room flooding both it and the forward boiler room rapidly. The after boiler room flooded in 20 minutes through damaged bulkheads fittings, probably at ruptured piping connections. The emergency diesel generator started up but the ship was left dead in the water, slowly flooding.
I have a detailed sketch showing the position of each hit and have tried to replicate that here. In the bottom picture the white circle represents each hit in addition to the location of the torpedo hit. I might be able to scan in the actual sketch I have in the near future but I hope this helps.
I appears that all the hits to the hull forward were from 5.5 inch shells mostly from the Japanese cruiser Nagara. The 5" mount in position A was hit in the front. Turret B, where my father was stationed was hit in the ammo room beneath the mount. Everyone in the room was killed except my father, who was wounded in the back. His shirt buttons and shoes were blown off as well!! Turret C had its barrels blown clean off by a shell from the USS San Francisco.
The superstructure, both fore and aft, was hit mostly by 8" shells from the San Francisco.
Continue to come back to this page as I will keep adding more information. I
have detailed information as to structural damage etc. which will be put on
here. Thanks!
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