Nggela Islands

But he and his were discovered by the SBD patrol led by John Eldridge.

Takama, aboard his destroyer Akuzuki, ordered the other destroyers and the light cruiser Eura, now about 30 miles northeast of Florida Island, the large island just above Tulagi, to repel the coming attack.

It was 1 p.m. Now flying high over Takama, Eldridge issued orders as to who was attack what when they dove.

Tacoma saw this and ordered a tight turn for the ERA, but Eldridge wasn't counting on his bombsight.

Undetected by the Japanese, the assault force reached its target during the night of 6-7 August and split into two landing groups.

Transport Division X-Ray, 15 transports headed for the north shore of Guadalcanal east of Lunga Point, and Transport Division Yoke, eight transports headed for Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo, and the nearby Florida Island, which loomed over the smaller islands.

Vandergrift's plans for the landings would put two of his infantry regiments, Colonel Leroy P. Hunt's 5th Marines and Colonel Cates' 1st Marines, ashore on both sides of the Lunger River, prepared to attack inland to seize the airfield.

The 11th Marines, the 3rd Defense Battalion, and most of the division's supporting units would also land near the Lunga, prepared to exploit the beachhead.

Across the 20 miles of Sealark Channel, the division's assistant commander, Brigadier General William H. Rupertus, led the assault forces slated to take Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tanambogo, the 1st Raider Battalion, Lt. Col. Merritt A. Edson, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, Lt. Col. Harold E. Rosecrans, and the 1st Parachute Battalion, Maj. Robert H. Williams.

Company A of the 2nd Marines would reconnoiter the nearby shores of Florida Island and the rest of Colonel John A. Arthur's regiment would stand by and reserve to land where needed.

As the ship slipped through the channels on either side of rugged Savo Island, which split sea lark near its western end, heavy clouds and dense rain blanketed the task force.

Later the moon came out and silhouetted the islands.