The Battle of Santa Cruz: Introduction

Credit: Courtesy | Date Taken: 10/11/2021
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, or "Bloody Santa Cruz," took place on October 26, 1942. Although the Battle of Santa Cruz is largely forgotten today, it was one of the epic clashes of the Pacific War, involving two aircraft carrier fleets that engaged each other from afar. This battle determined if the U.S. Navy would reclaim the South Pacific. Although scholars have sometimes described it as a tactical defeat for the United States Navy, its long-term consequences produced a strategic victory, as it drove the Japanese carrier force back into hiding and enabled the Allied conquest of Guadalcanal, the only major American offensive in the Pacific in the year 1942. In this seven-part video series, learn about the Battle of Santa Cruz through the first-person accounts of Sailors who fought in this battle. All videos are written, directed, and produced by staff and volunteers at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. (US Navy Video by Hampton Roads Naval Museum/Released)