At about 7:24 p.m., U.S.S CHICAGO (CA-29) , opened fire on the first wave of approaching Japanese bombers. CHICAGO’S 40 mm batteries, and 5-inch guns fired furiously as the bombers tried to line up the ship to drop their torpedoes. The Battle of Rennell Island had begun. The heavy cruiser, CHICAGO, was part of the 9 ship task force, designated Task Force 18. Task Force 18 was charged in protecting troop transports, carrying fresh Army troops to complete the replacement of the weary Marines on Guadalcanal.
On January 29, 1943, the Task Force reached a point 50 miles North of Rennell Island and about 160 miles south of Guadalcanal, where it was attacked by two Japanese air groups consisting of 31 land -based bombers from Rabaul. The Task…show more content… The flames from the burning bomber silhouetted CHICAGO in the night sky marking it for the Japanese bombers that followed. Two enemy bombers found their mark, and CHICAGO was struck by two torpedoes, resulting in the engine room flooding, loss of power, and the ship beginning to list. CHICAGO’S damage control crew were able to correct the list, and CHICAGO was taken in tow by LOUISVILLE (CA-28). The next morning, NAVAJO (AT-64), an ocean-going tugboat, took over towing CHICAGO. At about 4:30 that afternoon, the task force again was attacked by 11 enemy bombers. Several of the planes were shot down by the task force gun batteries, but because CHICAGO was in a slow tow and could not maneuver she was struck by four more torpedoes. The abandon ship order was given and NAVAJO cut the tow lines. CHICAGO went into a slow roll on her starboard side, and sank within 20 minutes of the first torpedo hit. Of the 1130 crew, 1069 were rescued. Roscoe Moody enlisted in the Navy April , 1942, and after training was assigned to the CHICAGO. He joined the ship in October 1942, while the ship was in San Francisco under going repairs for damaged suffered while supporting the invasion of Guadalcanal in August, 1942. In early January, 1943, he sailed with CHICAGO out of San Francisco to join Task Force
