How American Soldiers Pulled Off A Miraculous Victory In Thanksgiving 1943

While Americans at home gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving in 1943, U.S. sailors were fighting a critical battle off Cape St. George in the Solomon Islands. This encounter, later hailed as a tactical masterpiece, ended with an extraordinary Thanksgiving miracle: not a single American life was lost.

The Solomon Islands, east of Papua New Guinea, were a hotbed of fierce battles during World War II. Earlier that November, U.S. Marines launched an invasion of Bougainville, about 250 miles from the Japanese stronghold at Rabaul. In response, the Japanese dispatched a five-ship convoy, part of the infamous Tokyo Express, to reinforce their air base on Buka Island and evacuate personnel.

To intercept this convoy, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey tasked Captain Arleigh “31-Knot” Burke and his five destroyers—nicknamed the “Little Beavers”—to stop the enemy. Burke’s squadron, worn from months of combat, sped north despite its ships being in need of repairs.

Just after midnight on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1943, Burke’s squadron intercepted the Japanese convoy in the dark, moonless waters. Relying on radar technology, the U.S. ships launched a precise torpedo attack, sinking two destroyers, the Makinami and Onami. Burke then pursued the remaining ships, sinking the Yuguri and damaging the Uzuki. The final two Japanese vessels, including the infamous Amagiri—which had earlier rammed John F. Kennedy’s PT-109—escaped.

Burke’s pursuit took his squadron deep into Japanese-controlled waters, far beyond the reach of American air support. As dawn approached and the risk of Japanese airstrikes increased, Burke prudently ordered a retreat. Remarkably, the U.S. task force returned unscathed. Japanese torpedoes missed their marks, one failed to detonate, and Burke’s decision to change course at a critical moment saved his ships.

The Battle of Cape St. George was a decisive victory for the U.S. Navy. The Naval War College later described it as “an almost perfect surface action,” and Halsey called it the “Trafalgar of the Pacific.” It dealt a crippling blow to Japanese supply lines in the Solomon Islands and marked the end of the Tokyo Express.

As Burke’s squadron sailed back to base, Thanksgiving was on their minds. Burke requested services for all hands upon their arrival, where the sailors gave thanks for their survival and victory.