World War II
Riefkohl assumed command of the USS Vincennes on April 23, 1942. Upon the outbreak of World War II, Riefkohl was assigned to the Fire Support Group, LOVE (with Transport Group XRAY) under the command of Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner's Task Force TARE (Amphibious Force) during the landing in the Solomon Islands on August 7, 1942.
His ship served as an escort to the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, which launched the Doolittle Raids on Tokoyo. The USS Vincennes belonged to the Northern Force, known as Task Force 62.2. The task force consisted of the USS Quincy, the USS Astoria and other Allied cruisers, destroyers and minesweepers under the command of Rear Admiral Victor A. Crutchley and found themselves just off Guadalcanal. On August 9, 1942, Rear Admiral Crutchley, left with his flagship HMAS Australia to meet with the top brass without notifying Riefkohl.
Japanese Admiral Gunichi Mikawa of the Japanese Navy decided to make a surprise attack on the American ships, leading to Battle of Savo Island. He first destroyed an Australian cruiser, then damaged the USS Chicago before going after the USS Vincennes. Riefkohl was summoned up to the bridge and believed that a minor skirmish was taking place with some ship. When the Japanese ships turned on their searchlights, Riefkohl mistook them for the American ships from the Southern Force and asked them over the radio to turn off their lights because enemy vessels might be near. The Japanese answered the message with a fusillade of shells and torpedoes.
Riefkohl ordered a starboard turn, but torpedoes hit and exploded, destroying both engine rooms. The USS Vincennes fired back and may have hit the Kinugasa, a Japanese cruiser. The Vincennes received 85 direct hits and Riefkohl ordered his men to abandon ship. The sailors manned the life rafts and the Vincennes rolled over and went down with 342 men still aboard. Riefkohl was presented a Purple Heart for the wounds which he received.
Rear Admiral Riefkohl wrote in an epitaph: "The magnificent Vincennes, which we were all so proud of, and which I had the honor to command since April 23, 1941, rolled over and then sank at about 0250, August 9, 1942, about 2½ miles east of Savo Island . . .sic Solomons Group, in some 500 fathoms 900 m of water."
Read more about this topic: Frederick Lois Riefkohl
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