Click on any image to view it in more detail.

Bennett maneuvers with Halford in the South Pacific

Bennett and Halford under fire in the Shortland Islands   Bennett and Halford were on patrol off the Shortland islands and noticed a Japanese installation onshore, in particular a wooden watch tower. Halford’s CO, Cdr. Robert Oliver Hardy, senior officer present, ordered a that few shells 5-inch shells be lobbed into the installation. Before Bennett could join in, the two ships were straddled by shore battery fire, apparently 6-inch shells.
   Captain Hardy ordered the two ships to make smoke, take evasive action and depart at flank speed. Later, they received a message from Admiral Halsey that began "Naughty Boys" and went on to say that this installation was well known and did not pose a threat to our operations.
   Halford shipmates later heard that one of our cruisers was subsequently holed by the same shore battery.

---

Source: Shipmate Jim Hackney, USS Halford.