Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands took place 25–27 October 1942. It was a pivotal battle, as it left the US and Japanese with only two large carriers each in the South Pacific (another large Japanese carrier was damaged and under repair until May 1943). Due to the high carrier attrition rate with no replacements for months, for the most part both sides stopped risking their remaining carriers until late 1943, and each side sent in a pair of battleships instead. The next major carrier operations for the US were the carrier raid on Rabaul and support for the invasion of Tarawa, both in November 1943.
baTTle of the saNta cRuz islands the battLe of the saNTA CrUZ Islands tOok PLacE 25–27 OctobeR 1942. It waS A pivOtal BATtle, as IT LeFT the uS and JapanEse wIth onLY Two large cARriErs each In the SouTh pacifiC (another large JaPaneSe cArrieR wAs DAmAGed And under rEpAir untIl maY 1943). due To ThE hiGh CaRrier aTtrItIon Rate With No REPlaCeMENts for montHs, FoR thE mOst pART Both SIDeS STOpped risKing their remAininG carriErs untiL laTe 1943, And each SidE sENt in a pair oF bAttlesHiPS iNstead. tHe NexT MAJoR CarRIer oPeraTIons fOR thE us werE thE CArrier raiD on rabaul and supPort for thE iNVASioN Of tArawa, both in noVemBEr 1943.