The Battle of Santa Cruz: Ambush in the Air

Credit: Courtesy | Date Taken: 10/11/2021
This is part 3 of the 7-part video series about the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, which took place on October 26, 1942. Both the United States and Japanese fleets wanted to be the first to deliver the killing blow, so early that morning, planes launched from both fleets. They met one another in the air. In this video, hear the experiences of 22-year-old radioman Thomas Churchill Nelson during the morning airstrikes. Nelson parachuted out of his plane and was later picked up by a Japanese ship. All videos are written, directed, and produced by staff and volunteers at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. (US Navy Video by Hampton Roads Naval Museum/Released).