NOTES:

[ ] The identity of this vessel remains elusive. Senshi-Sosho did not name it in text or its charge of the naval actions south of Java in first week of March.(Tully)

[ ] Research discovered that oddly enough this mission is apparently overlooked in the Japan Defense Agency history, as both volumes of 83 and 77 of Senshi-Sosho fail to mention it. This despite it being clearly indicated in the TROMs of the three Desdiv 15 units. Source her is the reel-TROM of HAYASHIO. (Nevitt)

[ ] These were seven SBDs, 21 Wildcats, and 9 Army P-39s out of Henderson Field. The damaged inflicted on the convoy is light, but they shot down all six Rufes and one Pete of the four providing the column air cover. One Wildcat is shot down, and three others lost operationally.

[ ] The names of these Marus are sometimes rendered differently depending on the source and its date. The correct nomenclature and composition appears to be as follows. First Transport Group: NAGARA MARU, HIROKAWA MARU, SADO MARU, CANBERRA MARU, NAKO MARU. Second Transport Group: YAMAZUKI MARU (Frank incorrectly gives as SANGETSU MARU), YAMAURA MARU (Frank incorrectly gives as YAMURA MARU), KINUGAWA MARU (Frank incorrectly gives as KINUGASA MARU), SHINANO MARU (per BKS; many sources, both Western and Japanese, give as SHINANOGAWA MARU; Morison incorrectly gives as KUMOGAWA MARU), BRISBANE MARU, ARIZONA MARU. Transports embarked the regimental headquarters and 1st Battalion of the 229th Infantry [NAGARA MARU] and 2nd Battalion of the 230th Infantry [HIROKAWA MARU], various support and rear-echelon units of 38th Division, 83 landing craft, supplies for 30,000 men for 20 days, and 31,500 assorted artillery shells. “The soldiers answered to Major General Tanabe Suketomo, the 2nd Ship Group commander.” Tanabe rode in SADO MARU, but later transferred to a destroyer when that transport was damaged and forced to turn back to the Shortlands.(Nevitt)

[ ] - To deliver supplies to Japanese troops ashore in a quicker and probably safer way for the destroyers it was resolved to fill heavy oil drums with 330 pounds of rice and barley. As many as 200 or more of these watertight containers would then be loaded onto a destroyer to cast overboard when off Cape Esperance and other locations. The Army would then retrieve them and pull them ashore. For this run a two destroyer screening unit would guard two transport units. The drums would be carried on the open decks of the transport destroyers, somewhat limiting their fighting efficiency and mandating providing an unencumbered screening force as guard unit. It was calculated that with luck, 20 destroyer runs a month could feed as many as 20,000 men. Most important, it limited the time window of risk to a given destroyer allowing offload in an hour's time or even less. (Nevitt)

[ ] Allied coast watchers had observed the movement and alerted Henderson Field. Thirteen SBDs of VMSB-132 under veteran Major Joseph Sailor attacked the third drum supply run. However eight Petes were providing air-cover and after one of the destroyers AA fire damaged Sailor's SBD, one of the Japanese interceptors shot him down. It was a tragic loss for the Marines that arguably outweighed the damage to NOWAKI.

[ ] These were PTs-36, 37, 40, 43,44,48, 59 and 109.

[ ] This time it was Allied radio intelligence that had discovered the iteniary of this run. These were 14 SBDs under Major Robertshaw. One SBD was indeed shot down in this attack.