View source for Kula Gulf

{{Short description|Waterway in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands}}
[[Image:NewGeorgiaGroupCloseup.png|300px|thumb|right|Kula Gulf separates the large round island (Kolombangara) from the larger, irregular island (New Georgia) to the southeast.]]
'''Kula Gulf''' is a waterway in the [[Western Province (Solomon Islands)|Western Province]] of the [[Solomon Islands]]. It lies between the islands of [[Kolombangara]] to the west, [[Arundel Island]] (Kohinggo) to the southwest, and [[New Georgia]] to the south and east. To the north, it opens into [[New Georgia Sound]] ("the Slot"). To the southwest, it connects via [[Blackett Strait]] to [[Vella Gulf]] and the [[Solomon Sea]].

During the [[Solomon Islands campaign]] in [[World War II]], two minor naval battles between the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] and the [[United States Navy]] were fought here in July, 1943.  The first was the [[Battle of Kula Gulf]] fought on the night of 5–6 July 1943. In that engagement, the cruiser {{USS|Helena|CL-50|6}} was sunk.

The second battle was the [[Battle of Kolombangara]] fought on the night of 12–13 July 1943.  In that engagement, the destroyer {{USS|Gwin|DD-433|6}} and the {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Jintsū}} were sunk.

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==References==
*{{cite book | last = Domagalski | first = John J. | year = 2012 | title = Sunk in Kula Gulf: The Final Voyage of the USS Helena and the Incredible Story of Her Survivors in World War II | publisher = Potomac Books Inc | isbn = 1597978396}}
*{{cite book | last = Kilpatrick | first = C. W. | year = 1987 | title = Naval Night Battles of the Solomons | publisher = Exposition Press | isbn = 0-682-40333-4 }}
*{{cite book | last = McGee | first = William L. | year = 2002 | chapter = Operation TOENAILS | title = The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville--Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2 (Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in WWII) | publisher = BMC Publications | isbn = 0-9701678-7-3 }}
*{{cite book | last = Morison | first = Samuel Eliot | author-link = Samuel Eliot Morison | year = 1958 | title = Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier'', vol. 6 of ''[[History of United States Naval Operations in World War II]] | publisher = Castle Books | isbn = 0-7858-1307-1 }}

{{Solomon Islands topics|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Bodies of water of the Solomon Islands]]
[[Category:Gulfs of Oceania]]
[[Category:Western Province (Solomon Islands)]]

{{Solomons-geo-stub}}