Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
On 1 November 1943, the United States launched the Guadalcanal Campaign [the Guadalcanal Campaign was to retake Guadalcanal, the Bougainville Campaign was to retake Bougainville] to retake Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. The day after the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay (2 November), "Noshiro" departed Truk with "Sentai" 4's , and , "Sentai" 7's and , "Sentai" 8's and four destroyers, arriving at Rabaul on 5 November 1943. While refueling in Simpson Harbor from the oiler "Kokuyo Maru" the cruisers were attacked during the Carrier Raid on Rabaul by 97 planes from Task Force 38's carriers and "Princeton". "Noshiro" was hit by a dud Mark 13 aerial torpedo.