7016. Taken from HMAS AUSTRALIA [II], this image is unusual in that it shows the camouflage HMAS HOBART [I] at the time of Operation WATCHTOWER, the invasion of Guadalcanal and nearby Islands of the Solomons group in August 1942. In fact it appears to have been the same camouflage scheme the cruiser wore on her Mediterranean service the preceding year, and we had a fine image of it being painted at Entry 4254 here:www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/5583854376/in/photolist-Operation WATCHTOWER, the first US Amphibious invasion in the Pacific, was the result of much dissension in the US Command ranks: its forces were hastily assembled and badly organized - the ground commander, Major-General Alexander A. Vandergift, had not expected to be called upon to land his forces until early 1943, but the Japanese construction of an airfield at Lunga Point would threatened to placed the lines of communication between Australia and the US at risk, by bringing them within range of Japanese aircraft. Thus, the US Command was forced to act earlier than expected. Despite this, the initial landings were successful, and in fact encountered only light opposition. Holding the island in succeeding months, however, would take a heavy toll in both men and ships. Photo: credited RAN, Brent Jones Collection, it appears on his USS ASTORIA.org website.