October 11
1942
Battle of Cape Esperance
On the night of October 11–12, 1942, a U.S. cruiser-destroyer force intercepted a Japanese reinforcement and bombardment column off Cape Esperance, northwest of Guadalcanal. Using radar-directed night gunnery and a carefully positioned interception, U.S. ships surprised the Japanese formation, inflicted damage, and forced a withdrawal — an engagement judged a tactical American victory that helped protect Henderson Field and shaped night-fighting doctrine in the Solomons campaign. Read more
1918
1918 San Fermín earthquake and tsunami
On October 11, 1918, a powerful earthquake struck in the Mona Passage off Puerto Rico’s west coast. Strong shaking was followed within minutes by a tsunami that tore into coastal towns such as Aguadilla, Añasco, Rincón and Mayagüez, killing more than a hundred people, destroying docks and boats, and leaving a mark on the island’s memory and later science. Read more
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