After a hurried shakedown cruise along the Atlantic coast in the spring of 1942,
Juneau assumed blockade patrol in early May off the islands of
Martinique and
Guadeloupe to prevent the escape of
Vichy French naval units. She returned to New York to complete alterations and operated in the North Atlantic and Caribbean from 1 June to 12 August on patrol and escort duties. The cruiser departed for the
Pacific theater on 22 August. Because of bad weather and confused communications, the battle occurred in near-pitch darkness and at almost point-blank range, as the ships of the two sides became intermingled. During the melee,
Juneau was struck on the port side by a torpedo launched by , causing a severe list, and necessitating withdrawal. Before noon on 13 November,
Juneau, along with two other cruisers damaged in the battle— and —headed toward Espiritu Santo for repairs.
Juneau was steaming on one screw, keeping station 800 yd (730 m) off the starboard quarter of the likewise severely damaged
San Francisco. She was down by the bow, but able to maintain 13 kn (15 mph, 24 km/h). A few minutes after 11:00, two torpedoes were launched from . On 20 November 1942, recovered two of the ten survivors. Five more in a raft were rescued by a
PBY Seaplane away. Three others, including a badly wounded officer, made it to
San Cristobal (now Makira) Island, about away from the sinking. One of the survivors recovered by
Ballard said he had been with one of the Sullivan brothers for several days after the sinking. ==Wreck==