The Battle of Tassafaronga

Tassafaronga was the last of a series of fiercely-fought sea battles around Savo Island during the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II. With the Japanese Navy deemed by many allied sailors inferior to United States forces, the night battles should have been easily won.On November 30, 1942, Admiral Carleton Wright, the American commander, was well-prepared and found the enemy exactly where he expected them to be. He was determined to avoid the mistakes of the previous night battles. As the torpedoes of his leading destroyers hit the water and the guns of his five cruisers roared out, he had every reason to be confident of victory. It soon became apparent, however, that the enemy had been severely underestimated. Their training, weapons, and reliance on optics proved to be excellent. The U.S. Navy's reliance on new radar technology and faulty torpedoes proved devastating. Within minutes, four of Wright's five cruisers were knocked out of action, one of which still lies in the depths of Ironbottom Sound.Little has been written about this deadly night battle, but Captain Crenshaw, a gunnery officer on one of the destroyers during that fateful night, has written a detailed tactical analysis of the engagement. The Battle of Tassafaronga is illustrated with thirty photographs, ship track charts and a list of sources.