ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
Just finished this book, "Guadalcanal: Decision At Sea", the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal November 13-15 1942, by Eric Hammell.
The Japanese Naval force, under Admirals Tanaka, Abe and Kondo had a three pronged objective during this battle: To bombard Henderson Field, to keep the Cactus Air Force on the Ground, which would enable RAdm Tanaka to bring his eleven transports and supply ships to reinforce the troops on Guadalcanal and to bring about the "decisive battle" between the US Navy and the Japanese Navy.
Neither of the three objectives were completed. The US Task force under RAdm Richmond K. Turner sank two Japanese BB's, (Hiei Kirishima) a CA, 3 DD's and eleven transports while losing two CA's, (Atlanta Juneau) and seven DD's. The Japanese Long Lance torpedoes did their work well.
RAdm Tanaka was only able to retrieve 13,000 of the 50,000 Japanese troops on Guadalcanal..... a tremendouse loss of life.
As an aside, the CO of USS Enterprise at this time was Capt. Osborne B. Hardison. In 1952 I had the pleasure of serving under RAdm O. B. Hardison, who was then Commander Fleet Air Jacksonville (ComFairJax).
The book is a very well written, blow-by blow account of the entire sea battle. Mr. Hammel has done his homework rather well.
Charles
The Japanese Naval force, under Admirals Tanaka, Abe and Kondo had a three pronged objective during this battle: To bombard Henderson Field, to keep the Cactus Air Force on the Ground, which would enable RAdm Tanaka to bring his eleven transports and supply ships to reinforce the troops on Guadalcanal and to bring about the "decisive battle" between the US Navy and the Japanese Navy.
Neither of the three objectives were completed. The US Task force under RAdm Richmond K. Turner sank two Japanese BB's, (Hiei Kirishima) a CA, 3 DD's and eleven transports while losing two CA's, (Atlanta Juneau) and seven DD's. The Japanese Long Lance torpedoes did their work well.
RAdm Tanaka was only able to retrieve 13,000 of the 50,000 Japanese troops on Guadalcanal..... a tremendouse loss of life.
As an aside, the CO of USS Enterprise at this time was Capt. Osborne B. Hardison. In 1952 I had the pleasure of serving under RAdm O. B. Hardison, who was then Commander Fleet Air Jacksonville (ComFairJax).
The book is a very well written, blow-by blow account of the entire sea battle. Mr. Hammel has done his homework rather well.
Charles
