15discipline and professionalism closely linked to amateurism and superannuation among the officers,” the 164th infantry regiment was a relief in some aspects. The Japanese had also finally come to two important (if belated) realizations: one, that the Americans had far more troops on Guadalcanal than earlier estimates had indicated, and two, Henderson Field had to be neutralized in order for the Japanese to control the seas around the island.Consequently, on November 11th, the Japanese assembled a large convoy of merchant vessels, loaded with enough supplies and ammunition for a month's worth of fighting. And in order to assure the delivery of those supplies, they assembled a very powerful force, centered on the battleships Hiei and Kirishima, whose job would be to bombard Henderson Field into impotence.Around 1:00 AM on the 13th, this bombardment force entered Ironbottom Sound. Waiting for them was an American force of heavy and light cruisers, and destroyers. The Japanese force had fallen into disarray during the night's steaming through rainsqualls. The American formation, under Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan, was hampered by poor radio discipline, and the fact that an American commander had once again decided to hoist his flag in a vessel with inferior sensors. As a result, even when the Japanese force was detected on radar, Callaghan suffered from a murky perception as to their composition, speed, and course. His attempt to cross the Japanese 'T' instead placed his ships on a collision course with the enemy.By the time fighting commenced at 0148, the range between the leading elements of each force had closed to a ludicrous 1000 yards. The result was a point-blank brawl of monstrous proportions as both formations passed through each other. Damage was severe Dor Brown 16on both sides, with the Americans getting the worse end of the deal. However, the Japanese bombardment mission was foiled, which spelled doom for the Hie...
