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The Battle of Tassafaronga Paperback – September 15, 2010

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings
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The Battle of Tassafaronga, November 30, 1942, was the fifth and last major night surface action fought off Savo Island during World War II‘s Guadalcanal campaign. It ended a string of Japanese victories, but it was also a horrible embarrassment to the U.S. Navy, which had three heavy cruisers damaged and one sunk to enemy torpedoes. After the battle, American commanders erroneously reported that multiple enemy ships had been sunk or seriously damaged, leading Admiral Nimitz to focus on training as the missing ingredient. Not until more than half a century later did Captain Russell S. Crenshaw, Jr., the destroyer Maury‘s gunnery officer during the battle, discover that the outcome hinged instead on critical shortcomings that had been built into the U.S. Navy before the war―defective torpedoes, poor intelligence, blinding gunfire, over-confidence, and a tendency to equate volume of fire with effectiveness of fire―factors that turned the battle into “a crucible in which the very nature of the U.S. Navy and its weapons was tested [and] a miniature of what might have been, under other circumstances, a truly devastating defeat.”
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  1. Print length
    228 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Naval Institute Press
  4. Publication date
    September 15, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    159114146X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1591141464
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The murky darkness of the night battle at Tassafaronga was difficult to fathom, but no more so than the question of how the U.S. Navy's preparations could allow such a disastrous result. After decades of questions, Captain Russell S. Crenshaw Jr. provides us with answers in The Battle of Tassafaronga, a book that should be on the reading list of everyone interested in the history of the Pacific War."--Terry Miller, Executive Director, Tin Can Sailors, Inc., and the National Association of Destroyer Veterans

About the Author

Capt. Russell Sydnor Crenshaw Jr., USN (Ret.), is the author of Naval Shiphandling and lives in Drayden, MD.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Naval Institute Press; Reprint edition (September 15, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 228 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159114146X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591141464
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings

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Russell Sydnor Crenshaw

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
69 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jonathan Baum
5.0 out of 5 stars A battle and its results
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
This slim volume describes the mostly-forgotten defeat of the US Navy by the Imperial Japanese Navy off Tassafaronga Point on Guadalcanal on November 30, 1942. The Americans had 1 heavy cruiser sunk and 3 more badly damaged, all by the torpedoes launched by the opposing force of Japanese destroyers, who lost just 1 ship of their force. The book describes the background to the battle, both strategic and tactical, how it was viewed by both sides, the conclusions drawn by the US Pacific Fleet commanders, and the technical issues involved in the Japanese victory and the American defeat. Following the battle, the American commanders reported that they had scored many fatal hits on the enemy ships (which wasn't true) and this lead Admiral Nimitz to focus on a lack of training as the primary cause of the debacle. By in large, that defeat cannot be attributed to faulty tactics or leadership but rather to errors in judgement in the design and use of the weapons available to the Americans, i.e.: their torpedoes and gunnery equipment, and how the Japanese developed the world's deadliest torpedoes and put them to good use. Frankly, the technical arrogance of the men responsible for torpedo design before and during the first half of the was unbelievable. A fine addition to our knowledge of naval tactics in World War II in the Pacific, and a not-so-subtle warning to the technical designer of weapons today.
5 people found this helpful
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D. Michael Sanford
4.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner On The Navy's turmoil at Guadalcanal.
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
After reading the great book of James Hornfischer, Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal  this book consists of one of those many battles of Guadalcanal. I think Hornsfischer does a little better job overall describing the battles, but Mr. Crenshaw's work is not to be besmirched by any degree. He has done an exemplary job.

The American Navy, for the most part, was out muscled at Guadalcanal particularly during night operations and specifically by the Japanese Long Lance Torpedo. As Mr. Hornfischer will tell you. more American men were lost at see during the sea battle part of Guadalcanal than were lost on land. A terrific loss at the early juncture of the War in the Pacific.
3 people found this helpful
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Ronald E. Banks
5.0 out of 5 stars This book explains why this battle doomed Japan to defeat.
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2022
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This is a great book and I enjoyed it very much. I want other readers to know that this battle was very important but has not received the exposure t is due.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Final Battle.
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2013
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The Battle of Tassafaronga was not won by either the americans nor the japanese naval forces. Both sides incurred losses, large losses on the american side. But the japanese destroyer force was turned back. It was not able to deliver its much needed supplies for the army troops fighting on Guadalcanal. I suppose a case could be made for an american victory, seeing as the japanese failed in their mission. But we lost one cruiser, and had three damaged, that in my view does not constitute a victory. When one considers the fact that they were fighting destroyers. At this point in the fight for Guadalcanal, the japanese had clearly lost the initiative in the fight. We had taken the momentum away from them. After Dec. 1942, the fight for that island was over, the japanese could only retreat. JRV
3 people found this helpful
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History Nut
4.0 out of 5 stars The author does a great job detailing the battle and the events before and ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2014
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The author does a great job detailing the battle and the events before and after. It is hard to follow at times, as I am sure the real battle was, and that is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. The ordinary history fan will have to read it twice at least to be able to follow the events of the battle. I have had to read it at least 3 times. A surface warfare qualified Naval officer should have no trouble however. The really key thing that makes this worthwhile is that the author was there so it is a 'first person source' of the highest value. He also doesn't hesitate to bring criticism on the American side of the battle in his conclusions. It is valuable as a reference resource.
One person found this helpful
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Illinimuck
5.0 out of 5 stars Great case study for the fog of battle
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2010
Verified Purchase
This book is an excellent case study of the fog of battle. It replays the battle from the US Navy perspective, using only information available to the participants at the time. Then it does the same from the IJN side. Finally, it puts everything together and tells "what really happened." Included is an in depth analysis of why the participants thought they observed things that did not actually occur. The way the book is laid out really drives the point home. Very well done!

The book is a quick read, long on relevant details, short on fluff.

I'd recommend this book to any Naval officer for professional education. Its format is unique in Naval literature and very useful. Great teaching tool for wardrooms.

I'd highly recommend this book!
37 people found this helpful
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donald r terry
3.0 out of 5 stars The Battle of Tassafaronga
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2010
Verified Purchase
This is just a re-marketing effort of an old book. It has nothing new to offer, and the maps are decades old. The pictures quality is also very poor. This book should be at a close out price, not just a discount price and should be marketed as an old book. At first glance this looks on Amazon as if it is a new release. It has a copyright of 1995.
18 people found this helpful
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Rich Marsh
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, thorough review of a widely ignored naval battle.
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2015
Verified Purchase
An excellent review of a naval battle that is usually passed over in a page or two in most histories. That's probably because it was a US defeat. However, there are excellent lessons to be learned from this battle - such as the critical importance that the commanding officers fully understand how to employ modern technology. Because they didn't, although they thought they did, they made bad decisions that got sailors killed and contributed to the battle's loss. It also demonstrates how important it is that modern weapons be thoroughly tested. Because US torpedoes weren't tested properly - they not only didn't have any affect on the battle, their performance misled American decision-makers about Japanese torpedoes.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

David McIntyre
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Eye Opener
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2011
Verified Purchase
The savage naval battles between the U.S.N.and the I.J.N.during 1942-43 around Guadalcanal can be confusing to study,Captain Crenshaw shines a great deal of light on this campaign leading up to the battle of Tassafaronga .Captain Crenshaw is a American patriot,but he pulls no punches in his critique of the U.S.N.at this time,a vivid description of the battle,what was believed to have happened and what really took place is told in a straightforward way,generous space is given to Rear Admiral Tanaka a brave man who must have despaired of his disunited superiors.Torpedoes used by both sides are then covered,the U.S.N.story is shocking.page 119 features Albert Einstein and should be read by anyone interested in naval history.Gunnery and Radar (radar still in its infancy)is then covered in detail, also a revelation,good optics and training appear to have served the Japanese well at the start of the battle giving them an advantage they never lost against their radar equipped foes.Captain Crenshaw uses the phrase Iron Bottom Bay not Iron Bottom Sound,never calls Tanaka - Tenacious Tanaka.A well written book.Recommended.
7 people found this helpful
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Andrew Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Devastating effects of the Japanese 'long lance' torpedoes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
Fascinating review of a night encounter between a high tech US Navy force of cruisers and destroyers with Japanese destroyers which went horribly wrong for the Americans. Has the personal side but what is most interesting is the detailed reconstruction of the confusing night battle. The US commander was convinced he was out of torpedo range so couldn't understand why four of his cruisers were hit by torpedoes? Crenshaw explains that the O2 powered IJN torpedoes could travel happily at 45 mph for several miles. If you could see an enemy ship, even if only on the horizon then he was within torpedo range. The Japanese clearly must be managing to always mysteriously place submarines wherever such surface actions took place was the conclusion.
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ernieblackjack
3.0 out of 5 stars Factual
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2014
Verified Purchase
Very complete, BUT!
Because the account and obsevations are thorough, this read is very pedantic.
There is little or no excitement to this incident and because the maps can not be clearly seen (in the Kindle format), the whole event is difficult to follow.
As usual with this type of book, more than 25% is taken-up with references/indexes etc.
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