Also by James D Hornfischer The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors (2004) Ship of Ghosts (2006) Bantam Books New York (Photo Credit: Title Page) Copyright © 2011 by James D Hornfischer All rights reserved Published in the United States by Bantam Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York BANTAM BOOKS and the rooster colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc Excerpts from unpublished writings by Robert D Graff copyright © 2011 by Robert D Graff Used by permission Endpaper map by Jeffrey L Ward Interior maps by Lum Pennington Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hornfischer, James D Neptune’s inferno: the U.S Navy at Guadalcanal / James D Hornfischer p cm Includes bibliographical references and index eISBN: 978-0-553-90807-7 Guadalcanal, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1942–1943 World War, 1939–1945—Naval operations, American United States Navy—History —World War, 1939–1945 United States Navy—Biography Veterans—United States—Interviews Guadalcanal, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1942–1943—Personal narratives, American I Title D767.98.H665 2011 940.54’265933—dc22 2010027231 www.bantamdell.com v3.1 In memory: CHARLES D GROJEAN Rear Admiral, USN 1923–2008 Sailor, Leader, Teacher Never have the gods of all the tribes put upon the seas such monsters as man now sends over them.… Their steel bowels, grinding and rumbling below the splash of the sea, are fed on quarried rock Their arteries are steel, their nerves copper, their blood red and blue ames With the prescience of the supernatural, they peer into space Their voices scream through gales, and they whisper together over a thousand miles of sea They reach out and destroy that which the eye of man cannot perceive But … all this terribleness will vanish, returning again into the inanimate whenever the capacity and vigor of the guiding mind deteriorates or is worn down by the years that have stolen away the quick grasp of youth —Homer Lea, The Valor of Ignorance (1909) CONTENTS Cover Other Books by This Author Title Page Copyright Dedication MAPS TABLES PROLOGUE: Eighty-two Ships PART I SEA OF TROUBLES 1: Trip Wire 2: A Great Gray Fleet 3: The First D-Day 4: Nothing Worthy of Your Majesty’s Attention 5: Fly the Carriers 6: A Captain in the Fog 7: The Martyring of Task Group 62.6 8: Burning in the Rain PART II FIGHTING FLEET RISING 9: A New Kind of Fight 10: The Tokyo Express 11: A Function at the Junction 12: What They Were Built For 13: The Warriors 14: The Devil May Care 15: The Visit 16: Night of a New Moon 17: Pulling the Trigger 18: “Pour It to ’Em” PART III STORM TIDE 19: All Hell’s Eve 20: The Weight of a War 21: Enter Fighting 22: “Strike—Repeat, Strike” 23: Santa Cruz 24: Secret History 25: Turner’s Choice 26: Suicide 27: Black Friday 28: Into the Light 29: The Killing Salvo 30: Death in the Machine Age 31: Point Blank 32: Among the Shadows 33: Atlanta Burning 34: Cruiser in the Sky 35: Regardless of Losses PART IV THE THUNDERING 36: The Giants Ride 37: The Gun Club 38: The Kind of Men Who Win a War 39: On the Spot 40: The Futility of Learning 41: Future Rising 42: Report and Echo 43: The Opinion of Convening Authority 44: Ironbottom Sound Photo Insert Acknowledgments Ships and Aircraft Types of the Guadalcanal Campaign Naval Battles of the Guadalcanal Campaign Total Naval Losses at Guadalcanal Source Notes Bibliography Photo Credits Index About the Author MAPS Pacific Ocean Area The Slot Battle of Savo Island Battle of Cape Esperance Cruiser Night Action Morning After in Ironbottom Sound Battleship Night Action Battle of Tassafaronga Tobin, Robert G., Chapter 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4, 18.1, 27.1 Tokuno, Horishi Tokyo B-25 raid against, Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 23.1 Tokyo Express, Chapter 10.1, 11.1, 16.1, 16.2, 19.1, 21.1, 22.1, 24.1, 26.1, 35.1, 37.1, 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 44.1 Cactus Air Force and, Chapter 14.1, 27.1, 35.1, 36.1, 37.1, 40.1 end of, Chapter 40.1, 41.1 Operation KE (Japanese Guadalcanal garrison evacuation) PT boats and U.S Navy and, Chapter 13.1, 15.1, 25.1, 29.1 Tokyo Rose Tonga Islands Tongatabu, Chapter 2.1, 2.2 Topper, James torpedo warfare danger of, Chapter 5.1, 23.1 run aground torpedo bombers, Chapter 23.1, 9.1, 11.1, 19.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4, 23.5, 25.1, 26.1, 35.1, 41.1 Torpedo Junction, Chapter 11.1, 25.1, 34.1 torpedoes, unreliably of torpedo warfare (Japanese), Chapter 2.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 12.1, 16.1, 20.1, 21.1, 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4, 24.1, 24.2, 27.1, 28.1, 28.2, 34.1, 37.1, 38.1, 40.1, 40.2, 41.1n, 41.2 Long Lance (Type 93 torpedo), Chapter 17.1, 29.1, 31.1, 31.2, 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 40.1 motor torpedo boats surface-ship torpedoes superiority of technical advantage of, Chapter 25.1, 31.1, 37.1, 40.1 See also submarines torpedo warfare (U.S.), Chapter 8.1, 17.1, 23.1, 27.1, 27.2, 28.1, 29.1, 30.1, 31.1, 37.1n, 40.1, 40.2 mechanical problems with, Chapter 37.1, 44.1 torpedo fuel as a beverage, Chapter 33.1, 40.1 See also submarines Touve, Norman R Toyama, Yasumi Trafalgar, Battle of Tregaskis, Richard Truesdell, William H., Chapter 4.1, 7.1, 7.2 Tsukuhara, Nishizo Tulagi Island (Solomon Islands), Chapter 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 Japanese air attack on See also Florida Island; Guadalcanal, Battle of; Guadalcanal Island; Savo Island, Battle of Turnbull (reporter) Turner, Richmond Kelly, fm.1, Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 6.1 the Battle of Savo Island, Chapter 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 16.1, 43.1 and Fletcher, Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6.1 and Hepburn’s inquiry, Chapter 42.1, 43.1 Hepburn’s report, rebuttal to and Operation Watchtower, Chapter 4.1, 5.1, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 12.1, 15.1, 15.2, 20.1, 22.1, 22.2, 24.1, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3, 35.1, 37.1, 38.1, 38.2, 38.3, 44.1 and “the Pineapple Fleet” (Hawaiian Detachment) Twining, Merrill B Tyler, Bob Tyndal, Bill Tyndal, Edward Uehlinger, A E., Chapter 37.1, 37.2 Ugaki, Matome, Chapter 4.1, 6.1, 8.1, 11.1, 12.1, 15.1, 18.1, 22.1, 27.1, 38.1, 40.1 U.S Army Guadalcanal, forces in SOWESPAC (Southwest Pacific Command) U.S Navy, competition with, Chapter 1.1, 2.1 25th Division 164th Infantry (“Americal” Division) U.S Army Air Forces, Chapter 15.1, 19.1 U.S Marine Corps Marine Raiders personnel 1st Marine Air Wing, Chapter 16.1, 35.1 5th Marine Regiment 7th Marine Regiment 8th Marine Regiment U.S Marine Corps (Battle of Guadalcanal) Henderson airstrip See Henderson airstrip Marine units, replacing U.S Navy and, Chapter 12.1, 19.1, 23.1, 23.2, 25.1, 25.2, 30.1, 44.1 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division, fm.1, Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 12.1, 38.1 2nd Marine Raiders U.S Navy aircraft carriers, Chapter 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 9.1, 14.1 armament, Chapter 2.1, 13.1, 20.1, 25.1, 25.2, 26.1 battleships, Chapter 2.1, 8.1, 9.1, 13.1, 14.1 code breaking, Chapter 3.1, 4.1, 12.1, 24.1 Combat Task Forces in the South Pacific (November 12, 1942) Combat Task Forces in the South Pacific (October 26, 1942) commanders, confidence in, Chapter 12.1, 13.1 communications, Chapter 9.1, 36.1 crew conflicts cruisers, Chapter 13.1, 15.1 destroyers, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 16.1 at Guadalcanal (August 1942) at Guadalcanal (October 18, 1942) Higgins boats, Chapter 14.1, 14.2, 33.1 and “Island Warfare” intelligence weakness Japanese Navy, chauvinism toward, Chapter 9.1, 9.2 logistics (fuel, reinforcements, and supplies), Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 8.1, 9.1, 12.1, 15.1 patrol boat YC-236 personnel PT boats, Chapter 19.1, 34.1, 36.1, 36.2, 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 40.4 recruits, training of rescue at sea, Chapter 34.1, 38.1 role of secrecy and espionage, Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 3.2 South Pacific Area Command (SOPAC) submarines, Chapter 8.1, 8.2n, 14.1, 33.1, 36.1 and superstition, Chapter 26.1, 27.1, 31.1, 34.1 survivors, sharks and, Chapter 12.1, 19.1, 38.1 systemic problems, Chapter 9.1, 36.1 U.S Army, competition with See also Guadalcanal, Battle of; Midway, Battle of; torpedo warfare; radar technology U.S Navy (ships) Aaron Ward (DD-483), Chapter 9.1, 9.2, 25.1, 27.1, 28.1, 28.2, 31.1, 33.1, 33.2 Alchiba (AK-23), Chapter 8.1, 24.1 American Legion (AP-35) Anderson (DD-411) Argonne (AP-4), fm.1, Chapter 15.1, 19.1, 21.1, 22.1, 30.1 Arizona (BB-39), Chapter 2.1, 18.1 Astoria (CA-34), Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 the Battle of Savo Island, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 8.1, 12.1 casualties Japan, returning Hiroshi Saito’s body to, Chapter 3.1, 8.1 Japanese propaganda and sinking of, Chapter 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 33.1, 42.1 Atlanta (CL-51), Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 9.1, 9.2, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 19.1, 20.1, 20.2, 22.1, 24.1, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 armament, Chapter 2.1, 13.1, 20.1, 25.1, 25.2 burning casualties Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 27.3, 28.1, 29.1, 29.2, 33.1 friendly fire, victim of reunions sinking of, Chapter 34.1, 41.1 survivors, Chapter 41.1, 42.1 torpedoing of, Chapter 29.1, 30.1, 31.1, 34.1 Augusta (CA-31) Bagley (DD-386), Chapter 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2 Ballard (AVD-10) Barnett (AP-11) Barton (DD-599), Chapter 25.1, 26.1, 28.1 Barton (cont’d) survivors torpedoing of Benham (DD-397), Chapter 35.1, 44.1 Battleship Night Action, Chapter 36.1, 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 37.4 Birmingham (CL-62) Blue (DD-387), Chapter 4.1, 6.1, 8.1, 10.1, 16.1, 43.1 Bobolink (AT-131), Chapter 33.1, 33.2, 40.1 Boise (CL-47), Chapter 13.1, 15.1 armament Battle of Cape Esperance, Chapter 15.1, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4, 17.5, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 20.1, 24.1 Philadelphia, reception at Breese (DM-18) Buchanan (DD-484), Chapter 3.1, 8.1, 8.2, 16.1, 16.2, 18.1, 25.1, 25.2, 26.1, 34.1 Chenango (ACV-28) Chester (CA-27), Chapter 20.1, 21.1 Chicago (CA-29), Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 41.1 Japanese attack on, Chapter 6.1, 6.2 sinking, Chapter 41.1, 41.2 Cleveland (CL-55) Colorado (BB-45), Chapter 2.1, 36.1, 39.1 Columbia (CL-56) Copahee (ACV-12) Crescent City (AP-40), Chapter 2.1, 25.1 Cushing (DD-376), Chapter 25.1, 25.2, 26.1 Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 27.3, 28.1, 28.2, 30.1, 30.2, 31.1 Decatur (DD-5), Chapter 14.1, 15.1 DeHaven (DD-469) Dewey (DD-349) Drayton (DD-366) Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2 Duncan (DD-485), Chapter 16.1, 17.1, 17.2, 18.1 friendly fire, victim of, Chapter 17.1, 18.1, 27.1 Ellet (DD-398) Enterprise (CV-6), fm.1, Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 9.1, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 13.1, 13.2, 21.1, 21.2, 21.3, 22.1, 22.2, 25.1, 25.2, 30.1, 35.1, 37.1, 39.1, 41.1 aircraft from Battle of Santa Cruz, Chapter 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4, 23.5, 23.6, 25.1 Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Chapter 11.1, 11.2 IJN Hiei, Torpedo Squadron 10 (“The Buzzard Brigade”) attack on, Chapter 33.1, 33.2 Farenholt (DD-491), Chapter 12.1, 16.1, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 18.1 friendly fire, victim of, Chapter 17.1, 18.1, 18.2, 27.1 Fletcher (DD-445), Chapter 9.1, 13.1, 25.1, 26.1 Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2 Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 28.1, 31.1, 31.2, 32.1, 32.2, 34.1, 34.2, 34.3, 39.1 Flint (CL-97) reunions Fuller (AP-14) George F Elliott (AP-13), Chapter 4.1, 7.1 Gwin (DD-433), Chapter 25.1, 35.1, 44.1 Battleship Night Action, Chapter 36.1, 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 37.4 Helena (CL-50), Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 20.1, 21.1, 22.1, 24.1, 25.1, 25.2, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3, 35.1, 35.2, 39.1 armament, Chapter 13.1, 25.1, 26.1 Battle of Cape Esperance, Chapter 15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 17.1, 17.2, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 20.1, 24.1 and Boise’s reception at Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 28.1, 28.2, 29.1, 30.1, 30.2, 31.1, 31.2, 32.1, 32.2, 32.3, 34.1 R&R in Sydney sinking and Torpedo Junction Helm (DD-388), Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 8.1 Henley (DD-391), Chapter 8.1, 10.1 Honolulu (CL-48) Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2 Hopkins (DD-249) Hornet (CV-8), Chapter 1.1, 11.1, 12.1, 13.1, 19.1, 20.1, 21.1, 22.1, 22.2, 35.1, 44.1 Battle of Santa Cruz, Chapter 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4, 25.1 and Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo, Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 23.1 survivors Houston (CA-30), Chapter 3.1, 12.1 Hull (DD-350) Hunter Liggett (AP-27), Chapter 5.1, 8.1 Idaho (BB-42) Indiana (BB-58) Jarvis (DD-393) Johnston (DD-557) Juneau (CL-52), Chapter 2.1, 8.1, 9.1, 12.1, 12.2, 23.1, 25.1, 25.2, 26.1 casualties Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 28.1, 30.1, 31.1, 32.1, 32.2, 34.1 survivors, Chapter 34.1, 38.1, 38.2, 38.3, 38.4, 39.1 torpedoing of, Chapter 34.1, 34.2, 34.3 Kansas (BB-21) Laffey (DD-459), Chapter 12.1, 16.1, 17.1, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 25.1, 26.1 Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 28.1, 28.2, 30.1 onboard inventory torpedoing of, Chapter 31.1, 31.2 Lamson (DD-367) Battle of Tassafaronga Lardner (DD-487) Battle of Tassafaronga Lexington (CV-2), Chapter 1.1, 5.1, 11.1, 12.1, 34.1, 38.1 Long Island (ACV-1) Louisville (CA-28), Chapter 41.1, 41.2 McCalla (DD-488), Chapter 16.1, 16.2, 17.1, 18.1, 25.1 McCawley (AP-10), fm.1, Chapter 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 9.1, 16.1, 25.1, 38.1 Maryland (BB-46), Chapter 2.1, 39.1 Maury (DD-401) Battle of Tassafaronga Meade (DD-602) Meredith (DD-434) Minneapolis (CA-36), Chapter 11.1, 12.1, 35.1 Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 40.4, 40.5, 40.6 Mississippi (BB-41) Missouri (BB-63) Monssen (DD-436), Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 8.1, 14.1, 14.2, 25.1, 28.1, 31.1, 31.2 Monterey (CVL-26), Chapter 42.1, 42.2 reunions Montpelier (CL-57) Mugford (DD-389), Chapter 4.1, 8.1 Mustin (DD-413), Chapter 23.1, 40.1, 44.1 Nevada (BB-36), Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 9.1, 41.1 New Hampshire (BB-25) New Mexico (BB-40) New Orleans (CA-32), Chapter 11.1, 12.1, 25.1, 35.1, 39.1 Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 40.4 North Carolina (BB-55), Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 9.1, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 13.1, 20.1, 24.1, 39.1 Northampton (CA-26), Chapter 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 35.1, 39.1 Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 40.4, 40.5 sinking of O’Bannon (DD-450), Chapter 19.1, 25.1, 26.1, 26.2 Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 28.1, 30.1, 31.1, 31.2, 32.1, 32.2, 34.1, 34.2 O’Brien (DD-415), Chapter 12.1, 12.2 Oglala (CM-4) Oklahoma (BB-37), Chapter 3.1, 6.1, 9.1 Panay (PR-5) Patterson (DD-392), Chapter 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2 Pennsylvania (BB-38), Chapter 2.1, 13.1 Pensacola (CA-24), Chapter 13.1, 25.1, 25.2, 39.1 Battle of Tassafaronga, Chapter 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 40.4 Perkins (DD-377) Battle of Tassafaronga Porter (DD-356) sunk, Chapter 23.1, 23.2 Portland (CA-33), Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 11.1, 12.1, 25.1, 25.2, 26.1, 26.2, 35.1 Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 27.3, 29.1, 29.2, 29.3, 30.1, 31.1, 32.1, 34.1, 36.1 PT boats and uncontrolled circling, Chapter 31.1, 31.2, 33.1 President Adams (AP-38), Chapter 2.1, 25.1 President Coolidge President Hayes (AP-39) President Jackson (AP-37), Chapter 2.1, 8.1, 25.1, 26.1, 38.1 President Monroe (AP-104), Chapter 41.1, 42.1 Preston (DD-379), Chapter 23.1, 25.1, 35.1 Battleship Night Action, Chapter 36.1, 37.1, 37.2 burning friendly fire, victim of survivors Princeton (CVL-23) Quincy (CA-39), Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 16.1, 17.1, 41.1 the Battle of Savo Island, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 8.1, 8.2, 12.1 casualties survivors Ralph Talbot (DD-390), Chapter 4.1, 6.1, 8.1, 43.1 S-44, Chapter 8.2, Chapter 8.1n Salt Lake City (CA-25), Chapter 12.1, 13.1, 15.1, 15.2, 20.1 Battle of Cape Esperance, Chapter 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 18.5, 18.6, 20.1 San Diego (CL-53) San Francisco (CA-38), Chapter 2.1, 12.1, 15.1, 15.2, 20.1, 20.2, 21.1, 22.1, 22.2, 24.1, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3, 26.4, 26.5, 35.1 Battle of Cape Esperance, Chapter 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4, 17.5, 17.6, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 20.1, 26.1, 38.1 body parts sweep collision with the Breese Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 28.1, 29.1, 29.2, 29.3, 30.1, 30.2, 31.1, 31.2, 32.1 damage-control feelings against, Chapter 35.1, 42.1 fires and hits on, Chapter 26.1, 30.1, 31.1, 33.1, 34.1 and friendly fire friendly fire, Scott’s death by officer’s commendations San Francisco, reception at and Torpedo Junction San Juan (CL-54), Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 6.1, 8.1, 9.1, 13.1, 23.1, 39.1 Saratoga (CV-3), fm.1, Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 9.1, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 12.1, 13.1, 24.1, 39.1 Watchtower conference Selfridge (DD-357) Shaw (DD-373) Smith (DD-378) Solace (AH-5) South Dakota (BB-57), Chapter 8.1, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 13.1, 21.1, 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4, 25.1, 35.1, 37.1 armament armor attack on, Chapter 37.1, 37.2 Battleship Night Action, Chapter 36.1, 36.2, 37.1, 37.2, 37.3 burial at sea casualties as a hard-luck ship, Chapter 12.1, 16.1 power failure, Chapter 37.1, 37.2 reception of Washington, crew conflicts with Sterett (DD-407), Chapter 3.1, 13.1, 25.1, 25.2, 26.1 Cruiser Night Action, Chapter 27.1, 27.2, 28.1, 28.2, 28.3, 30.1, 30.2, 31.1, 32.1, 32.2, 34.1, 39.1 courage of the crew Halsey’s visit reception of Suwannee (ACV-27) Tennessee (BB-43) Trout (SS-202) Truxtun (DD-14) Vestal (AR-4) Vincennes (CA-44), Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 9.1, 12.1, 17.1, 41.1 the Battle of Savo Island, Chapter 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 8.1 Walke (DD-416) Battleship Night Action, Chapter 36.1, 37.1 burning casualties friendly fire, victim of survivors, Chapter 37.1, 38.1 Washington (BB-56), Chapter 2.1, 8.1, 12.1, 13.1, 15.1, 19.1, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 23.1, 25.1, 35.1, 39.1, 40.1 armor Battleship Night Action, Chapter 36.1, 36.2, 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 37.4 and friendly fire and the IJN Kirishima, Chapter 37.1, 37.2 and radar technology, Chapter 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 37.4 reception of South Dakota, crew conflicts with Wasp (CV-7), fm.1, Chapter 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 9.1, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 41.1 survivors, Chapter 12.1, 13.1 torpedoed, Chapter 12.1, 13.1, 24.1 West Virginia (BB-48) Wichita (CA-45) Wilson (DD-408), Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 Yorktown (CV-5), Chapter 1.1, 5.1, 11.1, 11.2, 17.1 Zeilin (AP-9) Valley Forge, Battle of Valor of Ignorance, The (Lea) Vandegrift, Alexander Archer, fm.1, Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 19.1, 19.2, 20.1, 35.1, 38.1, 44.1 and Operation Watchtower, Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6.1, 8.1, 9.1, 10.1, 12.1, 12.2, 15.1, 22.1, 22.2, 24.1, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 25.4, 36.1 Saratoga conference Vincent, Patrick Vose, James E “Moe” Vouza, Jacob Wake Island, Chapter 3.1, 3.2 Walker, Frank R Wallace, John G., Chapter 26.1, 26.2 Walsh, H T., Chapter 36.1, 37.1 Wang, Charles Ward, Alfred G Watkins, C C Weaver, Charles W., Chapter 20.1, 21.1, 35.1, 43.1 Weems, George B., Chapter 16.1, 17.1 Weschler, Thomas R., Chapter 9.1, 9.2, 12.1 Whitt, Joseph, Chapter 34.1, 34.2, 34.3 Widhelm, William “Gus” Wiggens (gun captain) Wilbourne, William W., Chapter 26.1, 30.1, 30.2, 34.1 Wilkinson, E R Wintle, Jack Wirth, Turk Wolfe, Henry A Wolverton, Tom, Chapter 17.1, 18.1 Wood, Hunter Woods, Louis, Chapter 24.1, 33.1 World War II the Blitz France, invasion of, Chapter 1.1, 1.2 Germany first vs Pacific first strategy, Chapter 1.1, 12.1, 15.1, 39.1 Germany’s U-boat campaign Japanese surrender Marco Polo Bridge Incident and North Africa campaign, Chapter 2.1, 12.1, 15.1, 15.2, 25.1, 44.1 Operation Sledgehammer Operation Torch (Operation Gym-nast), Chapter 1.1, 2.1 recruits, training of Russian front, Chapter 1.1, 10.1, 21.1, 25.1 War Department World War II (cont’d) campaign to bolster morale See also Pearl Harbor; Tokyo Express Wright, Carleton H., Chapter 12.1, 12.2, 40.1, 40.2 and Hepburn’s inquiry inaccurate claims Wulff, John T., Chapter 33.1, 34.1 Wylie, Joseph C., Chapter 9.1, 9.2, 13.1, 26.1, 31.1, 31.2, 34.1, 40.1 Yamamoto, Isoroku, Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 16.1, 18.1, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 21.1, 22.1, 25.1, 26.1, 33.1, 35.1, 37.1, 37.2, 40.1, 41.1, 41.2 Yeamans, Donald Yokota, Minoru, Chapter 11.1, 16.1 Young, Cassin, Chapter 25.1, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3, 30.1, 30.2, 30.3, 34.1 Zarker, Raymond ABOUT THE AUTHOR JAMES D HORNFISCHER, a native of Massachusetts, is the author of Ship of Ghosts and The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, which won the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature and was chosen by The Wall Street Journal as one of the ve best books on “war as soldiers know it.” A graduate of Colgate University and the University of Texas at Austin, he lives with his wife and their three children in Austin, Texas www.jameshornfischer.com ... Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hornfischer, James D Neptune’s inferno: the U.S Navy at Guadalcanal / James D Hornfischer p cm Includes bibliographical references and index eISBN: 97 8-0 -5 5 3-9 080 7-7 Guadalcanal,... book tells the story of how the U.S Navy learned these and many other lessons during its rst major campaign of the twentieth century: the struggle for the southern Solomon Islands in 1942 The American... control the sea For a eet to control the sea, the pilots had to y from the island’s air eld For the pilots to y from the air eld, the infantry had to hold the island That tripod stood only by the