South Pacific Destroyer: The Battle for the Solomons from Savo Island to Vella GulfNot content to rely on his memory as a gunnery officer and later as executive officer of the USS Maury (DD-401), the author conducted extensive searches of official U.S. and Japanese records in pursuit of the unvarnished truth. The result is a vivid, balanced, and detailed narrative of the destroyer's experiences in the Pacific that earned the warship a Presidential Unit Citation and sixteen battle stars. Captain Crenshaw focuses on the bloody campaign from the Battle of Tassafaronga in November 1942 to Vella Gulf in August 1943, and then completes the picture by chronicling the Maury's actions from Pearl Harbor through the Philippines. In conclusion, armed with facts not known until after the war, Crenshaw discusses the impact of the new technologies of radar and voice radio, the shortcomings of U.S. torpedoes and gunfire, and the devastating effectiveness of Japan's supertorpedo. |
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aboard action Admiral ahead Ainsworth American arrived attack battery battle bearing boats bombs bridge called Captain Sims clear close column Comdr Commander Commodore continued course crew cruisers damage deck destroyers director Division enemy engines explosion feet fighters finally fire five fleet followed force forward four going Guadalcanal Gulf guns hands head heavy Island Japanese July keep knots landing later light Maury Maury's miles minutes mounts moved Munda Naval Navy needed Nicholas night officers opened operation ordered Pacific passed planes plot Point port position prepared radar Radford range ready reported returned sent shells ship's ships showed side sighted Slot soon speed starboard station steam submarine Sunk supply target task took torpedo troops turned yards