The little Destroyers that could!

[RevRick]

ORIGINAL: grraven2004

ORIGINAL: RevRick

Looked like an almost perfect DD engagement of a much larger target with a concentrated SAG nearby. Bad weather, night, speed, and guts.

Rev. I'm astonished it took you this long to post your comments.
If you think about it the weather sucked. I would think it is possible to slip in and take your shots and maybe get out without much reprisals.
I also agree that if you have escorts attached to the amphibs you have a much better chance of fighting off this sort of raid.

What! I'll have you know that I am in the middle of a Honey-Do day. It's nothing short of a miracle that I found the post to begin with. Actually, we're busy getting ready for a combined 40th year high school reunion and have about a seven hour drive ahead of us Thursday. Naturally, what that means is the wife has discovered that she has 'nothing' to wear, and has the credit card off shopping. I am trying to prevent the paper that accumulates on a desk during such periods (as in all vacations) from developing a breeding program whilst I am away and multiplying exponentially.

[m10bob]

I also put DD's with my troop carrying AK's, not to pretect the AK's, but to preserve the investment of the troops in time and training to get them to this point.

As for the AAR showing both sides try to withdraw?...Well, after the battle of Savo Island, the Japanese commander had a clear path to the Allied transports, but fearing the unknown, took a powder instead..
Many examples of this kind of inaction or withdrawal by a commander who should have been otherwise the victor.

[RevRick]

Basically, as a former tin can sailor, you should never, ever, anywhere except where you absoltively posilutely are certain that nothing is likely to happen, (like perhaps between the Panama Canal and Pago Pago - and even then keep your finger and toes crossed!) send anything of any value whatsoever anywhere without an escort - whatever you can scrape together. If you don't have enough DD's send a minesweep, or even a tug. It is even more important to never send anything in harms way without tin cans around - Remember TAFFY Three!!!

[joe chod]

Single digit illum, heavy precipitation, thunder, lightning.......tough to spot anything.......ship bouncing.....watch crew thinking about  "when is my watch over" rather than looking 100% of the time.......shoot and scoot is not just for SPG's.