Battle of Tassafaronga

E16503

World War II battle naval battle

The Battle of Tassafaronga was a nighttime World War II naval engagement off Guadalcanal in November 1942, in which a smaller Japanese destroyer force inflicted heavy losses on a superior U.S. cruiser group through effective use of long-range torpedoes.

Aliases (2)

Battle of Lunga Point ×1
Third Battle of Savo Island ×1

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	World War II battle → naval battle →
alsoKnownAs	Battle of Lunga Point →
belligerent	Imperial Japanese Navy → United States Navy →
conflict	Pacific War →
date	1942-11-30 →
endDate	1942-11-30 →
JapaneseAdvantage	night-fighting training → superior torpedoes →
JapaneseCasualties	fewer than 200 killed →
JapaneseCommander	Raizō Tanaka →
JapaneseForces	Tokyo Express supply run → eight destroyers →
JapaneseShipLosses	one destroyer sunk → several destroyers damaged →
JapaneseShipSunk	Takanami →
location	Ironbottom Sound → Solomon Islands → off Guadalcanal →
namedAfter	Tassafaronga →
objective	interdict Japanese reinforcement convoy to Guadalcanal →
outcome	Japanese convoy failed to deliver supplies →
partOf	Guadalcanal Campaign →
primaryWeapon	Type 93 Long Lance torpedo →
result	Japanese tactical victory →
significance	demonstrated effectiveness of Japanese Long Lance torpedoes → exposed US Navy deficiencies in night surface tactics →
startDate	1942-11-30 →
strategicContext	struggle for control of Guadalcanal →
tacticUsed	long-range torpedo attack → night combat tactics →
theater	Solomon Islands campaign → South West Pacific Area →
timeOfDay	night →
USAdvantage	numerical superiority in cruisers → radar-equipped ships →
USCasualties	over 400 killed →
USCommander	William H. Wright →
USForces	Task Force 67 → five heavy cruisers → one light cruiser → six destroyers →
USShipDamaged	USS Honolulu (CL-48) →
USShipHeavilyDamaged	USS Minneapolis (CA-36) → USS New Orleans (CA-32) → USS Pensacola (CA-24) →
USShipSunk	USS Northampton (CA-26) →

Referenced by (9)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Battle of Tassafaronga ("Battle of Lunga Point") → Naval Battle of Guadalcanal ("Third Battle of Savo Island") →	alsoKnownAs
Savo Sound →	battleOccurredIn
Operation Watchtower →	includedNavalBattle
Battle of Guadalcanal →	notableEngagement
Task Force 67 →	participatedIn
Tokyo Express supply run →	relatedBattle
Ironbottom Sound →	significantEvent
Type 93 Long Lance torpedo →	usedInBattle