One of the best descriptions of the 1942 WWII battle for Guadalcanal ever written.

Located in the Solomon Islands northeast of Australia and east of New Guinea,
Guadalcanal held the strategic Henderson Air Field, which would lend great advantage
to which ever side held it. Soldiers from the United States Marines and Army proceeded
to take over the field and set up a defensive perimeter around it. Our Navy was sent there
to stop the Japanese ships that were sending troops and supplies to Guadalcanal to take
back the air field, as well as to halt the merciless shelling of our land-based troops and
airplanes. In contrast to the Japanese Navy, the United States Navy was young and
inexperienced, as evidenced in the first of 7 naval battles, in which we lost 4 ships and
the Japanese lost none. Our naval leaders were burdened by indecision, firing upon their
own ships when they became disoriented, being fired upon first by the Japanese, trying
to figure out a new sophisticated radar system (which eventually helped us to win the war),
getting out of formation, etc. Immediately morale took a plunge. Because of this, some
leaders were reluctant to place our most powerful ships into future battles, resulting in
a bitter sense of abandonment to the U.S. soldiers on the island who were left to
fight superior numbers of the enemy as they came to the island.

However, the tide turned in favor of the U.S. in the third naval battle when a courageous
commander by the name of Norman Scott showed exemplary leadership and skill in
sinking 4 Japanese ships to 1 of ours. Then, in the fourth battle, the U.S. put two Japanese
aircraft carriers out of commission. This began to demoralize the Japanese leadership, which
had held an attitude of contempt, spite, and superiority over the Americans who they did
not think had the will to fight.

Most readers will feel the thrump of the large guns whose power knocked sailors over.
They will hear the cries of the wounded and dying. They will see boys become men,
leaders acquire uncommon courage, and flashes of fire in the night battles.
They will also triumph with the leadership of the U.S. Navy, Marines and Army,
who fought as underdogs to defeat the tyranny of an evil empire.

Perhaps readers will also weep for the more than 6,500 U.S. sailors
and soldiers who lost their lives for freedom.

A superb book to read.