18 EAB

Montpelier almost made it to the cover of the squall but here hard to starboard turn placed her in the torpedo arc of DesRon 10
0321 Both sides recoil from this horrific encounter. Of the USN’s CruDiv 12 only Denver survives and crawls back down the Slot at 10 kts. With the exception of Foote who got chewed up in the last minutes of the engagement both USN DesDivs are undamaged. The results are sobering for the USN with each of the cruisers carrying a complement of 1300 the loss of life is likely to be enormous. The ineffective use of both DesDivs should result in all Division and Squadron commanders’ relief. The IJN has no cause to celebrate with both heavy cruisers lost, Sendai flagship of DesRon 3 lost and Wakatsuki a brand new DD crippled to the point she had to be scuttled. Added to that list of woes Agano’s torpedoing of Myoko.