"Dreadnought" Campaigners-
On 14 November 1942, two days after the disasterous First Naval Battle of Guadacanal, Adm Lee's "Task Force" 64 consisting of the Battleships USS South Dakota and USS Washington, escorting Destroyers Benham, Walke, Preston, and Gwin headed east toward the "Slot" as Adm Kondo's force headed south, down the "Slot". Kondo's force had with it the Japanese Battleship Kirishima, Heavy Cruisers Takao and Atago, Light Cruisers Nagara and Sendai, and 8 Destroyers.
The naval action that followed was the first and only time during WWII that US fast Battleships met and fought in a surface engagement with Battleships of the enemy.
Kondo split his force into four columns and turned west to met the US forces. At 2317, USS Washington opened up on the Sendai and her destroyers who turned away and fled undamaged. Next, the Nagara and her 4 destroyers opened fire. US Destoyers Preston and Walke were devasted and both were sunk within 11 minutes. The USS South Dakota fired on and sank the Japanese destroyer Ayanami. Next, US destroyers Gwin and Benham were hit and forced out of action. In the last Japanese column was the Battleship Kirishima, the two heavy cruisers, and two destroyers. At 2350, right after USS South Dakota lost it's fire control radar, she was illuminated by Kirishima's searchlights and rapidly hit by 27 shells of 5in or larger. Losing No.3 turret disabled, and with uncontrollable fires in the superstructure, USS South Dakota was forced to withdraw. The USS Washington now opened up on Kirishima, hitting her with nine 16in rounds and over forty 5in rounds. With heavy damage and steering in circles, Kirishima withdrew and Kondo ordered a general withdrawal. Because Kirishima was so heavily damaged and unable to steer a straight course, she was abandoned, scuttled and sank at 0320 on 15 November 1942.
Sorry for the lengthy "history lesson", but this leads into why I've chosen to build the USS Washington as my Dreadnought's entry (apologies to M1Garand but as fellow resident of the State of Washington, I hope he'll understand). Anxious to start and learn more.
Blade48mrd
