Is this another example where a USN failure is passed off as a RN one?I did a number on Savo Island where I tried to rehab Crutchley. One may want to read it. Start here. By the time one reaches the casualty lists, one should be shocked at the results, even if everything had gone "right". Two competent navies who know what they are doing, tend to kill each other.
As I have remarked, it took a year, and even when the Americans finally had the upper hand with tactics and tech and leadership, they were quite nervous about night SAG actions against the IJN.
Just checking like
Lets face it Savo went tits up for 4 reasons (not forgetting that the IJN were brilliant that night and man for man and ship for ship the better force)
- Relatively Green USN crews and officers - and was not yet capable of using its advantage in Radar effectively
- Bode was more fucking useless than tits on a bull - before, during and after the fight. As far as I am concerned he is the villain of the peice
- Prewar USN SAG doctrine particularly night fighting was incorrect - it took this fight to focus minds
- The USN (and it was not alone here) still as late as 1st Savo still had a somewhat racist attitude to the IJN capabilities and technology and seriously underestimated them - again this fight seriously focusing minds.
The fight was a major kick up the arse as far as the USN was concerned but they did take notice
I have often seen Crutchley criticised for 'leaving his command' but this completely ignores the fact that Adm Turner had 'summoned' him to a meeting in order to discuss his plans to withdraw the amphibious group the next day in light of Fletcher being obliged to withdraw his carriers
Now I cannot fault Fletcher for his decision (needed to refuel) , I cannot fault Turner for his (without carriers his fleet was vulnerable).
Crutchley is criticised for not leaving behind his command ship (or perhaps for not ignoring the summons - as if that would have happened) - but I suspect it also had his task force staff on board and it was very likely far quicker to take the Cruiser rather than fuck about waiting for another ship ( and transferring at night between ships - especially given the urgent nature of the changed mission (Fletcher having suddenly buggered off and Turner wanting to bug out as well) and Crutchley wanting to get the meeting sorted ASAP in order to get the necessary staff work done and his TF moving ASAP.
Had he left HMAS Australia Behind its likely that under Bose's lack of leadership she might simply have added to the losses that night