[PAR35]

In the Bering Sea... An American squadran of 2 cruisers and 4 destroyers (under the command of Admiral McMorris) meets a Japanese squadron of 4 cruisers and 5 destroyers (under the command of Admiral Hosogaya) off the Komandorski Islands. A traditional gun engagement begins and a cruiser on each side is badly damaged. Hosogaya decides to break off at this point although he has a clear superiority which is beginning to tell.

Yet another prime example of the Japanese navy snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by chickening out. There seemed to be almost a culture of cowardice in the senior levels of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

[colorado tanker]

It reminds me of what happened later on a much larger scale in the Battle of Leyte gulf when the Taffy 3 destroyers scared off a Japanese main battle fleet.