The ongoing resupply efforts to Guadalcanal and the maintenance of Henderson Field’s operational capabilities intensified. On October 8th, a convoy comprising 2,837 personnel from the 164th Infantry Regiment embarked on a journey to Guadalcanal from New Caledonia. To safeguard the convoy, Task Force 64, comprising the cruisers San Francisco, Boise, Sal Lake City, and Helena, and five destroyers, was deployed.

In response, the Japanese military orchestrated a substantial deployment of the Tokyo Express to reinforce Guadalcanal. Three heavy cruisers, namely the Aoba, Kinugasa, and Furutaka, were dispatched to bombard American forces, particularly Henderson Field.

On the night of October 11th, the Japanese convoy of transport ships successfully arrived at Guadalcanal undetected, enabling the landing of their troops and supplies. However, the American cruisers, equipped with radar technology that the Japanese lacked, intercepted the convoy. The American cruisers, utilizing their superior radar capabilities, detected the Japanese ships without being detected by enemy forces.

The American cruisers positioned themselves optimally for executing a precise maneuver known as the “T” maneuver, where all of the enemy ships’ guns can converge on the target. This strategic positioning allowed the American cruisers to engage in a decisive surface vessel battle. Consequently, they successfully sank one Japanese cruiser and one destroyer, while sustaining damage to another Japanese cruiser. In contrast, the American forces lost one destroyer, while the Helena sustained damage.

Following the battle, two Japanese destroyers were dispatched to assist the survivors. Unfortunately, both destroyers were subsequently sunk by American aircraft. While the battle resulted in a tactical victory for the American forces, its long-term impact remains uncertain.