The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

by James D. Hornfischer

Even when they had a clear line of sight, the Japanese still did not know what they faced. From the elegant proportions of their superstructures to their twin stacks to the graceful rise of their forecastles, Fletcher-class destroyers had silhouettes similar to those of Baltimore-class heavy cruisers. Japanese recognition books did not include Henry Kaiser’s new-fangled flattops. At 7:16 lookouts on the Kumano spotted an aircraft carrier afire. Satisfied with the presumed kill, they changed targets two minutes later and threw their next salvos at the St. Lo. By this time Vice Adm. Kazutaka Shiraishi had realized something vital: his quarry were not Essex-class fleet carriers after all but light carriers. But the cruiser commander apparently never relayed that information up the line. About that essential fact, Kurita would remain thoroughly in the dark.