Thursday 11th October

61 days to go.

Well for the last few days I have been doing what I thought I would be doing, working one on one with the locals. They are intelligent, it is just that in their culture they avoid confrontation and are not forceful. What I am doing is guiding them and giving them confidence. The people I have worked with know what they have to do; it is just that they lack the experience and confidence to back their decisions. I hope I can help to make a difference. I have not been on holiday before now. I have just been working on stuff that needs doing, but not always with a local.
Stats returns today. I will be working with him closely to explain what I need his computer system to do.
The 3rd Naval Battle, The Battle of Cape Esperance took place on this date and tomorrows date (11 + 12 October 1943) 64 years ago. Cape Esperance is the closest point to Savo Island at the North Eastern corner of Guadalcanal. The US had a large fleet to the South; they were escorting their own reinforcements to the Island. An opportune sighting by an aircraft returning to Henderson reported that the “Tokyo Express” the term given to the nightly Japanese force that bombarded the Islands, was a larger force than usual. The US fleet raced around Guadalcanal to position themselves at Savo Island with the normal US Fleet to wait for the Japanese. Just before midnight on the 11th the US forces opened fire.
Japanese losses were a Cruiser and a Destroyer sunk, one Cruiser and one Destroyer damaged in the action. Two more Destroyers were sunk on the 12th by aircraft from Henderson Field.
The US lost a Destroyer. A Destroyer and two Cruisers were damaged. The Battle lasted just over an hour. This was almost the reverse of the result of the Battle of Savo Island.