Japanese warships under Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo are shown on November 14, 1942, heading for Guadalcanal to bombard Henderson Field after Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe’s attempt to bombard Henderson Field on the night of November 12–13 failed following a naval engagement. The battleship Kirishima (background) is preceded in formation by the heavy cruiser Takao (center). The new battleship USS Washington, using radar-controlled guns, sank the Kirishima and one destroyer hours after this photo was taken. Just after midnight the Japanese navy was in retreat, and the attempt to bombard Henderson Field, as well as reinforce the Japanese Guadalcanal garrison, was curtailed.
