In the battle, a US force of five cruisers and four destroyers under the command of Rear Admiral Carleton H. Wright engaged eight Japanese destroyers attempting to deliver food to their forces on Guadalcanal. Using radar, the US warships gained surprise, opened fire, and sank one destroyer. Under the command of Rear Admiral Raizō Tanaka, the other Japanese ships quickly returned fire with Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes, sinking one US cruiser and heavily damaging three others. The rest of Tanaka's force escaped undamaged but failed to complete the intended supply mission.