Drawing on his experience as a gunnery officer in the USS Maury, Crenshaw, now retired from the US Navy, gives an account of the battle for the Solomon Islands in early 1943 from the perspective of the decks of one of the destroyers that bore the brunt of the struggle. The narrative includes the Battle of Tassafaronga in November 1942 and Vella Gulf in August 1943, actions that earned the author's warship a Presidential Unit Citation and sixteen battle stars. Crenshaw also discusses the impact of radar and voice radio, the shortcomings of US torpedoes and gunfire, and the devastating effectiveness of Japan's super torpedo. A few b&w maps and historical photos are included, along with appendices of Japanese, US, and Allied ships sunk or damaged in the battle. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)