Radar and an early form of identification-friend-or-foe equipment still left destroyers struggling to identify ships in the confused engagement. American destroyers nearly fired on one another. Division 46 missed an opportunity to torpedo the central Japanese group because it could not confidently establish the contacts' identities. Burke's ten-second ideal had to be weighed against the consequences of making a fast decision that sank a friendly ship.
Notable Point · 1:04:28-1:05:16
Uncertain contacts cost Division 46 a torpedo opportunity
Detection did not guarantee identification: Division 46 withheld a torpedo attack rather than risk firing at ships whose identity remained uncertain.