Exercise 78 developed into a close surface battle after opposing heavy cruisers and battleships made contact. The battle lines closed from about 30,000 to 15,000 yards before the western fleet attempted destroyer attacks against both ends of the eastern line. Defensive fire and heavy weather frustrated the attacks, and the western force suffered extensive notional losses and damage. Every destroyer in its right-flank divisions, attacking without heavy-cruiser support, was ruled sunk. The left-flank divisions had cruiser support and survived with varying degrees of damage. The comparison supported a practical conclusion about the value of cruiser gunfire in protecting a destroyer torpedo attack.
Chapter · 1:06:14-1:07:32
Exercise 78 shows why destroyers need cruiser support
A large battle-line action showed unsupported destroyer divisions suffering heavily while ships attacking with cruiser fire support survived in better condition.