With ship profiles and authentic art, this study explores the warships involved in the last pure surface battle of World War II, the battle itself, and the reasons why the outnumbered US Navy prevailed. The Battle of the Komandorski Islands was unique among the naval battles of World War II. It was the last day surface naval battle of World War II where aircraft played no role, and it saw a squadron of US cruisers and destroyers engage with their Japanese counterparts over a convoy to reinforce Attu and Kiska.

Exploring the warships, the battle, and why it was won, naval expert Mark Lardas explains that due to an intelligence failure, the Japanese escort was double what was expected, with the Americans outnumbered 2:1 in heavy and light cruisers. While both sides had the same number of destroyers (four each), the Japanese destroyers were newer and more powerful than the American ones. A 12-hour surface battle ensued.

Despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered in both personnel and weaponry — and even though the largest US ship was waterlogged at one point — the US Navy emerged victorious. Illustrated with archival photos, profiles of all the main warships involved, and action scenes depicting critical moments of the battle, this book explains how the American victory was achieved and highlights the importance of superior damage control.