command of task force 64, soon to become task force 67, devolves to gormley's chief of staff, captain -- now rare admiral -- daniel jay callahan wasn't about to see his career go down with his boss' he says, please, give me sea duty, i'm a fighting sailor, give me a command. so halsey goes along with it, gives him command of task force 67. he comes in and because callahan has 15 days' seniority and rank over scott, scott effectively is removed from command because of the operation of the rules of seniority. .. these are 42,000-ton monsters. the americans have nothing like it to oppose the. callahan has three -- 28--inch gun heavy cruisers, but 12,000 tons apiece, a couple of light cruisers and a squadron destroyer. callahan knows from research reports what is coming and he realizes that there is only one way of this, and that is straight through it. because if he fails to engage the japanese will overwhelm the air force, led their troops in the party's over. as kelli and engages all his chips will be lost. cruisers verses battleships at point-blank range at night is not a happy order