Rear Admiral Sentaro Omori came down from Rabaul on the night of 1-2 November 1943 to break up the landings at Cape Torokina. His flag was in the heavy cruiser Myoko, with Haguro.
Myoko collided with the destroyer Hatsukaze and cut off her bow. American destroyers then finished Hatsukaze. Myoko was lightly damaged and was not sunk. The transports he had been sent to cover were not in the fight.