 The IJN continued to suffer losses and damage to its ships in attempting to keep the Japanese on Guadalcanal resupplied . One destroyer was sunk by American warships at the Battle of Tassafaronga on 30 November . Another destroyer plus a submarine were sunk and two destroyers damaged by American PT boat and CAF air attacks during subsequent resupply missions from 3 – 12 December . Compounding the navy 's frustration , very few of the supplies carried on these missions actually reached Japanese army forces on the island . Combined Fleet leaders began telling their army counterparts the losses and damage to warships engaged in the resupply effort threatened future strategic plans for protecting the Japanese Empire . 
