The US Navy’s worst defeat in open combat came during this war.
War of 1812
World War I
American Revolution
World War II
World War II. On Aug. 9, 1942, off Savo Island during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Japanese sunk four heavy cruisers and a destroyer with no losses of their own during the battle. A Japanese heavy cruiser, Kako, was sunk by an American submarine during its return to port after the battle.