At 4:30, the escort carriers went to general quarters in preparation for another round of airstrikes and close air support. By 5:30, Taffy 3 had launched twelve fighters to conduct a combat air patrol, before launching another two Wildcats and four Avengers shortly afterwards. The task group continued launching aircraft throughout the morning. By the time of the attack, "Fanshaw Bay" therefore only had twelve aircraft on hand, none of which were equipped to deal with heavily armed surface warships. The first indication of Japanese contact happened shortly after 6:30, when Taffy 3 experienced three almost simultaneous warnings. Firstly, they began receiving unencrypted Japanese chatter. Secondly, they spotted antiaircraft fire, estimated at to the north, where there was known to be no Allied surface presence. In fact, an Avenger from "St. Lo" had stumbled into the midst of the Japanese fleet, and began radioing Rear Admiral Sprague warnings. Thirdly, "Fanshaw Bay"s radar operators spotted an unmistakable surface signature of unknown surface ships just away.