The next day, the American task force discovered the Japanese carrier force had retired west during the night. Late in the day, a sighting report at 16:13 led to a last-ditch 206-aircraft strike. These aircraft caught the retreating Japanese at dusk and sank the light carrier and damaged another. The American aircraft then flew east for a difficult night landing. Many were later ditched owing to darkness or lack of fuel and "Biloxi" joined other warships in recovering crews from the water. After a futile stern chase of the Japanese on the 21st, the American warships gave up the pursuit and retired, arriving at Eniwetok on 27 June.