"Kitkun Bay"s crew raced to man their battle stations and the ship sounded flight quarters as the enemy opened fire. She rang up flank speed for 18½ knots, and swung around to 070° to head partly into the wind for launching planes and yet to keep away as much as possible from the more heavily armed Japanese ships. The carrier launched eight Wildcats that were already warming up for the day's action (0656–0703). At 0702 ships began making smoke, and the heavy pall of smoke and the general murkiness of the weather often prevented men from seeing the entire picture. Beginning at 0710, "Kitkun Bay" launched six Avengers to engage the enemy. The ship changed course to 110°, but briefly turned back into the wind to launch a ninth fighter at 0711.