Two escort carriers, "Gambier Bay", and "Kitkun Bay", accompanied by a destroyer screen, proceeding ahead. At 2:45 in the morning of 14 June, "Kitkun Bay"s lookouts spotted Saipan, as well as flares illuminating the Japanese-held island. By the morning, "Kitkun Bay" had been joined by three more carriers, and she began preparing to launch aircraft. During these preparations, as one of her plane handlers was pushing an Avenger into position on the flight deck, one of its rockets discharged, with the sailor being hit by the backblast. The discharged rocket narrowly passed in between several other aircraft, and the unfortunate sailor was badly burned throughout his entire body, succumbing to his injuries the following day. Nonetheless, the carrier continued launching its aircraft complement as planned, providing cover over the attack transports hovering near the island, and scouting out landing positions.