"Kitkun Bay" experienced a ray of hope at 0834 when she received news that the planes of the strike group had refueled ashore and were returning to protect their ship. The other carriers sent their aircraft aloft and a flight of 24 planes passed over "Kitkun Bay" a few minutes later and dived on the enemy cruisers, which opened fire at them. "Kitkun Bay"s 5-inch gun continued the unequal contest and hurled shot after shot at the enemy cruisers, but they, in turn, fired another salvo that splashed off the port beam. The ship's radar picked up unidentified aircraft ten miles to the northwest at 0858, and worried watchstanders anticipated adding Japanese planes to the threat facing them.