The embattled carrier's 5-inch had fired almost all of the ammunition at hand, and the captain ordered the gunners to cease fire and conserve the remaining rounds because he expected that the enemy destroyers would attack. A Japanese salvo splashed a mere 20 yards astern and the alarmed gun crew believed that the following salvo would slice into the ship. Capt. Whitney thus swung the warship between 200° and 270° in an effort to forestall the apparently inevitable. Cmdr. Fowler also attempted to save "Kitkun Bay" and led four Avengers flying from the ship that assailed Chokai at 0905. One of the planes dropped a 500-pound bomb that tore into the Japanese vessel's stern, and smoke emerged from the cruiser and she slowed.