Sprague ordered the escorts to make a torpedo run at the Japanese ships at 0740, but by this time, the enemy vessels reached a point bearing 355° from "Kitkun Bay" at 25,000 yards. Men watched with trepidation as the flashes of the enemy guns announced more salvoes that tore through the air and fell only about 1,500 yards astern of the ship. "Kitkun Bay" began to jettison her gasoline bombs and smoke tanks at 0755, and Sprague directed all of the carriers to make as much smoke as possible. Maintainers meanwhile scrambled to load the remaining Avengers in the hangar deck with torpedoes, while the ship swung to 195° at 0756 to permit the other vessels to get behind the smoke screen. Three destroyers appeared off the port bow at a range of approximately ten miles and in the confusion, lookouts initially identified them as Japanese, only to discover some of the U.S. ships fighting faithfully to protect their vulnerable charges.