"Kitkun Bay" proceeded on a westerly course to rendezvous with TG 77.4, but at 1822 received a report of enemy aircraft closing on the formation from the east. The warship sounded general quarters, and, although she could only make ten knots, a brisk breeze from the north enabled her to head into the wind and launch five Wildcats. The Japanese planes swung around and retired to the south without pressing an attack. The wind dropped to barely 15 knots and it was nearly dark by 1907 when the ship recovered her last fighters.