At 1640 on 26 February, "Whipple" and sister ship departed Tjilatjap to rendezvous with the seaplane tender off the south coast of Java. Making contact with her at 0629 on 27 February, the destroyers took up screening positions to escort the vulnerable ship and its vital cargo of 32 P-40 fighters and U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) personnel to Tjilatjap. At 1150, lookouts spotted nine Japanese high-level bombers approaching from the east. Four minutes later, a stick of bombs splashed around "Langley", which was clearly the focus of Japanese attention. During a second attack shortly after noon, the three warships put up brisk antiaircraft fire.