Although the American attacks neutralized much of the defending Japanese planes on that island, the task force was plagued by night harassing attacks from Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" twin-engine bombers operating out of Kyūshū. Over two nights of attacks, "Benham"s gunners helped splash nine enemy planes and chalked up a tenth as "probable." The task force then slowly steamed east, covering the retirement of —heavily damaged by a Japanese torpedo—before striking at Japanese installations in the Philippines starting on 15 October. These attacks, intended to clear the way for an American amphibious landing, continued until 20 October when the first troops landed on Leyte.