 In response to sinking of "Shōhō", Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) main carrier force launched a night strike on USN carriers composed of 15 Nakajima B5N and 12 Aichi D3A bombers.Flatley led one of the groups of F4F Wildcats that were sent to intercept (another group was led by Lieutenant Commander Paul Ramsey from VF-2).The enemy strike force suffered heavy losses.