In the morning, 276 US Navy carrier aircraft (78 from USS Saratoga, 29 from USS Princeton, 69 from USS Bunker Hill, 75 from USS Essex, and 25 from USS Independence), 23 land-based US Navy F4U-1 fighters, 1 squadron of land-based US Navy F6F fighters, and 23 US Army Air Forces B-24 bombers attacked Rabaul, New Britain. While the USAAF bombers did minimal damage on Lakunai airfield, the US Navy aircraft were able to sink destroyer Suzunami (148 killed including commanding officer Captain Masao Kamiyama), damage destroyer Naganami, and damage two other destroyers. 11 Japanese aircraft were lost in this engagement. The Americans lost 4 TBF and 5 F6F aircraft in combat; 1 TBF, 2 SB2C, and 4 F6F written off due to extensive damage; and 30 aircraft lightly damaged. In response to the attack, the Japanese launched 23 D3A, 14 B5N, 4 D4Y, and 33 A6M aircraft (32 Japanese Army fighters were also launched but they lost their way) to attack the American carrier fleet; they shot down 6 US aircraft at the cost of 33 aircraft lost (including famed pilot Lieutenant Masao Sato).
