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By tk Solomons P 44. was the last carrier available, still being repaired at sea after Santa Cruz. Lee could not get his group off Savo before 0800 ( 8 AM ) on the 14th. of November, there was nothing to stop Mikawa's cruisers in their watching role outside Savo, whilst the Japanese bombardment group pounded the airfield over a 37 minute period, destroying some 17 fighters, 1 dive bomber, and damaging another 32 more fighters. As fast as the American Cactus airforce was built up , by ferrying in new planes, the Japanese were knocking them over at night, catching them on the airfield. By 0205 ( 2.05 AM ) the two Japanese surface forces had rejoined, and retired to the north. US planes go hunting for the Japanese raiders. In addition, the next wave of troopships and their escort were sighted on their southwards run. Avengers and Dauntless aircraft attacked, to hole the heavy cruiser Kinugasa, and hit the light cruiser Isuzu. Now it was the turn of carrier planes from Enterprise, they came across Mikawa's ships, and sank Kinugasa, they further damaged the heavy cruisers Chokai, and Maya, added to the woes of Isuzu, and damaged the destroyer Michishio, licking their wounds, Mikawa's force made it to the Shortlands. It was now Tanaka's group to be in the firing line, over the afternoon, they were hammered by Enterprise aircraft, planes from Henderson, and Flying Fortress planes from Espirito Santo, for the loss of only 5 US aircraft, the Japanese lost 7 transports, they were left with 4 transports and 11 destroyers to reinforce the Japanese garrison ashore at Guadalcanal. For the Japanese, it became evident, that destroyers alone were insufficient protection for their crowded Transports against determined aircraft attacks, whilst the Americans viewed the increased effectiveness of their carrier planes when they had the extra option of a land based airfield. Halsey withdrew the big E back to Espititu Santo, he could not afford to expose her any further. Lee's Battleship group. *Residents concerned about marina move *Daytona dreams of recreating Main Street Pier’s heydays
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