ship was assigned to the First Carrier Division with the carriers and on 12 August. The division sailed to Truk on 1 October to support Japanese forces in the Guadalcanal Campaign and departed from Truk 10 days later based on the promise of the Imperial Japanese Army to capture Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. At this time, Zuihō carried eighteen A6Ms and six B5Ns. The Japanese and American carrier forces discovered each other in the early morning of 26 October at the opening of the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands and each side launched airstrikes. The aircraft passed each other en route and nine of Zuihōs Zeros attacked the aircraft launched by the aircraft carrier . They shot down three Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters and three Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers and damaged one more of each type while losing four of their own. Two of Enterprises Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers operating as armed scouts hit Zuihō with bombs while the fleet was launching the first and second wave against the American carriers. This put her flight deck out of action, although she was not seriously damaged otherwise. Together with the damaged Shōkaku, the ship withdrew from the battle and reached Truk two days later. After temporary repairs, the two carriers returned to Japan in early November and Zuihōs repairs were completed on 16 December. In the meantime, Captain Bunjiro Yamaguchi assumed command. The ship left Kure on 17 January 1943 and sailed for Truk with a load of aircraft. Upon arrival she was assigned to the Second Carrier Division with the carriers and Zuikaku to provide cover for the evacuation of Guadalcanal. Zuihōs fighters were transferred to Wewak, New Guinea, in mid-February and then to Kavieng in early March, although the ship remained at Truk. They flew to Rabaul on mid-March to participate in Operation I-Go, a land-based aerial offensive against Allied bases in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. The fighters returned to Truk on 18 March after claiming 18 Allied aircraft shot down. Zuihō arrived at Sasebo on 9 May and received a brief refit in mid-June. She returned to Truk on 15 July and remained in the area until 5 November when she returned to Yokosuka. Her air group, 18 Zeros and 8 D3As, was briefly deployed to Kavieng in late August – early September before returning to Truk. By this time, Zuihō was assigned