 Hashimoto departed the Shortlands at 11 : 30 on 1 February with 20 destroyers for the first evacuation run . Eleven destroyers were designated as transports screened by the other nine . The destroyers were attacked in the late afternoon near <unk> by 92 CAF aircraft in two waves . The Allied fliers scored a near miss on Makinami , Hashimoto 's flagship , heavily damaging it . Four CAF aircraft were shot down . Hashimoto transferred to Shirayuki and detached <unk> to tow Makinami back to base . 
