 Although they had lost contact during the night , the Americans did find the Japanese carriers at 07 : 35 . They had already launched an <unk> of 180 aircraft that was orbiting 50 miles ( 80 km ) ahead of the American carriers while waiting for the Japanese ships to be located . This was just the first of a total of five airstrikes that the Americans launched that day . The sisters were not heavily engaged by the early airstrikes which are focusing on the group 's aircraft carriers . <unk> claimed to have shot down five attacking dive bombers from the second wave and one small bomb detonated on <unk> No. 2 . <unk> was lightly damaged by near misses that rupture some hull plating in her <unk> and <unk> her superstructure with splinters . She took on a 5 @-@ degree list that was quickly corrected before she was ordered to tow the crippled carrier <unk> to safety . Her attempt was unsuccessful and <unk> had to be abandoned to her fate . 
