ated ▁from ▁the ▁battle ▁area ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁one ▁car rier ▁s unk ▁and ▁another ▁heavily ▁dam aged . ▁The ▁particip ating ▁Japanese ▁car rier ▁forces , ▁however , ▁also ▁retre ated ▁because ▁of ▁high ▁aircraft ▁and ▁air cre w ▁losses ▁and ▁significant ▁damage ▁to ▁two ▁carri ers . ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁tact ical ▁victory ▁for ▁the ▁Japanese ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁ships ▁s unk ▁and ▁dam aged , ▁but ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁veter an ▁air cre ws ▁was ▁a ▁long - term ▁strateg ic ▁advantage ▁for ▁the ▁Al lies , ▁whose ▁air cre w ▁losses ▁in ▁the ▁battle ▁were ▁relatively ▁low . ▁ ▁Later ▁events ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Army ' s ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁Al lied ▁L ung a ▁per imeter ▁was ▁decis ively ▁defeated ▁in ▁this ▁battle , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁were ▁not ▁yet ▁ready ▁to ▁give ▁up ▁the ▁struggle ▁for ▁Gu adal can al . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁Army ▁and ▁n avy ▁made ▁immediate ▁plans ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 8 th ▁Division ▁to ▁the ▁island , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁ 5 1 st ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁to ▁try ▁a ▁further ▁off ensive ▁against ▁Hend erson ▁Field ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁again ▁planned ▁to ▁bomb ard ▁Hend erson ▁Field ▁with ▁batt les hips ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁allow ▁a ▁con voy ▁of ▁transport ▁ships ▁to ▁deliver ▁the ▁ 3 8 th ' s ▁troops ▁and ▁heavy ▁equipment . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁however , ▁to ▁what ▁occurred ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁October ,