▁dam aged ▁many ▁Al lied ▁aircraft , ▁leaving ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Squadron ▁the ▁only ▁av iation ▁unit ▁available ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁first ▁con voy . ▁Ten ▁B - 2 5 s ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁led ▁by ▁squad ron ▁commander ▁Major ▁William ▁G . ▁T enn ille , ▁Jr ., ▁sp otted ▁the ▁con voy , ▁which ▁they ▁reported ▁to ▁consist ▁of ▁two ▁cru is ers ▁and ▁four ▁destroy ers , ▁at ▁ 1 2 5 0 ▁hours ▁near ▁Amsterdam ▁Island . ▁Two ▁larger ▁destroy ers ▁were ▁mis ident ified ▁as ▁cru is ers . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁made ▁a ▁low - level ▁attack , ▁s inking ▁the ▁destroy er ▁Har us ame ▁and ▁dam aging ▁three ▁other ▁ships . ▁Three ▁aircraft , ▁including ▁T enn ille ' s ▁plane , ▁were ▁shot ▁down , ▁and ▁the ▁remainder ▁were ▁so ▁badly ▁dam aged ▁by ▁anti - air craft ▁fire ▁that ▁the ▁entire ▁ 1 7 th ▁Re con na issance ▁air ▁e ch el on ▁was ▁sent ▁back ▁to ▁Fin sch h afen ▁two ▁days ▁later ▁to ▁reform . ▁T enn ille ▁and ▁Lieutenant ▁Howard ▁Wood ▁post hum ously ▁received ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Cross ▁for ▁their ▁actions . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁June ▁the ▁re pl en ished ▁air ▁e ch el on ▁began ▁moving ▁to ▁recently ▁captured ▁M ok mer ▁Air field ▁on ▁B iak , ▁comple ting ▁the ▁move ▁by ▁ 2 ▁July . ▁It ▁was ▁joined ▁by ▁the ▁ground ▁e ch el on ▁after ▁