Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Takijirō Ōnishi had directed three waves of aircraft from his First Air Fleet based on Luzon against the carriers of Rear Admiral Frederick Sherman's TG 38.3 (whose aircraft were also being used to strike airfields in Luzon to prevent Japanese land-based air attacks on Allied shipping in Leyte Gulf).
I mellemtiden havde viceadmiral Takijirō Ōnishi sendt tre bølger af fly fra sin første luftflåde på Luzon mod hangarskibene i kontreadmiral Shermans Task Group 38.3 (hvis fly også blev brugt til at angribe flyvepladser på Luzon for at forebygge mod japanske landbaserede flyangreb mod allierede skibe i Leyte Gulf).