Despite Halsey's failure to protect the northern flank of the 7th Fleet, Taffy 3 and assisting aircraft turned back the most powerful surface fleet Japan had sent to sea since the Battle of Midway.
Trods Halseys manglende beskyttelse af den 7. flådes nordflanke tilbageviste Taffy 3 og fly fra de andre hangarskibsgrupper den stærkeste overfladeflåde, som Japan havde indsat siden slaget ved Midway.