The disappearance of at least one of their scouting aircraft (shot down by aircraft from Enterprise before it could send a radio report), caused the Japanese to strongly suspect that U.S. carriers were in the immediate area.
Da mindst et rekognosceringsfly gik tabt (skudt ned af fly fra Enterprise inden den kunne nå at afsende rapport over radioen) havde japanerne en stærk mistanke om at der var amerikanske hangarskibe i området.