In all, forty two japanese planes were shot down by the hell cats and the surface ship screen. No enemy aircraft reached the carriers, and only one american plane was lost. One pilot said for 35 miles he could see burning wreckage leaking oil and on fire in the sea where they kept falling into the water. The fighting on sipan is still just getting started as America prepares to launch its b 29 bomber attacks from southern china. In april, 19 forty four t gets april, the japanese will launch their largest offensive of the entire war.