The American carriers launch a counterstrike

Lexington and Enterprise could launch strike aircraft down the bearing of the retreating Japanese raid while their fighters defended the battle line. Following the returning attackers closely would help the American crews navigate toward Kido Butai without first conducting a separate search. They might arrive while Japanese decks were recovering aircraft and rapidly preparing another strike. The counterattack could lack fighter escort because American fighters were occupied over the fleet, sharply reducing its chance of success. If surprise and timing aligned, however, it creates a Midway-like possibility of damaging or sinking several Japanese carriers even as the United States suffered heavily. The comparison remains unfavorable overall because the Americans had neither their later integrated carrier-battleship task-force method nor their later numerical mass of carriers.