Some Wildcats followed Japanese dive bombers into their attacks on Enterprise, placing the fighters inside the carrier group's own anti-aircraft fire. Royal Navy doctrine assigned fighters to disrupt the incoming formation and then left close defence to the ship's guns. A fighter chasing an attacker through that zone could obstruct a much greater volume of defensive fire and force gunners to choose whether to keep shooting. Four Wildcats were shot down by American anti-aircraft fire. The consequences extended to the gunners and officers who had to live with the possibility that their fire had killed a colleague.
Notable Point · 2:24:32-2:26:30
Enterprise and keeping fighters out of the AA engagement zone
The Eastern Solomons attack shows why fighters must break up a strike before it enters the carrier's anti-aircraft engagement zone rather than chase dive bombers through friendly fire.