What effect would the Japanese force pushing on against Taffy 3 have had?
Short answerMore escort carriers might be lost, but Japan would gain little strategically and would place its own ships in greater danger during the withdrawal.
NotesA continued Japanese advance would probably reach and sink additional American escort carriers. The human losses would be severe for the crews directly involved. Strategically, however, the United States had replacement ships and aircraft flowing into theater in numbers Japan could not match. Pressing farther also delays the Japanese withdrawal and allows stronger American forces to close the trap.