Lexington breaks up the first Betty bomber attack

Lexington launched successive groups of Wildcats against an incoming radar contact and kept six returning fighters airborne, putting about sixteen fighters in the air. The first interception shot down or separated five of the nine Betty bombers and cut their commander's aircraft out of the formation. The remaining crews delayed their bombing run while establishing who should lead, then met the fighters waiting near the carrier. Their bombs fell roughly 3,000 yards short. When the crippled command aircraft tried to crash into Lexington, Captain Sherman turned his stern toward it, accelerated, and concentrated gunfire until it hit the water about 75 yards astern. The surviving bombers met further fighter attacks, and a Dauntless shot down the last escapee. Breaking the formation into smaller attacks gave the ship's guns and maneuvering room to defeat each threat.