On 24 August 1942, Chūichi Nagumo detached Ryūjō and Tone with two destroyers to cover the Guadalcanal troop movement and attack Henderson Field if no American carrier appeared. Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara commanded the force from Tone. Ryūjō sent six B5Ns and 15 Zeros against the airfield. Four Wildcats already on patrol, ten more from VMF-223 and VMF-212, and Army P-400 Airacobras from the 67th Fighter Squadron met the attack. The Japanese aircraft inflicted little damage while losing three Zeros and three B5Ns, and another B5N crash-landed on return. Fourteen of the 21 attacking aircraft returned, only two of them B5Ns. Aircraft retained aboard were separate from that returning force, and the surviving fighter total was 21 before American carrier scouts found the detached force.
Chapter · 43:47-46:58
Ryūjō's Henderson Field strike drains its air group
Six B5Ns and 15 Zeros attacked Henderson Field, but Marine and Army fighters reduced the returning force to 14 aircraft, including only two torpedo bombers.