Not long afterwards, the American navy launches a counterstrike in the Doolittle Raid. Following this, Yamamoto orders a massive naval strike at the American-held island of Midway, but the Japanese carrier force is met and sunk by the US carriers. Several months later, after the Guadalcanal campaign, Yamamoto is assassinated as American pilots intercept and shoot down his plane. Eiichi returns home to Japan and marries his fiancée, but is soon recalled to participate in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Off Cape Engaño, the "Zuikaku" is sunk, and Eiichi is among the casualties as he had given his life jacket to Shinji, Masato's younger brother, who was assigned to the ship as a navigator. Elsewhere, the "Yamato", now serving as the flagship of Takeo Kurita's Center Force, withdraws from Leyte without having engaged in battle.