While covering this convoy the aircraft carrier was sunk by the Japanese submarine southeast of Guadalcanal , temporarily leaving only one Allied aircraft carrier ( ) in operation in the South Pacific area .
While protecting this convoy the aircraft carrier USS `` Wasp '' was sunk by the Japanese submarine `` I-19 '' southeast of Guadalcanal . For a while , this left only one Allied aircraft carrier ( USS `` Hornet '' ) in the South Pacific area .