During the landing operations on 7 and 8 August , Japanese naval aircraft based at Rabaul , under the command of Sadayoshi Yamada , attacked the Allied amphibious forces several times , setting afire the transport USS `` George F. Elliot '' ( which sank two days later ) and heavily damaging the destroyer .
During the landing operations on 7 and 8 August , Japanese naval aircraft based at Rabaul , under the command of Sadayoshi Yamada , attacked the Allied forces several times , setting afire the transport USS `` George F. Elliot '' ( which sank two days later ) and heavily damaging the destroyer USS `` Jarvis '' .