First Carrier Division
The First Carrier Division, now including the light carrier , departed Truk on 11 October to support the Japanese Army operation to capture Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. At this time, the sisters mustered 54 A6Ms, 45 D3As, and 36 B5Ns between them. Four days later, the Japanese spotted a small American convoy that consisted of a fleet tug towing a gasoline barge and escorted by the destroyer . Aircraft from "Shōkaku" and "Zuikaku" sank the latter, but did not attack the tug.