The morning of October 26, 1942 turns from hope to brutal reality in The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. With USS Hornet dead in the water and enemy aircraft closing in, USS Enterprise becomes the last operational American carrier in the South Pacificforced to recover fuel-starved aircraft while preparing to fight for her life.

Relentless waves of Japanese Zeros, Vals and Kates hunt USS Enterprise, battleship USS South Dakota, and their screening ships.

However, the Americans hit back hard. Despite legitimate claims of a tactical victory by the Imperial Japanese Navy, the shooting down of yet more of Japans elite carrier pilots at Santa Cruz proves far more significant than sinking American ships.