The carrier raid on Truk of 17/18 Feb 1943 resulted in naval engagement
of fleeing ships. CL Katori, DDs Nowaki and Maikaze were spotted by
New Jersey, Iowa plus their screen. Maikaze was finally sunk by
Minneapolis and New Orleans. This from 'A Battle History of the IJN' by
Paul Dull. BTW the book is not dull and its info comes from IJN
records. Following the Bismarck Sea losses to sircraft the supply barge
operation by the IJN at New Guinea was opposed by a combined
air-surface interdiction campaign which may be what the originator of
this thread was thinking of..
Walt BJ