The determined, concentrated sea and air attack from Taffy 3 had already sunk or crippled the heavy cruisers Chōkai, Kumano, and Chikuma, which seemed to confirm to the Japanese that they were engaging major fleet units rather than escort carriers and destroyers. Though failing to warn HX 84 of the threat, Sapsworth succeeded in delaying an attack on the convoy by ordering the slow and orderly evacuation of Mopan.