The U.S. Navy had stolen Yamamoto’s bait. More significantly, the Americans had prevented the Japanese from landing their reinforcements at [[Guadalcanal]]. The most important long-term effect was the loss of even more hard-to-replace Japanese air crew. The ''Enterprise'' had to leave for repairs (after sending some of her bombers and fighters to Henderson Field to reinforce the Marines), but was able to make [[Pearl Harbor]] under her own steam. She was back in a few weeks, in time for the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands|Battle of Santa Cruz]].<ref>''The Illustrated Directory of the United States Navy'', by Chester G. Hearn, Salamander Books, 2003</ref> | The U.S. Navy had stolen Yamamoto’s bait. More significantly, the Americans had prevented the Japanese from landing their reinforcements at [[Guadalcanal]]. The most important long-term effect was the loss of even more hard-to-replace Japanese air crew. The ''Enterprise'' had to leave for repairs (after sending some of her bombers and fighters to Henderson Field to reinforce the Marines), but was able to make [[Pearl Harbor]] under her own steam. She was back in a few weeks, in time for the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands|Battle of Santa Cruz]].<ref>''The Illustrated Directory of the United States Navy'', by Chester G. Hearn, Salamander Books, 2003</ref> |