(Japanee Aircraft carrier Shoukaku) The lookouts on the Zuikaku that saw the Shoukaku ablaze and shrouded in black smoke issued reports to the effect that "the Shoukaku has sunk!", but because the propulsion engine was intact, the Shoukaku and the Destroyer Yuugure were both able to escape the battlefield. The officers of the Destroye Ushio ~The flagship of the 7th Destroyer Division~, which was to escort the Zuikaku, said that the damaged Shoukaku was traveling at over 40 knots. The Yuugure transmitted signals to the Ushio saying, "Where did the Shoukaku go? Do we not need to follow it?"
(Japanese destroyer Ushio) The Ushio [Note: She shifted from escorting the Zuikaku to escorting the Shoukaku] chased the Shoukaku which was escaping the battlefield at 40 knots, which was more than its catalog specs indicated, and the Shoukaku was actually able to pull ahead of the Ushio.
[Note: Fubuki-class / Toku-gata destroyers, including the Ushio, have an official maximum speed of 38 knots. The Shoukaku's official maximum speed is 34 or 34.2 knots.]