Due to the significant damage to their ship, VF-18 pilots from the day's second strike were forced to land on other nearby carriers, including and . Pilots on the more recently launched third strike were able to fly out to Leyte, where they could stay overnight before returning to the fleet anchorage at Ulithi. Despite efforts on the part of its members and affiliated command staff to keep the whole air group together, on 30 November 1944 VF-18 was detached from Air Group 18 to be retained in theater aboard .
