In the days leading up to General MacArthur's return to the Philippines, the naval plan of the Japanese to go after non-heroic targets such as cargo and supply ships was put into action above Formosa, resulting in the loss of around 700 Japanese planes in the air battle.
A Japanese naval plan to lure US admirals out to sea is discussed in this podcast episode, with the goal of targeting cargo and supply ships. The plan is reminiscent of a tactic used by the Japanese earlier in the war, using flotillas as bait to attract attention away from the main fleet.
In an air battle that went on for several days over Formosa, the Japanese lost around 700 planes, which dramatically decreased their chance of succeeding in their actions in the Philippines during MacArthur's return.
On the first day, General MacArthur arrives at the war-torn front with his non-regulation khakis and aviator sunglasses. Despite the humanitarian nightmare of the Saipan mission, the US successfully lands 100,000 people by midnight due to their efficient logistics supply chains.