In early 1942 US Intelligence began to get an inkling of a Japanese effort south of Rabaul and after more analysis was able to predict that it would be aimed at the Solomon Islands and Papua. To facilitate these actions Japan would need to secure air mastery over The Coral Sea.
The Coral Sea is one of the world’s most beautiful bodies of water. While located north of Capricorn its weather is almost temperate being cooled by the southeast trade winds and usually clear of typhoons. The water is amethyst blue even when overcast and it washes perfectly white beaches for thousands of miles. And, it had never seen battles other than between Melanesian war canoes and trading vessels.
Cincpac Intelligence fleshed out the Japanese plan by April 17 and Nimitz assigned a two carrier (Lexington and Yorktown) task force under RA Fletcher to enter the Coral Sea and disrupt the Jap plan. That plan was divided into three parts, First to occupy Tulagi (capital of the Solomon’s,) second an invasion force for Port Moresby which included the light carrier Shoho and third a covering force including the large fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. To take on any opposition that might arise.
The ensuing battle (3-8 May 1942) was a concoction of mistakes, wrong estimates and assumptions that led to bombing the wrong ships, missing great opportunities and cashing in on minor ones.
The Japanese won the first stage by capturing Tulagi against no opposition and the second episode when Yorktown planes did only minor damage at Tulagi. But, at the same time Japan made a mistake. The Zuikaku and Shokaku were delayed at Rabaul while off loading some planes and they were too far away on May 4 to attack Fletcher.
Nothing much happened on May 5 and 6 while the fleets searched for each other in vain even though at one point they were only 70 miles apart. But, in history, May 6 is important as that is the day Wainwright surrendered Corregidor.
On May 7 Japanese searches discovered the retiring re-fueling group for Fletcher and errounsly reported it to contain a carrier and a cruiser. It was actually the oiler Neosho and the destroyer Sims. The Japanese admiral ordered an all out attack on the ”carrier” with all his planes. They promptly sank the Neosho and Sims while losing 6 planes. The US fleet was also on a wild goose chase but with a better result as they encountered the Shoho and four cruisers (originally reported as two carriers and four cruisers.) Shoho was sunk in less than ten minutes. While the Shoho was only a light carrier, the loss caused the Japanese Admiral to call off the Port Moresby invasion, thus ending the main Japanese reason to enter The Coral Sea.
Toward evening on May 7 a Japanese search group ran into the CAP of Fletcher’s carriers. The US fighters downed nine of them and then after dark six tried to land on Yorktown and eleven more were lost trying to make night landings on their own carriers.
On May 8 the battle concluded. Searches by both fleets found the other. The battle was uneven because the Japanese were in an area of heavy overcast and the Americans were in the clear. The Americans missed Zuikaku but plastered the Shokaku so that she could not launch.. The Japanese Admiral thinking that both US carriers had been sunk detached Shokaku to Rabaul and he launched a full deck load on the Americans. Yorktown took one bomb hit that exploded four decks down but did not affect flight activities or propulsios. Lexington took two bombs and two torpedos but left her power intact and there was every indication she could be salvaged. Suddenly two very large internal explosions damaged her beyond saving. All her wounded and survivors were rescued.
The Japanese won the battle of tonnage but lost the strategic battle when they abandoned the invasion of Port Moresby. They also were lackadaisical in handling the damage to their fleet carriers. They did not replace the lost planes of Zuikaku and did not expedite repairs on Shokaku and thus both carriers missed the Midway fracas. While the Americans hastened Yorktown to Hawaii and repaired her damage in 48 hours and she did make it to Midway.
The Coral Sea is one of the world’s most beautiful bodies of water. While located north of Capricorn its weather is almost temperate being cooled by the southeast trade winds and usually clear of typhoons. The water is amethyst blue even when overcast and it washes perfectly white beaches for thousands of miles. And, it had never seen battles other than between Melanesian war canoes and trading vessels.
Cincpac Intelligence fleshed out the Japanese plan by April 17 and Nimitz assigned a two carrier (Lexington and Yorktown) task force under RA Fletcher to enter the Coral Sea and disrupt the Jap plan. That plan was divided into three parts, First to occupy Tulagi (capital of the Solomon’s,) second an invasion force for Port Moresby which included the light carrier Shoho and third a covering force including the large fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. To take on any opposition that might arise.
The ensuing battle (3-8 May 1942) was a concoction of mistakes, wrong estimates and assumptions that led to bombing the wrong ships, missing great opportunities and cashing in on minor ones.
The Japanese won the first stage by capturing Tulagi against no opposition and the second episode when Yorktown planes did only minor damage at Tulagi. But, at the same time Japan made a mistake. The Zuikaku and Shokaku were delayed at Rabaul while off loading some planes and they were too far away on May 4 to attack Fletcher.
Nothing much happened on May 5 and 6 while the fleets searched for each other in vain even though at one point they were only 70 miles apart. But, in history, May 6 is important as that is the day Wainwright surrendered Corregidor.
On May 7 Japanese searches discovered the retiring re-fueling group for Fletcher and errounsly reported it to contain a carrier and a cruiser. It was actually the oiler Neosho and the destroyer Sims. The Japanese admiral ordered an all out attack on the ”carrier” with all his planes. They promptly sank the Neosho and Sims while losing 6 planes. The US fleet was also on a wild goose chase but with a better result as they encountered the Shoho and four cruisers (originally reported as two carriers and four cruisers.) Shoho was sunk in less than ten minutes. While the Shoho was only a light carrier, the loss caused the Japanese Admiral to call off the Port Moresby invasion, thus ending the main Japanese reason to enter The Coral Sea.
Toward evening on May 7 a Japanese search group ran into the CAP of Fletcher’s carriers. The US fighters downed nine of them and then after dark six tried to land on Yorktown and eleven more were lost trying to make night landings on their own carriers.
On May 8 the battle concluded. Searches by both fleets found the other. The battle was uneven because the Japanese were in an area of heavy overcast and the Americans were in the clear. The Americans missed Zuikaku but plastered the Shokaku so that she could not launch.. The Japanese Admiral thinking that both US carriers had been sunk detached Shokaku to Rabaul and he launched a full deck load on the Americans. Yorktown took one bomb hit that exploded four decks down but did not affect flight activities or propulsios. Lexington took two bombs and two torpedos but left her power intact and there was every indication she could be salvaged. Suddenly two very large internal explosions damaged her beyond saving. All her wounded and survivors were rescued.
The Japanese won the battle of tonnage but lost the strategic battle when they abandoned the invasion of Port Moresby. They also were lackadaisical in handling the damage to their fleet carriers. They did not replace the lost planes of Zuikaku and did not expedite repairs on Shokaku and thus both carriers missed the Midway fracas. While the Americans hastened Yorktown to Hawaii and repaired her damage in 48 hours and she did make it to Midway.
