The Battle of the Coral Sea, 4-8 May 1942
-Jason
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The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought from May 4 to May 8, 1942, between naval forces from Japan and the United States. This was the first time in the war the two opposing fleets had not come within visible contact with each other. The battle was fought by the onboard aviation wings stationed upon the aircraft carriers. This was the first major setback of Japanese expansion in the Pacific Theater of Operations.
The Coral Sea is in the southern Pacific Ocean to the northeast of Australia. This expanse of 1,200 miles contains the Great Barrier Reef and is considered one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. It is bordered by Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia. The region was strategically important during World War II because it was the main East-West shipping lane that connected Australia and New Zealand to the United States. This oceanic highway was the most vital lifeline for these Pacific nations: if it was cut off, Australia and New Zealand potentially could be forced out of the war.
The Australian naval base of Port Moresby, located in southeastern New Guinea, was a major target for the Japanese. Much of the northern coast of New Guinea, as well as the nearby island of New Britain, which contained the major naval base of Rabaul, had already fallen to the Japanese by early 1942. The stunning series of overwhelming victories against the Allies made it almost impossible for the Japanese to agree on where the next invasions should take place. The Imperial Japanese Army attempted to march overland via the Owen Stanley Mountains to seize Port Moresby from the north. This proved impossible: the terrain, and the extremely tough Australian resistance, prevented the Japanese from conquering their target. This humiliation forced the Japanese Army to reexamine its strategy.
The Imperial Japanese Army requested that the Imperial Navy help transport units for an amphibious operation. This would advance the Navy’s plan to seize more territories to force Australia and New Zealand to sue for peace. Even though the Imperial Navy had numerous other operations draining its resources, it agreed to assemble a fleet to help seize Port Moresby. Four of the heavy aircraft carriers the Japanese possessed had been recalled to base to undergo repairs, resupply, and replenishment. The only heavy carriers available were the Shokaku and the Zuikaku (both had been part of the Pearl Harbor attack force) and one light carrier, the Shoho as well as escorting cruisers and destroyers would be the covering force.
The United States Navy had a massive advantage over its enemy despite its numerical inferiority. US Naval Intelligence Services had cracked the Japanese codes and knew that an operation to take Port Moresby was preparing to get underway. US Admiral Chester Nimitz ordered two Naval Task Forces, centered around the aircraft carriers USS Lexington and the USS Yorktown, to speed towards the Coral Sea on 29 April 1942. These Task Forces were to meet and coordinate their airwings to cripple, and hopefully sink, the Japanese aircraft carriers. The carriers USS Enterprise and USS Hornet were not available for this counterattack as they were resupplying after the successful Doolittle Raid. Despite the potential of having two carriers destroyed, Nimitz felt confident that the US Navy could blunt the Japanese advance.
As the opposing fleets steamed towards each other, they launched multiple scout planes. These reconnaissance planes would radio back any sightings of enemy ships and their location. Once this information reached the aircraft carriers, the onboard fighter and strike squadrons were armed, fueled, and launched. Some fighter aircraft remained with their fleet, otherwise those ships would be vulnerable to counterattack. The range of both the American and Japanese aircraft ensured that the engagements took place beyond the point of actual surface contact between opposing warships.
The Japanese naval forces had covered the landing of troops on the Solomon Islands of Guadalcanal and Tulagi in early May before sailing to cover the Port Moresby invasion force. Japanese scout planes found US Task Force 17 while it was refueling in the evening of May 6. This caused a minor crisis for the Japanese: American aircraft carriers were present in the Coral Sea and could attack the vulnerable transports steaming towards Port Moresby. Japanese Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi decided to have the Shokaku and Zuikaku steer towards the American fleet with the intent of launching air attacks early the next morning. Takagi hoped to catch the Americans unaware and destroy their carriers before the day was over. His plan was sound, except for the fact that the US commander had been informed that he was facing multiple Japanese carriers.
The morning of 7 May witnessed multiple scout planes launched by both the Americans and Japanese hoping to locate the other. At 6:25 am, the Japanese carriers launched numerous floatplanes and long-range bombers to the south, west, and east; the Americans did the same. Both groups of scouts reported contact with the enemy between 8 and 9 am; however, conflicting sightings ensured that confusion reigned. Attack aircraft took off from both fleets, but were not directed at the actual enemy heavy carrier units: the Japanese focused their first attacks on an oil tanker and destroyer and the Americans attacked the Japanese invasion convoy.
The US oiler Neosho and its escorting destroyer the USS Sims endured severe air attack. The Sims was hit by multiple bombs and broke in half during the opening minutes of the engagement. The Neosho was also hit and started on fire. Takagi received a report that the Shoho was under air attack by US carrier aircraft at the same time as his strike was taking place. Takagi realized his mistake and ordered all his aircraft to return to the Japanese fleet so they could refuel and rearm. He understood that he missed the American carriers who now they were punishing the vulnerable invasion fleet. Takagi hoped that he could inflict crippling losses on the Americans before their own planes returned.
The planes for the USS Yorktown and USS Lexington misidentified the Japanese invasion fleet heading towards Port Moresby as the main enemy fleet on the morning of 7 May. Admiral Frank Fletcher ordered his dive bombers, torpedo bombers, and most of his fighter aircraft to launch strikes. The air groups zeroed in on the Japanese warships and conducted successful attacks that sunk the Shoho and damaged several other ships. “Scratch one flat top. Signed Bob” was called out over the radio by Robert E. Dixon at 12:10 pm indicating that the Japanese carrier was destroyed. The loss of the Shoho caused the Port Moresby invasion force to turn north and abandon the operation.
Other scout planes alerted Fletcher that two heavy Japanese carriers were baring down on the American fleet, but he did not know their exact location. The afternoon and evening were spent by both fleets sending out multiple large strike groups, trying to locate their foe. The Americans picked up one of these Japanese formations and scattered it. The remaining Japanese pilots jettisoned their ordnance and headed towards home before night set in. The opposing admirals spent a sleepless night formulating the next day’s operations.
Both fleets launched their aircraft between 6 and 7 am on 8 May. The opposing strike groups each found their targets by 10:30 am and commenced their attacks. The American aircraft attacked the Shokaku and the Zuikaku between 10:57 and 11: 30 am. Both Japanese carriers sustained damage but were not sunk. Japanese aircraft heavily damaged the USS Lexington in their attacks and slightly damaged the Yorktown. After their attacks, both air groups retreated towards their home fleets. Fletcher and Takagi were both disappointed by the events of the day: neither side had destroyed the opposing carrier groups.
At 12:47 the USS Lexington was wracked by a series of increasingly destructive explosions. Aviation fuel vapors had spread throughout the ship after the damage it sustained. Damage control parties fought an increasingly desperate battle to extinguish the fires ravaging the ship. Unfortunately, their efforts were futile as two more major explosions ensured that the Lexington was unsalvageable. Her captain ordered the crew to abandon ship and she was sunk after being hit by five US torpedoes at 7:52 pm. Fletcher feared that there were more undamaged Japanese aircraft carriers operating in the Coral Sea and so decided to withdraw the Yorktown and her surviving escorts.
Admiral Takagi also ordered his carriers to leave the region due to the heavy losses of aircraft. Even though his carriers were still operational, the lack of fighters and bombers effectively ended his chances of destroying the Americans. Takagi was also worried about additional US carrier forces engaging his depleted force (the Enterprise and Hornet had been sent from Hawaii towards the Coral Sea). His aircrews incorrectly reported that they had sunk both American aircraft carriers and he felt that was good enough.
While the Japanese could claim a tactical victory by sinking the USS Lexington, the Americans scored the strategic victory. The Japanese had seized Guadalcanal and Tulagi as secondary objectives, but their seaborne invasion of Port Moresby failed. The series of Japanese lightning victories in the South Pacific had come to an end. The Allied militaries were now able to counterattack. The damage done to the Shokaku and Ziukaku prevented them from participating in the Battle of Midway; this proved critical to the outcome of that aircraft carrier clash. The USS Yorktown received emergency repairs and helped the Enterprise and Hornet sink the four heavy Japanese carriers they faced at the Battle of Midway. The Battle of the Coral Sea proved to be a surprisingly decisive engagement that helped turn the tide of the Pacific War.