Full Answer
How did the Battle of the Coral Sea begin?
That's when the Battle of the Coral Sea began. The fighting went on for several days as both sides searched by air for each other's vessels and attacked them from far away. They did that by launching fighter planes from huge aircraft carriers, and dropped torpedoes or bombs on the enemy. It was the first air-sea battle of its kind in history.
When did the Coral Sea War end?
The Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia. Taking place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, the battle is historically significant as the first action in which aircraft carriers engaged each other and the first in which the opposing ships neither sighted ...
When did Battle of Coral Sea in World War 2?
The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought May 4-8, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945) as the Allies sought to halt the Japanese capture of New Guinea. During the opening months of World War in the Pacific, the Japanese won a string of stunning victories which saw them capture Singapore, defeat an Allied fleet in the Java Sea, and force American and Filipino troops on the Bataan Peninsula to ...
When was the Battle of the Coral Sea fought?
The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought from May 4–8, 1942. By the end of April 1942, the Japanese were ready to seize control of the Coral Sea in order to extend their defensive perimeter in the South Pacific. This was the first naval battle in history where both sides fought without ever sighting each other's ships.
Why was the Battle of the Coral Sea fought?
Why was a Battle fought in this place at this time? The battle involved Allied forces trying to stop Japan's continued expansion into and control of the Pacific Ocean area, which had been established between December 1941 and May 1942.
Who won Battle of Coral Sea?
The resulting maneuvers and clashes between two U.S. Navy task forces and a combined U.S.Australian cruiser force with the Japanese Carrier Strike Force and supporting units resulted in a Japanese tactical victory.
Where was the Coral Sea Battle fought?
Coral SeaNew GuineaSolomon IslandsBattle of the Coral Sea/Locations
When was the Coral Sea Battle?
May 4, 1942Battle of the Coral Sea / Start date
What if Japan won Coral Sea?
If the Japanese had won the Battle of the Coral Sea (7-8 May 1942), they would have been able to capture Port Moresby on the southern coast of what was then the Australian Territory of Papua and the island of Guadalcanal in the British Solomons.
Which battleship saw most action in ww2?
The New Jersey's history spanned over half the 20th century, from her design in 1938 until 1991. She was launched on the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and went on to steam more miles, fight in more battles, and fire more shells than any other battleship in history.
How many people died in the Battle of the Coral Sea?
No Australians were killed during the battle, but tragically more than 550 Americans were killed or wounded and the United States aircraft carrier USS Lexington was sunk.
What US carrier was sunk at Coral Sea?
USS LexingtonCoral Sea, Sinking of USS Lexington Sherman, left her. In keeping with the rules of the sea, he was the last man off. Thereafter, the great carrier burned furiously, shrouded in smoke almost from stem to stern. She was finally scuttled by destroyer torpedoes and sank at about 8PM.
How many ships were lost in the Battle of Coral Sea?
Eight ships sunk, 161 aircraft destroyed and 1622 men killed in a battle that should never be forgotten. Death of the Shoho, Robert Benney, 1942.
How long did the Battle of the Coral Sea last?
four-dayThe four-day engagement was a strategic victory for the Allies. The battle, which U.S. Adm. Ernest J. King described as “the first major engagement in naval history in which surface ships did not exchange a single shot,” foreshadowed the kind of carrier warfare that marked later fighting in the Pacific War.
How many ships did Japan lose in ww2?
334 warshipsThe Imperial Japanese Navy lost 334 warships (out of 611 total vessels) and just over 300,000 men during the course of the war. Over 2,000 Japanese merchant ships were sunk with tens of thousands of crewmen lost. Japanese aircraft carrier Amagi, shown capsized at Kure, October 1945 (80-G-351749).
When did the Battle of the Coral Sea start and end?
May 4, 1942 – May 8, 1942Battle of the Coral Sea / Period
What happened during the Coral Sea battle?
Battle of the Coral Sea, (May 4–8, 1942) World War II naval and air engagement in which a U.S. fleet turned back a Japanese invasion force that had been heading for strategic Port Moresby in New Guinea.
Did the Battle of the Coral Sea save Australia?
The Battle of the Coral Sea ended Japanese attempts to launch a seaborne invasion of Port Moresby and has long been regarded as 'the battle that saved Australia'.
What happened in the naval battle at Coral Sea in May 1942 quizlet?
The first check to Japanese expansion came on May 7 8, 1942, in the Battle of the Coral Sea, where U.S. aircraft carriers halted a Japanese thrust toward Australia and confirmed that the U.S. Navy could fight effectively.
What stopped the Japanese from invading Australia?
The US naval victory at the battle of Midway, in early June 1942, removed the Japan's capability to invade Australia by destroying its main aircraft carriers. This made it safe for Australia to begin to transfer military power to fight the Japanese in Australian Papua and New Guinea.
What was the Battle of the Coral Sea?
Battle of the Coral Sea, (May 4–8, 1942) World War II naval and air engagement in which a U.S.
What was the name of the battle that the Japanese fought in the Coral Sea?
Battle of Leyte Gulf. October 23, 1944 - October 26, 1944. Battle of Okinawa. April 1, 1945 - June 21, 1945. keyboard_arrow_right. By the end of April 1942 the Japanese were ready to seize control of the Coral Sea (between Australia and New Caledonia) by establishing air bases at Port Moresby in southeastern New Guinea and at Tulagi in ...
What happened in 1942?
On May 5 and 6, 1942, opposing carrier groups sought each other, and in the morning of May 7 Japanese carrier-based planes sank a U.S. destroyer and an oiler. Fletcher’s planes sank the light carrier Shoho and a cruiser. The next day Japanese aircraft sank the U.S. carrier Lexington and damaged the carrier Yorktown, while U.S. planes so crippled the large Japanese carrier Shokaku that it had to retire from action. So many Japanese planes were lost that the Port Moresby invasion force, without adequate air cover and harassed by Allied land-based bombers, turned back to Rabaul. The four-day engagement was a strategic victory for the Allies. The battle, which U.S. Adm. Ernest J. King described as “the first major engagement in naval history in which surface ships did not exchange a single shot,” foreshadowed the kind of carrier warfare that marked later fighting in the Pacific War.
What was the name of the battle that turned back the Japanese?
See Article History. Battle of the Coral Sea, (May 4–8, 1942) World War II naval and air engagement in which a U.S. fleet turned back a Japanese invasion force that had been heading for strategic Port Moresby in New Guinea. Battle of the Coral Sea. Smoke billowing from the carrier USS Lexington following a hit by Japanese bombers in the Battle ...
What was the first major engagement in naval history in which surface ships did not exchange a single shot?
Ernest J. King described as “the first major engagement in naval history in which surface ships did not exchange a single shot,” foreshadowed the kind of carrier warfare that marked later fighting in the Pacific War. Battle of the Coral Sea.
What was the first naval battle in history?
In between, the Battle of the Coral Sea, in May 1942, was the first naval battle in history in which opposing fleets fought without ever coming in sight of each other. A month later off Midway atoll, carriers again played the decisive role. The Battle of Midway reinforced…
Where did the Japanese establish their bases in the Pacific?
By the end of April 1942 the Japanese were ready to seize control of the Coral Sea (between Australia and New Caledonia) by establishing air bases at Port Moresby in southeastern New Guinea and at Tulagi in the southern Solomons.
Background
On 7 December 1941, using aircraft carriers, the Japanese attacked the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack destroyed or crippled most of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's battleships and initiated a state of war between the two nations.
Battle
For more details on this topic, see Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle.
Aftermath
On 9 May, TF 17 altered course to the east and proceeded out of the Coral Sea via a route south of New Caledonia. Nimitz ordered Fletcher to return Yorktown to Pearl Harbor as soon as possible after refueling at Tongatabu. During the day, U.S. Army bombers attacked Deboyne and Kamikawa Maru, inflicting unknown damage.
Significance
The battle was the first naval engagement in history in which the participating ships never sighted or fired directly at each other. Instead, manned aircraft acted as the offensive artillery for the ships involved.
What was the first naval battle in history?
The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first time since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that the enemy’s seemingly relentless advance into the Pacific was checked. It was also the first major U.S. Navy fleet action against Japan and the first naval engagement in history in which the participating ships never sighted or fired directly at each other.
How many medals of honor were awarded at the Coral Sea?
Four Medals of Honor were awarded at Coral Sea:
What was the name of the aircraft carrier that was attacked by Yorktown?
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku under attack by Yorktown aircraft during the morning of 8 May. Flames are visible from a bomb hit on her forecastle. The end of Lexington on 8 May 1942. View on the flight deck at about 1500 hrs.
What ships did the Japanese sink?
The Japanese Imperial Navy sank USS Lexington (CV-2 ), USS Sims (DD-409 ), and USS Neosho (AO-23 ), and damaged Yorktown. The Japanese only lost one small carrier ( Shoho) and suffered damage to a fleet carrier ( Shokaku ). Allied forces were forced to withdraw from the operational area.
What was the Japanese plan for the Battle of Tulagi?
The battle’s strategic background was set by the Japanese plan formulated in early 1942 that saw the country’s forces advance south and southeastward from the Bismarcks and Solomons, with the capture of Tulagi in the Solomons and Port Moresby, New Guinea, as immediate objectives .
What was the purpose of the Japanese carrier strike force?
carriers, the Japanese Carrier Strike Force advanced toward the Coral Sea with the intention of finding and destroying the Allied naval forces. Beginning on 7 May, the two sides exchanged air strikes over two consecutive days.
When was the combat narrative published?
Read the combat narrative (PDF, 3.4 MB), republished in 2017 by NHHC with a new introduction in observance of the 75th anniversary of the battle. The formerly classified combat narrative was originally published by the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) in January 1943; an HTML reproduction of the text is available in the Online Reading Room.
Where was the Battle of the Coral Sea?
The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought between the Japanese and Allied navies from May 4 through May 8, 1942 in the Coral Sea, about 500 miles northeast of Australia. Occurring only six months after the surprise Japanese attack on American forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and a month before the decisive battle at Midway, it was one of the first naval battles fought in the Pacific during World War II. The battle, roughly a draw, was an important turning point in the Pacific campaign.
Why was the Battle of the Coral Sea important?
Though a draw, it was an important turning point in the war in the Pacific because, for the first time, the Allies had stopped the Japanese advance. Before the battle, the Japanese had enjoyed a continual string of victories while afterwards, it suffered an almost continual series of defeats, including at Midway one month later, a major American victory.
What was the order of battle for the Battle of the Coral Sea?
Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle. An explosion on the US Navy aircraft carrier Lexington, damaged by a Japanese carrier air attack on 8 May, blows an aircraft off the deck into the sea. This is an order of battle for the Battle of the Coral Sea. The battle, fought during 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater ...
When was the Battle of the Pacific?
The battle, fought during 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States (U.S.) and Australia.
When did Kamikawa Maru leave Santa Isabel?
When Kamikawa Maru departed Santa Isabel on 4 May to support the Port Moresby invasion from Deboyne, the Kiyokawa Maru aircraft remained at Santa Isabel and Tulgai and/or were attached to Kamikawa's airgroup for the Deboyne deployment. Hackett, Tenryu and Kiyokawa Maru.
What islands did the Japanese invade?
In an attempt to strengthen their defensive positioning for their empire in the South Pacific, Imperial Japanese forces decided to invade and occupy Port Moresby in New Guinea and Tulagi in the southeastern Solomon Islands.
What was the result of the Battle of Port Moresby?
The result was a strategic defeat for the Japanese, since their principal goal of landing troops at Port Moresby was thwarted, but a tactical defeat for the Allies, who suffered more significant ship losses.
Who was the commander of Operation MO?
The plan to accomplish this, called Operation MO, involved several major units of Japan's Combined Fleet, including two fleet carriers and a light carrier to provide air cover for the invasion fleets, under the overall command of Shigeyoshi Inoue.
Why are Japanese forces listed first?
Because the Japanese assumed the tactical initiative, their forces are listed first.
Background
- Imperial Japanese expansion
On 7 December 1941, using aircraft carriers, the Japanese attacked the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack destroyed or crippled most of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's battleships and initiated a state of war between the two nations. In launching this war, Japanese leaders sought …
Battle
- Prelude
For more details on this topic, see Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle. - During late April, the Japanese submarines RO-33 and RO-34 reconnoitered the area where landi…
The Japanese Port Moresby Invasion
Aftermath
- On 9 May, TF 17 altered course to the east and proceeded out of the Coral Sea via a route south of New Caledonia. Nimitz ordered Fletcher to return Yorktown to Pearl Harbor as soon as possible after refueling at Tongatabu. During the day, U.S. Army bombers attacked Deboyne and Kamikawa Maru, inflicting unknown damage. In the meantime, having heard nothing from Fletcher, Crace d…
Significance
- A new type of naval warfare
The battle was the first naval engagement in history in which the participating ships never sighted or fired directly at each other. Instead, manned aircraft acted as the offensive artillery for the ships involved. Thus, the respective commanders were participating in a new type of warfare, ca…
See also
- United States Navy in World War II
References
- Notes
↑ U.S. carrier aircraft numbers by ship the morning of 7 May: Lexington- 35 SBD dive bombers, 12 TBD torpedo bombers, 19 F4F-3 fighters; Yorktown- 35 SBD, 10 TBD, 17 F4F-3 (Lundstrom, Pearl Harbor to Midway, p. 190).