7 May 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • At Coral Sea, Japanese carriers attacked US oiler Neosho and destroyer Sims thinking they were a carrier and cruiser, while US carriers attacked escort carrier Shoho (sank at 1135 hours after 13 bomb and 5 torpedo hits; 631 were killed, 203 survived) and nearby cruisers and destroyer thinking it was part of the main carrier force. At 1747 hours, 12 Japanese dive bombers and 15 torpedo bombers in search of the US carrier fleet was intercepted by 11 US fighters; 9 Japanese and 3 US aircraft were destroyed during the subsequent engagement. At the end of the day, both sides decided against a night battle and prepared for new attacks at dawn. ww2dbase [Battle of Coral Sea | Frank Fletcher | Chuichi Hara | Yorktown (Yorktown-class) | Shokaku | Zuikaku | Shoho | Astoria (New Orleans-class) | Lexington (Lexington-class) | Sims | Coral Sea | CPC]
8 May 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • Japanese and US carrier fleets at Coral Sea discovered each other in the morning, each closing in to attack. Japanese carrier Shokaku was damaged by 3 bombs at 1057 hours (223 casualties), while American carrier USS Lexington was hit by two bombs at 1120 hours (191 killed at 1120 hours; gasoline explosion at 1247 hours killed another 25; scuttled by USS Phelps at 1915 hours) and American carrier USS Yorktown was hit by a bomb (66 casualties). Meanwhile at Port Moresby, an Australian cruiser force successfully defended itself against land-based aircraft attack as it blocked the Japanese invasion fleet for Port Moresby, New Guinea. As both sides withdrew due to damage and losses, the Japanese scored a tactical victory, but lost strategic momentum as the Port Moresby invasion must now be delayed. ww2dbase [Zuikaku | Battle of Coral Sea | Furutaka | Kinugasa | Haguro | Hammann | Myoko | Lexington (Lexington-class) | Shokaku | Yorktown (Yorktown-class) | Takeo Takagi | Chuichi Hara | Frank Fletcher | Yugure | Portland | Coral Sea | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 8 May 1942
Explosion amidships aboard USS Lexington, 1727 on 8 May 1942, photo 1 of 3Explosion amidships aboard USS Lexington, 1727 on 8 May 1942, photo 2 of 3Mushroom cloud rose above USS Lexington after an explosion, 8 May 1942; carrier Yorktown on horizon and destroyer Hammann to the left of photographSurvivors of USS Lexington rescued by a cruiser, Battle of Coral Sea, 8 May 1942
See all photos dated 8 May 1942
9 May 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • Yugure and Ushio took on fuel from a tanker in the Coral Sea at 0015 hours. At 0515 hours, Yugure was ordered to escort the damaged Shokaku to Yokosuka, Japan; Shokaku was administratively reassigned to Carrier Division 5 of 1st Air Fleet for the upcoming dramatic dash past a cordon of American submarines alerted to intercept the Japanese carrier. Meanwhile, Ushio was ordered to escort Zuikaku, which was ordered to pursue any American ships remaining in the Coral Sea area. ww2dbase [Shokaku | Zuikaku | Yugure | Coral Sea | CPC]
10 May 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • Takeo Takagi ordered Shokaku and Zuikaku to set sail for Rabaul, New Britain at 1000 hours after deciding the American fleet was out of the area. ww2dbase [Takeo Takagi | Zuikaku | Shokaku | Coral Sea | CPC]
20 May 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • USS S-38 came across a debris field which her officers believed was from the Battle of the Coral Sea. ww2dbase [S-38 | Coral Sea | CPC]
5 Aug 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • While underway in the Coral Sea, USS S-39 reported that her executive officer had been placed on the sick list. ww2dbase [S-39 | Coral Sea | CPC]
7 Aug 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • USS S-39 reported that her executive officer's health conditions worsened and might be developing pneumonia. The submarine was ordered to set sail for Townsville, Australia, to disembark the sick officer. ww2dbase [S-39 | Coral Sea | CPC]
15 Sep 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • Japanese submarine I-19 sank USS Wasp (3 Type 95 torpedo hits; 194 were killed, 1,969 survived) in the Coral Sea at 1444 hours; USS North Carolina and USS O'Brien were also damaged in the attack. ww2dbase [O'Brien | Wasp (Wasp-class) | North Carolina | Type 95 | Coral Sea | TH, CPC]
20 Oct 1942

Pacific Ocean
  • While cruising in support of the operations in the Solomon Islands, USS Chester was struck by one of six Type 95 torpedoes fired from Japanese submarine I-176, killing eleven and wounding twelve. ww2dbase [Chester | Type 95 | Coral Sea | DS]
3 Jan 1943

Pacific Ocean
  • USS Grayback sank Japanese submarine I-18 in the Coral Sea, hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes; she also fired six torpedoes at other Japanese warships four hours later, all of which missed. ww2dbase [Grayback | Coral Sea | CPC]
4 Mar 2018

Pacific Ocean



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