The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first of the five great naval aircraft carrier battles of the Pacific War. It was the first naval battle where neither opposing fleet came within sight of the other. It was the first time USN wildcat fighters met the Imperial Japanese Navy’s (IJN) daunting Zero fighter in combat, and persevered. The two forces fielded approximately the same air strength: the USN had 141 combat aircraft on two carriers vs 147 aircraft on three IJN carriers.
Tactically, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) won the naval battle of the Coral Sea; the USN fleet was the first to leave the battlefield.
The USN lost the large fleet aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV 2) sunk and the USS Yorktown (CV 5) damaged. Also sunk were a fleet oiler and a destroyer. USN aircraft loses on May 8, 1942, were 56 combat aircraft (~40% total loss rate).
USS Lexington (CV 2) dead in the water, being abandoned, May 8, 1942
The Japanese, on the other hand, seem to have gotten off lightly, losing a light carrier, IJN Shoho, one destroyer and three minesweepers sunk. However, the IJN lost 69 combat aircraft, mostly from carrier Zuikaku (~47% total loss rate).
IJN light aircraft carrier Shoho, burning from bomb hits and struck by a torpedo, May 8, 1942
However, the two Japanese fleet carriers, Shokaku (bomb damage to her flight deck) and Zuikaku (her air group requiring reconstitution), both veterans of the Pearl Harbor raid, would return to Japan for repairs and replenishment of their depleted air groups.
Strategically the Japanese lost the Battle of the Coral Sea in two ways. First, their amphibious attempt to capture Port Moresby, a significant military objective on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea had been thwarted. Their seaborne failure compel the Japanese military to attempt a disastrous overland assault on Port Moresby; over the rugged Own Stanley Mountains where they were again turned back just short of their goal by determined Australian troops and mother nature.
Australian troops and natives porter on the “Trail of Death”, the Kokoda Track, July-Nov. 1942
Second, as a result of the Battle of the Coral Sea, two of the most modern IJN fleet carriers were unavailable to take part in the Battle of Midway, one month later. Instead of facing six Japanese carriers at Midway the USN triumphed over four, leading to the sinking of all. The damaged Yorktown, speedily retuned to Peral Harbor for repairs and her air group reinforcement, was credited with the sinking of IJN aircraft carrier Soryu and assisting carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) fliers in the sinking of Hiryu.
Bomb damaged and fired ravaged IJN carrier Hiryu, abandoned, before being torpedoed by Japanese escorts, June 5, 1942
Both naval battles demonstrated the USA’s resolve to stop Japanese aggression and expansion in early Pacific War.
Writer: Laurence Schmidt
