80th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea
On 4 May 1942, Australian and United States (US) naval forces engaged the Japanese Imperial Navy in the waters east of Papua during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Japan sought to continue their relentless territorial expansion in the Southwest Pacific during the Second World War by capturing Port Moresby and inching closer to Australia.
The Battle of the Coral Sea began when US carrier-borne aircraft attacked the Japanese near Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, sinking a destroyer, some barges and destroying floatplanes, and damaging another destroyer and a minelayer.
On 6 May Allied forces, which included two cruisers HMAS Australia (II) and Hobart (I), received reports that Japanese transports were sailing from Rabaul towards Port Moresby.
The two cruisers, together with American ships, were detached from the main fleet and sailed to the Jomard Passage to intercept the Japanese invasion force while the main fleet sailed north of Papua in search of the Japanese aircraft carriers.
On 7 May both sides searched for each other in the Coral Sea while United States aircraft sank one Japanese light aircraft carrier but remained unsuccessful in their search for Japan’s main carrier fleet.
On 8 May several United States warships were damaged including the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, which sustained severe damage and had uncontrollable fires which led to the ship being abandoned and scuttled later that day. One Japanese carrier was forced to retire after sustaining severe damage.
The battle was fought exclusively by aircraft which bombed ships – no naval vessel from either side fired on the other during the battle.
Despite losing more ships than they were able to sink, the Allied forces successfully prevented Japan from capturing Port Moresby — the first time Japan had failed to complete its objective during the Second World War.
The tactical defeat forced Japan to attempt an ill-fated land-invasion of Port Moresby along the Kokoda Track where they encountered heavy Australian resistance.
It is generally accepted that no Australians was killed during the Battle of the Coral Sea, however Australian airmen were killed during the reconnaissance operations which took place prior to the battle.
More than 500 US personnel were killed during the battle, over 60 aircraft were shot down and one carrier, the USS Lexington was lost.
The Battle of the Coral Sea was one of the decisive battles of the war in the Pacific and preceded the Battle of Midway which began a month later on 4 June 1942.
On this 80th anniversary we honour the Australians who fought at the Battle of the Coral Sea and remember our United States allies, and those who paid the ultimate while fighting alongside us in the Battle of the Coral Sea and throughout the Pacific during the Second World War.
(Image: Five warships of Task Force 44 steaming in line ahead on patrol during the battle of the Coral Sea. From left to right, the cruisers USS Chicago, USS Salt Lake City, HMAS Australia and HMAS Canberra.)