To extend their empire in the Pacific to the conquest of Australia, the Japanese first had to capture the naval and air center of Port Moresby on the southeast coast of New Guinea. In order to extend the reach of their air searches for Allied naval forces, they resolved to simultaneously establish a seaplane base at Tulagi in the lower Solomon Islands. The U.S. learned of the Japanese plan, known as Operation Mo, through signals intelligence and sent two United States Navy carrier task forces and a joint Australian-American cruiser force to oppose the Japanese offensive.
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.
Because the Japanese assumed the tactical initiative, their forces are listed first.
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.
^Kiyokawa Maru was under repair at Yokohama, Japan but its airgroup was at Rabaul and assisted Kamikawa Maru'ss airgroup in the invasion of Tulagi. 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.
^Nikkai Maru and oiler Iro helped establish a Japanese port and seaplane base in the Shortland Islands on 28 April 1942 prior to participating in Mo.
^Gotō was in tactical command of the Mo invasion forces.
^On 8 May Furutaka and Kinugasa were attached to Carrier Division 5 and helped escort Zuikaku back to Truk. Aoba and Kako helped cover the Port Moresby invasion convoy's return to Rabaul.
^Apparently, the Azumasan Maru was supposed to join from the Tulagi Invasion Group but did not, perhaps as a result of battle damage
^The South Seas Detachment was primarily from the 55th Division commanded by Major GeneralTomitarō Horii and included troops from the 55th Infantry Group, centered on the 144th Infantry Regiment, as well as the 47th Field Anti-Aircraft Battalion and attached medical and water supply support units.
^All the minesweepers from Shima's Tulagi Invasion Group were to have joined the Port Moresby Invasion Group. Only Hagoromo Maru and Noshiro Maru #2 survived the Yorktown's airstrikes to do so.
^Iro and gunboat Nikkai Maru helped establish a Japanese port and seaplane base in the Shortland Islands on 28 April 1942 prior to participating in Mo. Iro and destroyer Uzuki remained at the Shortlands to refuel Gotō's Covering Group after it completed its support mission of the Tulagi invasion.
^Minneapolis and New Orleans were designated Task Unit 17.2.1 under Kinkaid and the other three cruisers were Task Unit 17.2.2 under Rear Admiral William W. Smith.[48]
^Task Unit 17.2.4 under Captain Alexander R. Early
^Bullard, p. 58, 64; Willmott, p. 86; Dull, p. 135; Hackett, Tsugaru. Asakayama Maru was equipped with extra anti-aircraft guns (Bullard). The IJA commander was on Matsue Maru (Bullard).
Lundstrom, John B. (2006). Black Shoe Carrier Admiral: Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-475-2.
Lundstrom, John B. (2005). The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-471-X.
Rottman, Gordon L. (2005). Japanese Army in World War II: Conquest of the Pacific 1941–42. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN1-84176-789-1.
Salecker, Eric (2001). Fortress Against the Sun: The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific. United States: Da Capo Press. ISBN1-58097-049-4.
Willmott, H. P. (1983). The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies February to June 1942. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-535-3.
Iwashige, Tashirō (2009). The visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine. Japan: Dainippon Kaiga. ISBN978-4-499-22989-0.
Webedit
Bullard, Steven (translator) (2007). Japanese army operations in the South Pacific Area New Britain and Papua campaigns, 1942–43. Senshi Sōshō (translated excerpts). Canberra: Australian War Memorial. ISBN978-0-9751904-8-7. from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2009. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
Crave, Wesley Frank; James Lea Cate (1947). Volume I: Plans and Early Operations, January 1939 to August 1942. The Army Air Forces in World War II. Washington DC: [United States] Office of Air Force History. from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
Gillison, Douglas (1962). "Chapter 26 – Coral Sea and Midway". Volume I – Royal Australian Air Force, 1939–1942. Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Series 3: Air. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (1998–2005). "IJN Minelayer Okinoshima: Tabular Record of Movement". Combinedfleet.com. from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2006.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2009). "IJN Tatsuta: Tabular Record of Movement". Junyokan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2009). "IJN Tenryu: Tabular Record of Movement". Junyokan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp; Peter Cundall (2007). "IJN Minelayer Tsugaru: Tabular Record of Movement". Fusetsukan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Hackett, Bob; Peter Cundall (2007). "IJN Repair Ship Ojima: Tabular Record of Movement". Kyunansen Ken Eisen. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp; Allan Alsleben; Peter Cundall (2009). "IJN Seaplane Tender Kiyokawa Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". Tokusetsu Suijoki-Bokan!. Combinedfleet.com. from the original on 19 November 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2009). "IJN Yubari: Tabular Record of Movement". Junyokan!. Combinedfleet.com. from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Office of Naval Intelligence (1943). "The Battle of the Coral Sea". Combat Narrative. Publications Branch, Office of Naval Intelligence, United States Navy. from the original on 24 December 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2006.
United States Army Center of Military History. . Reports of General MacArthur. Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2006.
May 03, 2024
battle, coral, order, battle, battle, coral, major, engagement, pacific, theatre, world, fought, 1942, waters, east, guinea, south, bismarck, islands, between, elements, imperial, japanese, navy, allied, naval, forces, from, united, states, australia, combined. The Battle of the Coral Sea a major engagement of the Pacific Theatre of World War II was fought 4 8 May 1942 in the waters east of New Guinea and south of the Bismarck Islands between elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States U S and Australia IJ Combined Fleet and US Pacific Fleet CommandersAdm Isoroku Yamamoto HQ at Tokyo Adm Chester W Nimitz HQ at Pearl Harbor To extend their empire in the Pacific to the conquest of Australia the Japanese first had to capture the naval and air center of Port Moresby on the southeast coast of New Guinea In order to extend the reach of their air searches for Allied naval forces they resolved to simultaneously establish a seaplane base at Tulagi in the lower Solomon Islands The U S learned of the Japanese plan known as Operation Mo through signals intelligence and sent two United States Navy carrier task forces and a joint Australian American cruiser force to oppose the Japanese offensive 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 Because the Japanese assumed the tactical initiative their forces are listed first Contents 1 Forces deployed 2 Japanese Forces 2 1 Carrier Striking Force 2 2 Invasion Forces 2 3 Submarine Force 2 4 Air Forces 3 Allied Forces 3 1 Task Force 17 3 2 South West Pacific Area 4 Notes 5 References 6 Bibliography 6 1 Printed sources 6 2 WebForces deployed editLosses in parentheses Ship Type nbsp IJN nbsp USN nbsp RAN Fleet carriers CV 2 2 1 Light carriers CVL 1 1 Heavy cruisers CA 4 6 1 Light cruisers CL 2 1 Destroyers DD 15 1 13 1 Amphibious assault vessels 12 Auxiliaries 26 3 3 1 nbsp 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 Japanese Forces editOperation and carrier commanders nbsp Vice Adm Shigeyoshi Inoue nbsp Vice Adm Takeo Takagi Task Force MO Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue Commander Fourth Fleet in light cruiser Kashima anchored at Rabaul 1 Carrier Striking Force edit nbsp Fleet carrier Shōkaku Early war Japanese naval aircraft nbsp Mitsubishi A6N Zeke fighter nbsp Aichi D3A Val dive bomber nbsp Nakajima B5N Kate torpedo bomber Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi in heavy cruise Myōkō 2 Carrier Division 5 Rear Adm Chuichi Hara Officer in Tactical Command in Zuikaku 1 2 fleet carriersShōkaku Capt Takaji Jōjima 3 Air Group Lt Cmdr Kakuichi Takahashi a 4 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zeke fighters Lt Takumi Hoashi b 5 20 Aichi D3A Type 99 Val dive bombers Lt Masao Yamaguchi 5 19 Nakajima B5N Type 97 Kate torpedo bombers Lt Tatsuo Ichihara 4 dd dd Zuikaku Capt Ichihei Yokogawa 6 Air Group Lt Cmdr Shigekazu Shimazaki c 4 25 Mitsubishi A6M Zeke fighters Lt Kiyokuma Okajima d 4 22 Aichi D3A Val dive bombers Lt Tamotsu Ema 4 20 Nakajima B5N Kate torpedo bombers Lt Yoshiaki Tsubota 4 dd dd dd dd Cruiser Division 5 Vice Adm Takagi in Myōkō 2 heavy cruisersBoth Myoko class Myōkō Haguro e 7 dd dd Destroyer Division 52 destroyersBoth Fubuki class Ushio Akebono f 8 dd dd Destroyer Division 74 destroyersAll Hatsuharu Shiratsuyu class Ariake Yugure Shiratsuyu Shigure g 9 dd 1 oiler Tōhō Maru 2 dd Invasion Forces edit nbsp Rear Adm Aritomo Gotō nbsp Heavy cruiser Aoba Rear Adm Goto s flagship nbsp Minelayer Okinoshima Rear Adm Shima s flagship nbsp Light carrier Shōhō under attack by US aircraft nbsp Destroyer Sazanami nbsp I class submarine Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō in heavy cruiser Aoba Tulagi Invasion Group Rear Admiral Kiyohide Shima in minelayer Okinoshima 10 1 transport Azumasan Maru 10 Embarking 400 troops from the 3rd Kure Special Naval Landing Force SNLF plus a construction detachment from the 7th Establishment Squad 11 dd 2 minelayers Okinoshima h 12 Kōei Maru 2 destroyers Kikuzuki sunk by air attack 5 May Yuzuki i 13 5 minesweepers Wa 1 sunk Wa 2 sunk Hagoromo Maru Noshiro Maru 2 Tama Maru sunk j 14 2 subchasers Toshi Maru 3 Tama Maru 8 k 15 dd Support Group Close Cover Force Rear Admiral Kuninori Marumo in light cruiser Tenryu 16 Cruiser Division 18 Rear Adm Marumo 2 light cruisersBoth Tenryu class Tenryu Tatsuta 17 dd dd 2 seaplane tenders l 18 Kamikawa Maru 19 Air group 12 aircraft 20 dd Kiyokawa MaruAir group attached dd dd 3 gunboats Keijo Maru Seikai Maru Nikkai Maru m 10 dd Covering Group Main Body Support Force Rear Admiral Gotō in heavy cruiser Aoba n 21 Cruiser Division 6 Rear Adm Gotō 4 heavy cruisers Aoba Kako Kinugasa Furutaka o 22 dd 1 light carrier Shōhō sunk by air attack 7 May 21 Air Group Lt Kenjirō Nōtomi 4 8 Mitsubishi A6M Zero and 4 Mitsubishi A5M Claude fighters Lt Nōtomi 4 6 Nakajima B5N Type 97 Kate torpedo bombers Lt Michitarō Nakamoto 4 dd dd 1 destroyer Sazanami 23 dd Port Moresby Invasion Group Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka in light cruiser Yubari p 24 Transport Unit Rear Adm Kōsō Abe 5 Imperial Japanese Navy IJN transports Mogamigawa Maru Chōwa Maru Goyō Maru q 25 r 26 Akiba Maru Shōka Maru 27 Embarking approximately 500 troops from the 3rd Kure SNLF plus construction specialists from the 10th Establishment Squad 28 dd 6 Imperial Japanese Army IJA transports Asakasan Maru China Maru Mito Maru Matsue Maru 29 Taifuku Maru Hibi Maru 27 Embarking South Seas Detachment of approximately 5 000 troops s 30 dd 5 minesweepers W 20 Wa 20 Hagoromo Maru Noshiro Maru 2 Fumi Maru 2 Seki Maru 3 t 31 1 minelayer Tsugaru Capt Inagaki Yoshiaki u 32 1 salvage tugboat Woshima 33 2 oilers Hoyo Maru Irō v 34 dd Screen1 light cruiser Yubari Capt Masami Ban w 35 6 destroyers Oite Asanagi Uzuki Mutsuki Mochizuki Yayoi x 36 1 or 2 unidentified patrol boats 37 dd dd Submarine Force edit Captain Noboru Ishizaki Patrol Scouting Group I 21 I 22 I 24 I 28 I 29 y 38 Raiding Group Ro 33 Ro 34 z 39 Air Forces edit nbsp Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber nbsp Kawanishi H6K Mavis flying boat 25th Air Flotilla aa 40 Rear Admiral Sadayoshi Yamada4th Air Group based at Rabaul 17 Mitsubishi G4M Type 1 Betty land attack bombers 41 dd Tainan Air Group based at Lae and Rabaul 18 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Zeke 6 Mitsubishi A5M Claude fighters Capt Masahisa Saitō 42 dd Yokohama Air Group based at Rabaul Shortland Islands and Tulagi 12 Kawanishi H6K Mavis reconnaissance seaplanes 9 Nakajima A6M2 N Rufe seaplane fighters ab 43 dd Genzan Air Group based at Rabaul 25 Mitsubishi G3M Type 96 Nell land attack bombers ac 44 dd dd Allied Forces editTask force and carrier group commanders nbsp Rear Adm Frank Jack Fletcher nbsp Rear Adm Aubrey W Fitch Task Force 17 edit TF 17 carriers nbsp Yorktown sunk at Midway in June nbsp Lexington the 8 guns were removed shortly before the battle Early war US naval aircraft nbsp Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter nbsp Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber nbsp Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber US combat vessels nbsp Heavy cruiser Portland at Pearl Harbor nbsp Farragut class destroyer Aylwin outfitted in dazzle camouflage Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher in Yorktown 45 Carrier Air Group TG 17 5 Rear Admiral Aubrey W Fitch Officer in Tactical Command OTC ad 45 2 fleet carriersYorktown Capt Elliott Buckmaster 46 Air Group Lt Cmdr Oscar Pederson 47 VF 42 17 F4F Wildcat fighters Lt Cmdr Charles R Fenton 47 VB 5 18 SBD Dauntless dive bombers Lt Wallace C Short 47 VS 5 17 SBD Dauntless scout bombers Lt Cmdr William O Burch Jr 47 VT 5 13 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers Lt Cmdr Joe Taylor 47 dd dd Lexington Capt Frederick C Sherman scuttled 8 May following severe damage from air attack 46 Air Group Cmdr William B Ault ae 47 VF 2 21 F4F Wildcat fighters Lt Cmdr Paul H Ramsey 47 VB 2 18 SBD Dauntless dive bombers Lt Cmdr Weldon L Hamilton 47 VS 2 17 SBD Dauntless scout bombers Lt Cmdr Robert E Dixon 47 VT 2 12 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers Lt Cmdr James H Brett Jr 47 dd dd dd 4 destroyersAll Sims class 4 5 in main battery af Morris Cmdr Harry B Jarrett Anderson Lt Cmdr John K B Ginder Hammann Lt Cmdr Arnold E True Russell Lt Cmdr Glenn R Hartwig 46 dd dd dd Attack Group TG 17 2 Rear Admiral Thomas C Kinkaid 45 5 heavy cruisers3 Astoria class 9 8 in main battery New Orleans Capt Howard H Good Astoria Capt Francis W Scanland Minneapolis Capt Frank J Lowry ag dd 1 Portland class 9 8 in main battery Portland Capt Benjamin Perlman dd 1 Northampton class 9 8 in main battery Chester Capt Thomas M Shock dd dd Screen Capt Alexander R Early 5 destroyers1 Porter class 8 5 in main battery Phelps Lt Cmdr Edward L Beck dd 4 Farragut class 5 5 in main battery Farragut Cmdr George P Hunter Dewey Lt Cmdr Charles F Chillingworth Jr Monaghan Lt Cmdr William P Burfor Aylwin Lt Cmdr Robert H Rogers ah 49 dd dd dd dd nbsp Rear Adm John Gregory Crace RAN nbsp Heavy cruiser HMAS Australia nbsp Oiler Neosho Support Group TG 17 3 ai Rear Admiral John Gregory Crace RAN 45 2 heavy cruisers1 Northampton class 9 8 in main battery Chicago Capt Howard D Bode aj 1 County class 8 8 in main battery nbsp Australia Capt H B Farncomb RAN dd 1 light cruiser1 Leander class 8 6 in main battery nbsp Hobart Capt H L Howden RAN 49 dd 2 destroyers ak 49 1 Mahan class 5 5 in main battery Perkins Lt Cmdr Walter C Ford 1 Sims class 4 5 in main battery Walke Lt Cmdr Thomas E Fraser dd dd Fueling Group TG 17 6 Captain John S Phillips 45 2 oilersNeosho sunk by air attack 7 May Tippecanoe 50 dd 2 destroyersSims sunk by air attack 7 May Lt Cmdr Willford M Hyman Worden 50 dd dd Search Group TG 17 9 Commander George H DeBaun 45 1 seaplane tenderTangier al 51 Patrol Squadron 71 VP 71 6 PBY 5 Catalinas Patrol Squadron 72 VP 72 6 PBY 5 Catalinas dd dd dd South West Pacific Area edit nbsp Submarine S 41 nbsp Curtiss P 40 Tomahawks nbsp Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress nbsp North American B 25 Mitchell General Douglas MacArthur 52 Allied Naval Forces Vice Admiral Herbert F Leary am 52 Task Group 42 1 Capt Ralph Waldo Christie in submarine tender USS Griffin at Brisbane an 53 Subdiv 53 Lt Cmdr Elmer E Yeomans S 42 S 43 S 44 S 45 S 46 S 47 Subdiv 201 Cmdr Ralston B Van Zant S 37 S 38 S 39 S 40 S 41 dd Task Force 44 temporarily assigned to Task Force 17 see Task Group 17 3 above dd Allied Air Forces Lieutenant General George Brett 54 nbsp United States Army Air Forces8th Pursuit Group 26 P 39 Airacobra fighters at Archerfield Brisbane 55 35th Fighter Squadron at Port Moresby 56 36th Fighter Squadron at Port Moresby 56 dd 49th Pursuit Group 90 P 40 Tomahawk fighters at Darwin 57 7th Fighter Squadron at Darwin 56 8th Fighter Squadron at Darwin 56 9th Fighter Squadron at Darwin 56 dd 3rd Light Bombardment Group 56 8th Light Bombardment Squadron A 24 Banshee dive bombers at Port Moresby 58 13th Light Bombardment Squadron B 25 Mitchell bombers 56 90th Light Bombardment Squadron B 25 Mitchell bombers 56 dd 19th Bombardment Group 17 Boeing B 17 bombers at Townsville Lt Col Connally first name unknown 59 30th Bombardment Squadron 60 40th Reconnaissance Squadron 61 93rd Bombardment Squadron 62 435th Bombardment Squadron 63 dd 22nd Bombardment Group 48 Martin B 26 Marauders 64 dd Royal Australian Air Force 65 No 11 Squadron Consolidated PBY Catalinas 65 No 20 Squadron PBY Catalinas 65 No 24 Squadron 3 CAC Wirraways at Townsville No 32 Squadron Lockheed Hudsons at Port Moresby 66 No 75 Squadron 3 Curtiss P 40s at Port Moresby 65 dd dd Port Moresby garrison Major General B M Morris Approximately 5 000 troops 67 30th Infantry Brigade 68 39th Infantry Battalion ao 69 49th Infantry Battalion 70 53rd Infantry Battalion 71 13th Field Regiment 72 23rd Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery ap 72 Detachment 1st Independent Company 68 30th Infantry Brigade Signal Section 68 30th Infantry Brigade HQ Defence Platoon 68 dd Moresby Fixed Defences 68 Moresby Fixed Defences Fortress Engineers 68 Moresby Fixed Defences Anti Aircraft Artillery six 3 inch guns 68 dd 1st Army Troops Company 68 7th Field Company 68 1st Section 1st Mechanical Equipment Company 68 8th Military District Survey Section 68 8th Military District Bomb Disposal Section 68 8th Military District Signals 68 8th Military District Defence and Employment Company 68 New Guinea Volunteer Rifles 73 Papuan Infantry Battalion aq 72 8th Military District Section Intelligence Corps 68 15th Supply Personnel Company 68 8th Military District Bulk Issue Petrol and Oil Depot 68 A Section 8th Military District Mechanical Transport Company 68 Base Hospital 68 3rd Field Ambulance 68 113th Convalescent Depot 68 8th Military District Dental Centre 68 45th Dental Unit 68 253rd Dental Unit 68 256th Dental Unit 68 274th Dental Unit 68 301st Dental Unit 68 421st Dental Unit 68 dd 15th Optical Unit 68 8th Military District Depot of Medical Stores 68 16th Field Hygiene Section 68 8th Military District Ordnance Depot 68 19th Ordnance Ammunition Section 68 109th Infantry Brigade Group Field Workshop 68 109th Infantry Brigade Group Ordnance Field Park 68 30th Infantry Brigade Provost Platoon 68 8th Military District Accounts Office 68 8th Military District Postal Unit 68 8th Military District Records Office 68 8th Military District Stationery Depot 68 8th Military District Printing Section 68 8th Military District Graves Registration and Inquiries Unit 68 8th Military District Laundry and Decontamination Unit 68 8th Military District Army Field Bakery 68 8th Military District Base Depot 68 8th Military District Marine Section 68 8th Military District Canteen Services 68 8th Military District Training Centre 68 Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit 68 dd Notes edit Flew in an Aichi D3A dive bomber Three aircraft were reserved for delivery to the Tainan Air Group Shimazaki flew in a Nakajima B5N torpedo bomber Five of the fighters were reserved for delivery to the Tainan Air Group From Cruiser Division 5 From Destroyer Squadron 7 From Destroyer Squadron 27 Commanded by Captain Nomi Minoru and was flagship of Mine Division 19 sunk by US submarine S 42 10 May 1942 during Operation RY From Destroyer Squadron 6 Bullard p 56 says Destroyer Squadron 23 The latter three ships were from the 14th Minesweeper Flotilla From the 56th Submarine Chaser Squadron Kiyokawa Maru was under repair at Yokohama Japan but its airgroup was at Rabaul and assisted Kamikawa Maru ss airgroup in the invasion of Tulagi 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 Nikkai Maru and oiler Iro helped establish a Japanese port and seaplane base in the Shortland Islands on 28 April 1942 prior to participating in Mo Gotō was in tactical command of the Mo invasion forces On 8 May Furutaka and Kinugasa were attached to Carrier Division 5 and helped escort Zuikaku back to Truk Aoba and Kako helped cover the Port Moresby invasion convoy s return to Rabaul Also commander of Destroyer Squadron 6 Goyo Maru was later converted into an oiler Apparently the Azumasan Maru was supposed to join from the Tulagi Invasion Group but did not perhaps as a result of battle damage The South Seas Detachment was primarily from the 55th Division commanded by Major General Tomitarō Horii and included troops from the 55th Infantry Group centered on the 144th Infantry Regiment as well as the 47th Field Anti Aircraft Battalion and attached medical and water supply support units All the minesweepers from Shima s Tulagi Invasion Group were to have joined the Port Moresby Invasion Group Only Hagoromo Maru and Noshiro Maru 2 survived the Yorktown s airstrikes to do so Member of Mine Division 19 with Okinoshima Iro and gunboat Nikkai Maru helped establish a Japanese port and seaplane base in the Shortland Islands on 28 April 1942 prior to participating in Mo Iro and destroyer Uzuki remained at the Shortlands to refuel Gotō s Covering Group after it completed its support mission of the Tulagi invasion Flagship of Destroyer Squadron 6 Oite and Asanagi were from Destroyer Squadron 29 Mutsuki Mochizuki and Yayoi from Destroyer Squadron 30 and Uzuki from Destroyer Squadron 23 From Submarine Squadron 8 I 28 was sunk by the US submarine Tautog on 17 May as I 28 returned to base at Truk From the 21st Submarine Group Also called the 5th Air Attack Force aircraft numbers are of 1 May 1942 Six Kawanishi deployed from Rabaul to the Shortlands on 28 April Crave states the Genzan had 27 aircraft Both carriers together were designated Task Unit 17 5 1 under Fitch Ault flew an SBD not assigned to either of the SBD squadrons Task Unit 17 5 4 under Captain Gilbert C Hoover Minneapolis and New Orleans were designated Task Unit 17 2 1 under Kinkaid and the other three cruisers were Task Unit 17 2 2 under Rear Admiral William W Smith 48 Task Unit 17 2 4 under Captain Alexander R Early From Task Force 44 Committed suicide after learning he would be held partially responsible for the debacle at the Battle of Savo Island Task Unit 17 3 4 under Commander Francis X McInerney Based at Noumea Reassigned because of difficult relationship with MacArthur Only S 38 S 42 S 44 and S 47 were involved in the battle Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H M Conran Consisted of four 3 7 inch stationary guns and three mobile 3 inch guns Commanded by Major W T Watson References edit a b Lundstrom 2006 p 138 a b Willmott p 87 Lundstrom p 140 Willmott p 87 a b c d e f g h i Lundstrom 2005 p 188 a b Gillison p 525 Lundstrom 2005 p 188 Lundstrom 2006 p 140 Willmott p 87 Gill p 40 Willmott p 87 Bullard p 52 Willmott p 87 Bullard p 52 Willmott p 87 Bullard p 52 Dull p 135 a b c Willmott p 84 Bullard p 56 Jersey pp 58 60 Hackett Okinoshima Willmott p 84 Dull p 136 Lundstrom 2005 p 188 Bullard p 56 Willmott p 84 Bullard p 56 Willmott p 84 Hackett Tenryu Gill p 40 Bullard p 52 Hackett Tenryu and Tatsuta Hackett Tenryu and Kiyokawa Maru Dull p 136 Hackett Tenryu United States Army Center of Military History p 135 a b Willmott pp 85 86 Bullard p 52 Willmott pp 85 86 Hackett Furutaka Gill p 40 Dull p 136 Willmott pp 85 86 Hackett Yubari Willmott p 86 Bullard pp 56 57 Bullard pp 56 57 Willmott spells Akihasan Maru as Akibasan Maru a b Iwashige 2009 p 78 79 Bullard pp 56 57 Bullard p 58 64 Willmott p 86 Dull p 135 Hackett Tsugaru Asakayama Maru was equipped with extra anti aircraft guns Bullard The IJA commander was on Matsue Maru Bullard Rottman p 84 Bullard pp 56 57 Willmott pp 85 86 Hackett Tsugaru Hackett does not list Seki Maru 3 as part of Abe s force Hackett Tsugaru Bullard pp 56 57 Willmott p 86 Hackett Tsugaru Some sources spell this ship s name as Oshima Her ship s side name is をしま not おしま おじま Hackett Ojima Willmott pp 84 86 Hackett Tsugaru Willmott p 86 Dull p 135 Hackett Yubari Bullard p 56 Willmott p 86 Hackett Ojima Willmott pp 84 85 Bullard p 57 Bullard pp 47 61 Bullard pp 47 53 61 Bullard pp 47 53 54 61 Lundstrom 2006 p 138 Bullard pp 48 52 61 Bullard p 61 Crave p 447 a b c d e f Willmott p 190 Lundstrom 2006 p 519 a b c ONI p 11 Lundstrom 2006 p 519 a b c d e f g h i j Lundstrom 2005 p 190 Office of Naval Intelligence ONI p 10 Lundstrom 2006 p 519 a b c ONI p 10 Lundstrom 2006 p 519 a b Lundstrom 2006 p 519 Dull p 136 Hoyt p 13 Willmott p 190 Lundstrom 2006 p 519 Morison p 20 a b Willmott p 191 Gill p 42 Morison p 20 Willmott p 191 Willmott p 192 Willmott p 195 Crave pp 424 425 a b c d e f g h Willmott p 195 Willmott p 195 Crave pp 411 416 Willmott p 195 Crave p 425 Willmott p 195 Crave p 416 Salecker p 177 Bowman p 85 Salecker p 177 Bowman p 85 Salecker p 177 Crave pp 425 448 Willmott p 195 Crave pp 414 425 a b c d Willmott p 196 Willmott p 196 Gillison p 519 Willmott p 143 McCarthy p 112 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw Order of Battle Port Moresby Garrison War Diary New Guinea Force Headquarters March April 1942 AWM52 1 5 51 PDF Retrieved 28 November 2009 McCarthy p 44 McCarthy pp 43 44 Willmott p 143 a b c McCarthy p 45 McCarthy p 42 45 Bibliography editPrinted sources edit Bowman Martin 2003 B 17 Flying Fortress Units of the Pacific War Great Britain Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 84176 481 7 Dull Paul S 1978 A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1941 1945 Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 097 1 Hoyt Edwin Palmer 2003 Blue Skies and Blood The Battle of the Coral Sea I Books ISBN 0 7434 5835 4 Jersey Stanley Coleman 2008 Hell s Islands The Untold Story of Guadalcanal College Station Texas Texas A amp M University Press ISBN 978 1 58544 616 2 Lundstrom John B 2006 Black Shoe Carrier Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral Sea Midway and Guadalcanal Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 475 2 Lundstrom John B 2005 The First Team Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway New ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 471 X Morison Samuel Eliot 2001 1949 Coral Sea Midway and Submarine Actions May 1942 August 1942 vol 4 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II Champaign Illinois University of Illinois Press ISBN 0 252 06995 1 Rottman Gordon L 2005 Japanese Army in World War II Conquest of the Pacific 1941 42 Oxford Osprey ISBN 1 84176 789 1 Salecker Eric 2001 Fortress Against the Sun The B 17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific United States Da Capo Press ISBN 1 58097 049 4 Willmott H P 1983 The Barrier and the Javelin Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies February to June 1942 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 535 3 Iwashige Tashirō 2009 The visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine Japan Dainippon Kaiga ISBN 978 4 499 22989 0 Web edit Bullard Steven translator 2007 Japanese army operations in the South Pacific Area New Britain and Papua campaigns 1942 43 Senshi Sōshō translated excerpts Canberra Australian War Memorial ISBN 978 0 9751904 8 7 Archived from the original on 9 April 2009 Retrieved 1 May 2009 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a first has generic name help Crave Wesley Frank James Lea Cate 1947 Volume I Plans and Early Operations January 1939 to August 1942 The Army Air Forces in World War II Washington DC United States Office of Air Force History Archived from the original on 21 April 2009 Retrieved 1 May 2009 Gill G Hermon 1968 Volume II Royal Australian Navy 1942 1945 Australia in the War of 1939 1945 Series 2 Navy Canberra Australian War Memorial Archived from the original on 27 September 2013 Retrieved 20 November 2006 Gillison Douglas 1962 Chapter 26 Coral Sea and Midway Volume I Royal Australian Air Force 1939 1942 Australia in the War of 1939 1945 Series 3 Air Canberra Australian War Memorial Archived from the original on 25 May 2009 Retrieved 13 April 2009 Hackett Bob Sander Kingsepp 1998 2005 IJN Minelayer Okinoshima Tabular Record of Movement Combinedfleet com Archived from the original on 28 October 2006 Retrieved 20 November 2006 Hackett Bob Sander Kingsepp 2009 IJN Tatsuta Tabular Record of Movement Junyokan Combinedfleet com Retrieved 10 May 2009 Hackett Bob Sander Kingsepp 2009 IJN Tenryu Tabular Record of Movement Junyokan Combinedfleet com Retrieved 10 May 2009 Hackett Bob Sander Kingsepp Peter Cundall 2007 IJN Minelayer Tsugaru Tabular Record of Movement Fusetsukan Combinedfleet com Retrieved 10 May 2009 Hackett Bob Peter Cundall 2007 IJN Repair Ship Ojima Tabular Record of Movement Kyunansen Ken Eisen Combinedfleet com Retrieved 10 May 2009 Hackett Bob Sander Kingsepp Allan Alsleben Peter Cundall 2009 IJN Seaplane Tender Kiyokawa Maru Tabular Record of Movement Tokusetsu Suijoki Bokan Combinedfleet com Archived from the original on 19 November 2009 Retrieved 19 October 2009 Hackett Bob Sander Kingsepp 2009 IJN Yubari Tabular Record of Movement Junyokan Combinedfleet com Archived from the original on 4 May 2009 Retrieved 10 May 2009 McCarthy Dudley 1959 Volume V South West Pacific Area First Year Kokoda to Wau Australia in the War of 1939 1945 Series 1 Army Canberra Australian War Memorial Archived from the original on 25 May 2009 Retrieved 2 November 2006 Office of Naval Intelligence 1943 The Battle of the Coral Sea Combat Narrative Publications Branch Office of Naval Intelligence United States Navy Archived from the original on 24 December 2006 Retrieved 20 November 2006 United States Army Center of Military History Japanese Operations in the Southwest Pacific Area Volume II Part I Reports of General MacArthur Archived from the original on 25 January 2008 Retrieved 8 December 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle amp oldid 1185924673, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
