Okla-homey
5/3/2007, 07:19 AM
May 3, 1942: The Battle of the Coral Sea begins
http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/12764/2001447578471534389_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001447578471534389)
On this day 65 years ago, the first modern naval engagement in history, called the Battle of the Coral Sea begins as a Japanese invasion force succeeds in occupying Tulagi of the Solomon Islands in an expansion of Japan's defensive perimeter.
http://aycu24.webshots.com/image/15823/2001495694852142771_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001495694852142771)
In other words folks, "round two" in the war in the Pacific also goes to Japan.
Japan was still a juggernaut at this stage, but although we couldn't stop the Japanese from achieving their objectives in this big fight, the cost Japan paid was steep and future American victories weren't far away.
As a stage setter, you need to understand that the United States, having broken Japan's secret war code and forewarned of an impending invasion of Tulagi and Port Moresby, attempted to intercept the Japanese armada before it could effect invasion of the entire Solomon Islands chain.
Four days of battles between Japanese and American aircraft carriers resulted in 70 Japanese and 66 Americans warplanes destroyed. This confrontation, called the Battle of the Coral Sea, marked the first air-naval battle in history, as none of the ships used naval gunfire against the other fleet, instead allowing the aircraft taking off from their decks to do the battling.
http://aycu35.webshots.com/image/14954/2001498892648847772_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001498892648847772)
Among the casualties was the American carrier Lexington. She suffered such extensive damage from attacking Japanese aircraft she had to be scuttled by her crew. Two hundred sixteen Lexington crewmen died as a result of the Japanese aerial attacks. The other carrier battle group built around Yorktown survived the fight.
http://aycu35.webshots.com/image/14514/2002437117489518142_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002437117489518142)
The USN workhorse of the fight was the SBD Dauntless dive bomber
Although Japan would go on to occupy all of the Solomon Islands, its victory was a "Pyrrhic" one. The cost in experienced pilots and aircraft carriers was so great that Japan had to cancel its expedition to Port Moresby, Papua, as well as other South Pacific targets.
http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/12764/2001455851959785161_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001455851959785161)
Even after the losses during the Coral Sea battle, the Imperial Japanese Navy remained a force to be reckoned with until its back was broken during the epic and decisive battle of Midway the following month in May 1942.
http://aycu20.webshots.com/image/14819/2002457367698678175_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002457367698678175)
http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/12764/2001447578471534389_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001447578471534389)
On this day 65 years ago, the first modern naval engagement in history, called the Battle of the Coral Sea begins as a Japanese invasion force succeeds in occupying Tulagi of the Solomon Islands in an expansion of Japan's defensive perimeter.
http://aycu24.webshots.com/image/15823/2001495694852142771_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001495694852142771)
In other words folks, "round two" in the war in the Pacific also goes to Japan.
Japan was still a juggernaut at this stage, but although we couldn't stop the Japanese from achieving their objectives in this big fight, the cost Japan paid was steep and future American victories weren't far away.
As a stage setter, you need to understand that the United States, having broken Japan's secret war code and forewarned of an impending invasion of Tulagi and Port Moresby, attempted to intercept the Japanese armada before it could effect invasion of the entire Solomon Islands chain.
Four days of battles between Japanese and American aircraft carriers resulted in 70 Japanese and 66 Americans warplanes destroyed. This confrontation, called the Battle of the Coral Sea, marked the first air-naval battle in history, as none of the ships used naval gunfire against the other fleet, instead allowing the aircraft taking off from their decks to do the battling.
http://aycu35.webshots.com/image/14954/2001498892648847772_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001498892648847772)
Among the casualties was the American carrier Lexington. She suffered such extensive damage from attacking Japanese aircraft she had to be scuttled by her crew. Two hundred sixteen Lexington crewmen died as a result of the Japanese aerial attacks. The other carrier battle group built around Yorktown survived the fight.
http://aycu35.webshots.com/image/14514/2002437117489518142_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002437117489518142)
The USN workhorse of the fight was the SBD Dauntless dive bomber
Although Japan would go on to occupy all of the Solomon Islands, its victory was a "Pyrrhic" one. The cost in experienced pilots and aircraft carriers was so great that Japan had to cancel its expedition to Port Moresby, Papua, as well as other South Pacific targets.
http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/12764/2001455851959785161_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001455851959785161)
Even after the losses during the Coral Sea battle, the Imperial Japanese Navy remained a force to be reckoned with until its back was broken during the epic and decisive battle of Midway the following month in May 1942.
http://aycu20.webshots.com/image/14819/2002457367698678175_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002457367698678175)