THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, 7- 8 MAY 1942
Preparations for the Battle of the Coral Sea
On 15 April 1942, Portland received word that Task Force 17 was headed for Nukualofa on the island of Tongatapu to stay about four days for provisions, fueling, upkeep and repair.
On 20 April, we arrived at Nukualofa. On 26 April, the Task Force was at sea again, and consisted of carrier Yorktown, cruisers Astoria, Chester, Chicago, Portland, and six destroyers. Task Force 11 was now composed of carrier Lexington, cruisers New Orleans, Minneapolis, and six destroyers.
The Japanese light carrier Shoho is under attack by aircraft from USS Yorktown and USS Lexington
At 0730 hours on 4 May 1942, Yorktown launched forty-six planes to attack a Japanese invasion force that had landed on the island of Tulagi which was 145 miles distant. Yorktown launched another fourteen SBD Dauntless dive-bombers to Tulagi at 0900 on that day.
At 0930 hours on 5 May, Task Force 11 joined us and now it was one large combined Allied naval force called Task Force 17. The Australian cruisers HMAS Australia and HMAS Hobart were now part of Task Force 17. HMAS Canberra was still undergoing a refit and had remained in Sydney.
On 6 May, Portland fueled from the tanker Neosho, which then departed the Task Force with the destroyer Sims as escort. Our intelligence reported that the Japanese were moving a large amphibious force south for the purpose of capturing Port Moresby, the last Allied stronghold on the island of New Guinea. We also knew from intelligence intercepts that the Japanese invasion force would be supported by a separate powerful strike force that included two fleet carriers. All ships were directed by Commander Task Force 17 to have all boilers ready for full speed at 0600 the following day.
The Battle of the Coral Sea- Events of 7 May 1942
At dawn on 7 May, both Yorktown and Lexington sent out scouts, and at 0830 hours they reported having sighted a Jap carrier and three heavy cruisers. Our carriers then launched planes for the attack. They found the Japanese light carrier Shoho with warship escorts south of Bougainville Island and quickly sank it.
At 0930, we received word from Neosho that she and the destroyer Sims were under attack by Japanese aircraft. A Japanese scout plane had mistaken Neosho for a carrier and the whole Japanese attack was concentrated on Neosho and Sims. Later that day we heard that Neosho was awash and Sims had sunk.
As night was overtaking Task Force 17 on the first day of the battle, and Yorktown was about to recover the F4F Wildcat fighters of its Combat Air Patrol (CAP), a bizarre incident occurred. Late on the afternoon of that day, at 1640 hours, Rear Admiral Takagi had launched twenty-seven dive-bombers and torpedo planes from his fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku to search for and attack the American carriers at dusk. Yorktown's radar picked up the Japanese strike force, and Wildcats were launched to intercept. Several of the Japanese bombers were shot down and the rest dispersed in all directions.
Although Takagi had used his best night pilots for the late afternoon strike, several Japanese dive-bomber pilots lost their way and were about to land on Yorktown's flight deck before they discovered their mistake. They were waved off, and speeded on their way by intense gunfire from Yorktown. In the general confusion, our own returning Wildcats came under "friendly fire", and one angry pilot had harsh words to say to Yorktown's plane handlers about his bullet-riddled air cooler.