Coral Sea
(May 7-8, 1942)

Perhaps one of the most haphazard navy battles of World War II, the Battle at Coral Sea was fought with the ships involved never seeing one another. Instead the battle consisted of air raids on the part of either faction. In the end two carriers were sunk, one American and one Japanese. At first, on May 7, the Japanese carrier Shoho accidently encountered flyers from the American's Yorktown and Lexington. The Shoho sank in ten minutes and the lead dive bomber from the Lexington happily radioed back to his ship, " . . . scratch one flattop. . ." However the following day the Japanese fleet shrouded in heavy clouds launched an attack on the Amercians, whom had no such protection. The Lexington took two torpedo hits and two bomb hits, but was left standing throughout the battle. Sadly two internal explosions devastated the ship and Captain Fred Sherman ordered abandon ship. Only one hundred and fifty men were saved. The Yorktown took hits as well, losing sixty six men, but surviving the battle.