Coral_Sea_order_of_battle

Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle

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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 Commanders

Adm. 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.

Notes

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

[1]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 138.
[2]
Willmott, p. 87.
[3]
Lundstrom, p. 140; Willmott, p. 87.
[4]
Lundstrom (2005), p. 188.
[5]
Gillison, p. 525; Lundstrom (2005), p. 188.
[6]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 140; Willmott, p. 87.
[7]
Gill, p. 40; Willmott, p. 87; Bullard, p. 52.
[8]
Willmott, p. 87; Bullard, p. 52.
[9]
Willmott, p. 87; Bullard, p. 52; Dull, p. 135.
[10]
Willmott, p. 84.
[11]
Bullard, p. 56; Jersey, pp. 58–60.
[12]
Hackett, Okinoshima.
[13]
Willmott, p. 84; Dull, p. 136.
[14]
Lundstrom (2005), p. 188.Bullard, p. 56; Willmott, p. 84.
[15]
Bullard, p. 56; Willmott, p. 84.
[16]
Hackett, Tenryu.
[17]
Gill, p. 40; Bullard, p. 52; Hackett, Tenryu and Tatsuta.
[18]
Hackett, Tenryu and Kiyokawa Maru.
[19]
Dull, p. 136.
[20]
Hackett, Tenryu; United States Army Center of Military History, p. 135.
[21]
Willmott, pp. 85–86.
[22]
Bullard, p. 52; Willmott, pp. 85–86; Hackett, Furutaka; Gill, p. 40.
[23]
Dull, p. 136; Willmott, pp. 85–86.
[24]
Hackett, Yubari.
[25]
Willmott, p. 86; Bullard, pp. 56–57.
[26]
(Bullard, pp. 56–57). Willmott spells Akihasan Maru as Akibasan Maru.
[27]
Iwashige (2009), p. 78–79
[28]
Bullard, pp. 56–57.
[29]
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).
[30]
Rottman, p. 84.
[31]
Bullard, pp. 56–57; Willmott, pp. 85–86; Hackett, Tsugaru. Hackett does not list Seki Maru #3 as part of Abe's force.
[32]
Hackett, Tsugaru.
[33]
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.
[34]
Hackett, Ojima; Willmott, pp. 84, 86; Hackett, Tsugaru.
[35]
Willmott, p. 86; Dull, p. 135; Hackett, Yubari.
[36]
Bullard, p. 56; Willmott, p. 86.
[37]
Hackett, Ojima.
[38]
Willmott, pp. 84–85.
[39]
Bullard, p. 57.
[40]
Bullard, pp. 47, 61.
[41]
Bullard, pp. 47, 53, 61.
[42]
Bullard, pp. 47, 53–54, 61.
[43]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 138; Bullard, pp. 48, 52, 61.
[44]
Bullard, p. 61; Crave, p. 447.
[45]
Willmott, p. 190; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.
[46]
ONI, p. 11; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.
[47]
Lundstrom (2005), p. 190.
[48]
Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), p. 10; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.
[49]
ONI, p. 10; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.
[50]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.
[51]
Dull, p. 136; Hoyt, p. 13; Willmott, p. 190; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519; Morison, p. 20.
[52]
Willmott, p. 191.
[53]
Gill, p. 42; Morison, p. 20; Willmott, p. 191.
[54]
Willmott, p. 192.
[55]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, pp. 424–425.
[56]
Willmott, p. 195.
[57]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, pp. 411, 416.
[58]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, p. 425.
[59]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, p. 416; Salecker, p. 177.
[60]
Bowman, p. 85.
[61]
Salecker, p. 177.
[62]
Bowman, p. 85; Salecker, p. 177.
[63]
Crave, pp. 425, 448.
[64]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, pp. 414, 425.
[65]
Willmott, p. 196.
[66]
Willmott, p. 196; Gillison, p. 519.
[67]
Willmott, p. 143; McCarthy, p. 112.
[68]
""Order of Battle – Port Moresby Garrison", War Diary, New Guinea Force Headquarters, March–April 1942, AWM52 1/5/51" (PDF). Retrieved 28 November 2009.
[69]
McCarthy, p. 44.
[70]
McCarthy, pp. 43–44.
[71]
Willmott, p. 143.
[72]
McCarthy, p. 45.
[73]
McCarthy, p. 42, 45.

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[4] Flew in an Aichi D3A dive bomber.

[6] Three aircraft were reserved for delivery to the Tainan Air Group.

[9] Shimazaki flew in a Nakajima B5N torpedo bomber.

[10] Five of the fighters were reserved for delivery to the Tainan Air Group.

[11] From Cruiser Division 5.

[13] From Destroyer Squadron 7.

[15] From Destroyer Squadron 27.

[19] Commanded by Captain Nomi Minoru and was flagship of Mine Division 19; sunk by US submarine S-42 10 May 1942 during Operation RY.

[21] From Destroyer Squadron 6 (Bullard, p. 56 says Destroyer Squadron 23).

[23] The latter three ships were from the 14th Minesweeper Flotilla.

[25] From the 56th Submarine Chaser Squadron.

[29] 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.

[33] 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.

[34] Gotō was in tactical command of the Mo invasion forces.

[36] 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.

[39] Also commander of Destroyer Squadron 6.

[41] Goyo Maru was later converted into an oiler.

[43] Apparently, the Azumasan Maru was supposed to join from the Tulagi Invasion Group but did not, perhaps as a result of battle damage

[48] 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.

[50] 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.

[52] Member of Mine Division 19 with Okinoshima.

[55] 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.

[57] Flagship of Destroyer Squadron 6.

[59] Oite and Asanagi were from Destroyer Squadron 29, Mutsuki, Mochizuki, and Yayoi from Destroyer Squadron 30, and Uzuki from Destroyer Squadron 23.

[62] From Submarine Squadron 8. I-28 was sunk by the US submarine Tautog on 17 May as I-28 returned to base at Truk.

[64] From the 21st Submarine Group.

[66] Also called the 5th Air Attack Force; aircraft numbers are of 1 May 1942.

[70] Six Kawanishi deployed from Rabaul to the Shortlands on 28 April.

[72] Crave states the Genzan had 27 aircraft.

[75] Both carriers together were designated Task Unit 17.5.1 under Fitch.

[78] Ault flew an SBD not assigned to either of the SBD squadrons.

[79] Task Unit 17.5.4 under Captain Gilbert C. Hoover.

[81] 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]

[82] Task Unit 17.2.4 under Captain Alexander R. Early

[84] From Task Force 44

[85] Committed suicide after learning he would be held partially responsible for the debacle at the Battle of Savo Island.

[86] Task Unit 17.3.4 under Commander Francis X. McInerney.

[88] Based at Noumea

[91] Reassigned because of difficult relationship with MacArthur.

[92] Only S-38, S-42, S-44, and S-47 were involved in the battle.

[109] Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H. M. Conran.

[114] Consisted of four 3.7 inch stationary guns and three mobile 3 inch guns.

[116] Commanded by Major W. T. Watson.

[Lundstrom_2006,_p._138-1] [1]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 138.

[Willmott,_p._87-2] [2]
Willmott, p. 87.

[3] [3]
Lundstrom, p. 140; Willmott, p. 87.

[Lundstrom_2005,_p._188-5] [4]
Lundstrom (2005), p. 188.

[Gillison,_p_2005_p._188-7] [5]
Gillison, p. 525; Lundstrom (2005), p. 188.

[8] [6]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 140; Willmott, p. 87.

[12] [7]
Gill, p. 40; Willmott, p. 87; Bullard, p. 52.

[14] [8]
Willmott, p. 87; Bullard, p. 52.

[16] [9]
Willmott, p. 87; Bullard, p. 52; Dull, p. 135.

[Willmott,_p._84-17] [10]
Willmott, p. 84.

[18] [11]
Bullard, p. 56; Jersey, pp. 58–60.

[20] [12]
Hackett, Okinoshima.

[22] [13]
Willmott, p. 84; Dull, p. 136.

[24] [14]
Lundstrom (2005), p. 188.Bullard, p. 56; Willmott, p. 84.

[26] [15]
Bullard, p. 56; Willmott, p. 84.

[27] [16]
Hackett, Tenryu.

[28] [17]
Gill, p. 40; Bullard, p. 52; Hackett, Tenryu and Tatsuta.

[30] [18]
Hackett, Tenryu and Kiyokawa Maru.

[31] [19]
Dull, p. 136.

[32] [20]
Hackett, Tenryu; United States Army Center of Military History, p. 135.

[Willmott,_pp._85–86-35] [21]
Willmott, pp. 85–86.

[37] [22]
Bullard, p. 52; Willmott, pp. 85–86; Hackett, Furutaka; Gill, p. 40.

[38] [23]
Dull, p. 136; Willmott, pp. 85–86.

[40] [24]
Hackett, Yubari.

[42] [25]
Willmott, p. 86; Bullard, pp. 56–57.

[44] [26]
(Bullard, pp. 56–57). Willmott spells Akihasan Maru as Akibasan Maru.

[Iwashige_P78-45] [27]
Iwashige (2009), p. 78–79

[46] [28]
Bullard, pp. 56–57.

[47] [29]
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).

[49] [30]
Rottman, p. 84.

[51] [31]
Bullard, pp. 56–57; Willmott, pp. 85–86; Hackett, Tsugaru. Hackett does not list Seki Maru #3 as part of Abe's force.

[53] [32]
Hackett, Tsugaru.

[54] [33]
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.

[56] [34]
Hackett, Ojima; Willmott, pp. 84, 86; Hackett, Tsugaru.

[58] [35]
Willmott, p. 86; Dull, p. 135; Hackett, Yubari.

[60] [36]
Bullard, p. 56; Willmott, p. 86.

[61] [37]
Hackett, Ojima.

[63] [38]
Willmott, pp. 84–85.

[65] [39]
Bullard, p. 57.

[67] [40]
Bullard, pp. 47, 61.

[68] [41]
Bullard, pp. 47, 53, 61.

[69] [42]
Bullard, pp. 47, 53–54, 61.

[71] [43]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 138; Bullard, pp. 48, 52, 61.

[73] [44]
Bullard, p. 61; Crave, p. 447.

[Willmott,_p_2006_p._519-74] [45]
Willmott, p. 190; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.

[ONI,_p_2006_p._519-76] [46]
ONI, p. 11; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.

[Lundstrom_2005,_p._190-77] [47]
Lundstrom (2005), p. 190.

[80] [48]
Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), p. 10; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.

[ONI,_p_p._519-83] [49]
ONI, p. 10; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.

[Lundstrom_2006,_p._519-87] [50]
Lundstrom (2006), p. 519.

[89] [51]
Dull, p. 136; Hoyt, p. 13; Willmott, p. 190; Lundstrom (2006), p. 519; Morison, p. 20.

[Willmott,_p._191-90] [52]
Willmott, p. 191.

[93] [53]
Gill, p. 42; Morison, p. 20; Willmott, p. 191.

[94] [54]
Willmott, p. 192.

[95] [55]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, pp. 424–425.

[Willmott,_p._195-96] [56]
Willmott, p. 195.

[97] [57]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, pp. 411, 416.

[98] [58]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, p. 425.

[99] [59]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, p. 416; Salecker, p. 177.

[100] [60]
Bowman, p. 85.

[101] [61]
Salecker, p. 177.

[102] [62]
Bowman, p. 85; Salecker, p. 177.

[103] [63]
Crave, pp. 425, 448.

[104] [64]
Willmott, p. 195; Crave, pp. 414, 425.

[Willmott,_p._196-105] [65]
Willmott, p. 196.

[106] [66]
Willmott, p. 196; Gillison, p. 519.

[107] [67]
Willmott, p. 143; McCarthy, p. 112.

[oob-108] [68]
""Order of Battle – Port Moresby Garrison", War Diary, New Guinea Force Headquarters, March–April 1942, AWM52 1/5/51" (PDF). Retrieved 28 November 2009.

[110] [69]
McCarthy, p. 44.

[111] [70]
McCarthy, pp. 43–44.

[112] [71]
Willmott, p. 143.

[McCarthy,_p._45-113] [72]
McCarthy, p. 45.

[115] [73]
McCarthy, p. 42, 45.

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Coral_Sea_order_of_battle

Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle

Forces deployed

Japanese Forces

Carrier Striking Force

Invasion Forces

Submarine Force

Air Forces

Allied Forces

Task Force 17

South West Pacific Area

Notes

References

Bibliography

Printed sources

Web

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