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Naval History and Heritage Command

National Museum of the U.S. Navy

1942: May 7:   Battle of the Coral Sea

On May 7, the Battle of the Coral Sea resumed as Task Force Seventeen (TF 17) intercepted the Japanese intending to invade Port Morseby, New Guinea.   Following a Japanese scout plane report, which misidentified USS Neosho (AO-23) and USS Sims (DD-409) as an aircraft carrier and a cruiser, the Japanese attacked leading Sims to sink and Neosho to drift until sunk by USS Hensley (DD-391) four days later.  Neosho was a victim of 7 direct hits and a suicide dive by one of the bombers, but, at least, shot down four of her attackers.   In return, aircraft from USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Yorktown (CV-5) attacked the Japanese and sank the carrier Shoho off Misima Island.   The battle continued on May 8.

Image:   80-G-17026:   Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho under attack, May 7, 1942.  Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.