# Battle of the Coral Sea order of battle

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.
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.

## Japanese Forces

Task Force MO
Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue, Commander, Fourth Fleet in light cruiser Kashima anchored at Rabaul

### Carrier Striking Force

Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi in heavy cruise Myōkō
    Carrier Division 5 (Rear Adm. Chūichi Hara, Officer in Tactical Command in Zuikaku)
       2 fleet carriers
          Shōkaku (Capt. Takaji Jōjima)
             Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Kakuichi Takahashi)
                21 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Takumi Hoashi)
                20 Aichi D3A Type 99 "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Masao Yamaguchi)
                19 Nakajima B5N Type 97 "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Tatsuo Ichihara)
          Zuikaku (Capt. Ichihei Yokogawa)
             Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Shigekazu Shimazaki)
                25 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Kiyokuma Okajima)
                22 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Tamotsu Ema)
                20 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Yoshiaki Tsubota)
    Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Takagi in Myōkō)
       2 heavy cruisers
          Both Myoko-class: Myōkō, Haguro
    Destroyer Division 5
       2 destroyers
          Both Fubuki-class: Ushio, Akebono
    Destroyer Division 7
       4 destroyers
          All Hatsuharu / Shiratsuyu-class: Ariake, Yūgure, Shiratsuyu, Shigure
       1 oiler: Tōhō Maru

### Invasion Forces

Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō in heavy cruiser Aoba
    Tulagi Invasion Group
    Rear Admiral Kiyohide Shima in minelayer Okinoshima
       1 transport: Azumasan Maru
          Embarking 400 troops from the 3rd Kure Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) plus a construction detachment from the 7th Establishment Squad.
       2 minelayers: Okinoshima, Kōei Maru
       2 destroyers: Kikuzuki (sunk by air attack 5 May), Yūzuki
       5 minesweepers: Wa #1 (sunk), Wa #2 (sunk), Hagoromo Maru, Noshiro Maru #2, Tama Maru (sunk)
       2 subchasers: Toshi Maru #3, Tama Maru #8
    Support Group/Close Cover Force
    Rear Admiral Kuninori Marumo in light cruiser Tenryū
       Cruiser Division 18 (Rear Adm. Marumo)
          2 light cruisers
             Both Tenryū-class: Tenryū, Tatsuta
       2 seaplane tenders
          Kamikawa Maru
             Air group: 12 aircraft
          Kiyokawa Maru
             Air group (attached)
       3 gunboats: Keijo Maru, Seikai Maru, Nikkai Maru
    Covering Group/Main Body Support Force
    Rear Admiral Gotō in heavy cruiser Aoba
       Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Adm. Gotō)
          4 heavy cruisers: Aoba, Kako, Kinugasa, Furutaka
       1 light carrier Shōhō (sunk by air attack 7 May)
          Air Group (Lt. Kenjirō Nōtomi)
             8 Mitsubishi A6M Zero and 4 Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" fighters (Lt. Nōtomi)
             6 Nakajima B5N Type 97 "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Michitarō Nakamoto)
       1 destroyer: Sazanami
    Port Moresby Invasion Group
    Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka in light cruiser Yūbari
       Transport Unit (Rear Adm. Kōsō Abe)
          5 Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) transports: Mogamigawa Maru, Chōwa Maru, Goyō Maru, Akiba Maru, Shōka Maru.
             Embarking approximately 500 troops from the 3rd Kure SNLF plus construction specialists from the 10th Establishment Squad
          6 Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) transports: Asakasan Maru, China Maru, Mito Maru, Matsue Maru, Taifuku Maru, Hibi Maru
             Embarking South Seas Detachment of approximately 5,000 troops
          5 minesweepers: W-20 (Wa #20), Hagoromo Maru, Noshiro Maru #2, Fumi Maru #2, Seki Maru #3.
          1 minelayer: Tsugaru (Capt. Inagaki Yoshiaki)
          1 salvage tugboat: Woshima
          2 oilers: Hoyo Maru, Irō
       Screen
          1 light cruiser: Yūbari (Capt. Masami Ban)
          6 destroyers: Oite, Asanagi, Uzuki, Mutsuki, Mochizuki, Yayoi
          1 or 2 unidentified patrol boats

### Submarine Force

Captain Noboru Ishizaki
    Patrol/Scouting Group: I-21, I-22, I-24, I-28, I-29
    Raiding Group: Ro-33, Ro-34

### Air Forces

    25th Air Flotilla
    Rear Admiral Sadayoshi Yamada
       4th Air Group (based at Rabaul)
          17 Mitsubishi G4M Type 1 "Betty" land attack bombers
       Tainan Air Group (based at Lae and Rabaul)
          18 Mitsubishi A6M Zero "Zeke"
          6 Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" fighters (Capt. Masahisa Saitō)
       Yokohama Air Group (based at Rabaul, Shortland Islands, and Tulagi)
          12 Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" reconnaissance seaplanes
          9 Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" seaplane fighters
       Genzan Air Group (based at Rabaul)
          25 Mitsubishi G3M Type 96 "Nell" land attack bombers

## Allied Forces
### Task Force 17

Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher in Yorktown
    Carrier Air Group (TG 17.5)
    Rear Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, Officer in Tactical Command (OTC)
       2 fleet carriers
          Yorktown (Capt. Elliott Buckmaster)
             Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Oscar Pederson)
                VF-42: 17 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Charles R. Fenton)
                VB-5: 18 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Wallace C. Short)
                VS-5: 17 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. William O. Burch, Jr.)
                VT-5: 13 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Joe Taylor)
          Lexington (Capt. Frederick C. Sherman) (scuttled 8 May following severe damage from air attack)
             Air Group (Cmdr. William B. Ault†)
                VF-2: 21 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Paul H. Ramsey)
                VB-2: 18 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Weldon L. Hamilton)
                VS-2: 17 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Robert E. Dixon)
                VT-2: 12 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. James H. Brett, Jr.)
       4 destroyers
          All Sims-class (4 × 5-in. main battery)
             Morris (Cmdr. Harry B. Jarrett)
             Anderson (Lt. Cmdr. John K. B. Ginder)
             Hammann (Lt. Cmdr. Arnold E. True)
             Russell (Lt. Cmdr. Glenn R. Hartwig)
    Attack Group (TG 17.2)
    Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid
       5 heavy cruisers
          3 New Orleans-class (9 × 8-in. main battery)
             New Orleans (Capt. Howard H. Good)
             Astoria (Capt. Francis W. Scanland)
             Minneapolis (Capt. Frank J. Lowry)
          1 Portland-class (9 × 8-in. main battery)
             Portland (Capt. Benjamin Perlman)
          1 Northampton-class (9 × 8-in. main battery)
             Chester (Capt. Thomas M. Shock)
       Screen (Capt. Alexander R. Early)
          5 destroyers
             1 Porter-class (8 × 5-in. main battery)
                Phelps (Lt. Cmdr. Edward L. Beck)
             4 Farragut-class (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                Farragut (Cmdr. George P. Hunter)
                Dewey (Lt. Cmdr. Charles F. Chillingworth, Jr.)
                Monaghan (Lt. Cmdr. William P. Burfor
                Aylwin (Lt. Cmdr. Robert H. Rogers)
    Support Group (TG 17.3)
    Rear Admiral John Gregory Crace, RAN
       2 heavy cruisers
          1 Northampton-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): Chicago (Capt. Howard D. Bode)
          1 County-class (8 × 8-in. main battery): Australia (Capt. H. B. Farncomb, RAN)
       1 light cruiser
          1 Leander-class (8 × 6-in. main battery): Hobart (Capt. H. L. Howden, RAN)
       2 destroyers
          1 Mahan-class (5 × 5-in.main battery): Perkins (Lt. Cmdr. Walter C. Ford)
          1 Sims-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Walke (Lt. Cmdr. Thomas E. Fraser)
    Fueling Group (TG 17.6)
    Captain John S. Phillips
       2 oilers
          Neosho (sunk by air attack 7 May), Tippecanoe
       2 destroyers
          Sims (sunk by air attack 7 May) (Lt. Cmdr. Willford M. Hyman†), Worden
    Search Group (TG 17.9)
    Commander George H. DeBaun
       1 seaplane tender
          Tangier
             Patrol Squadron 71 (VP-71): 6 PBY-5 Catalinas
             Patrol Squadron 72 (VP-72): 6 PBY-5 Catalinas

### South West Pacific Area

General Douglas MacArthur
    Allied Naval Forces
    Vice Admiral Herbert F. Leary
       Task Group 42.1 (Capt. Ralph Waldo Christie in submarine tender USS Griffin at Brisbane)
          Subdiv 53 (Lt. Cmdr. Elmer E. Yeomans): S-42, S-43, S-44, S-45, S-46, S-47
          Subdiv 201 (Cmdr. Ralston B. Van Zant): S-37, S-38, S-39, S-40, S-41
       Task Force 44 – temporarily assigned to Task Force 17, see Task Group 17.3 above
    Allied Air Forces
    Lieutenant General George Brett
       United States Army Air Forces
          8th Pursuit Group: 26 P-39 Airacobra fighters at Archerfield, Brisbane
             35th Fighter Squadron at Port Moresby
             36th Fighter Squadron at Port Moresby
          49th Pursuit Group: 90 P-40 Tomahawk fighters at Darwin
             7th Fighter Squadron at Darwin
             8th Fighter Squadron at Darwin
             9th Fighter Squadron at Darwin
          3rd Light Bombardment Group
             8th Light Bombardment Squadron: A-24 Banshee dive bombers at Port Moresby
             13th Light Bombardment Squadron: B-25 Mitchell bombers
             90th Light Bombardment Squadron: B-25 Mitchell bombers
          19th Bombardment Group: 17 Boeing B-17 bombers at Townsville (Lt. Col. Connally (first name unknown))
             30th Bombardment Squadron
             40th Reconnaissance Squadron
             93rd Bombardment Squadron
             435th Bombardment Squadron
          22nd Bombardment Group: 48 Martin B-26 Marauders
       Royal Australian Air Force
          No. 11 Squadron: Consolidated PBY Catalinas
          No. 20 Squadron: PBY Catalinas
          No. 24 Squadron: 3 CAC Wirraways at Townsville
          No. 32 Squadron: Lockheed Hudsons at Port Moresby
          No. 75 Squadron: 3 Curtiss P-40s at Port Moresby
Port Moresby garrison
    Major General B. M. Morris
    Approximately 5,000 troops
       30th Infantry Brigade
          39th Infantry Battalion
          49th Infantry Battalion
          53rd Infantry Battalion
          13th Field Regiment
          23rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery
          Detachment, 1st Independent Company
          30th Infantry Brigade Signal Section
          30th Infantry Brigade HQ Defence Platoon
       Moresby Fixed Defences
          Moresby Fixed Defences Fortress Engineers
          Moresby Fixed Defences Anti-Aircraft Artillery (six 3-inch guns)
       1st Army Troops Company
       7th Field Company
       1st Section, 1st Mechanical Equipment Company
       8th Military District Survey Section
       8th Military District Bomb Disposal Section
       8th Military District Signals
       8th Military District Defence and Employment Company
       New Guinea Volunteer Rifles
       Papuan Infantry Battalion,
       8th Military District Section Intelligence Corps
       15th Supply Personnel Company
       8th Military District Bulk Issue Petrol and Oil Depot
       A Section, 8th Military District Mechanical Transport Company
       Base Hospital
       3rd Field Ambulance
       113th Convalescent Depot
       8th Military District Dental Centre
          45th Dental Unit
          253rd Dental Unit
          256th Dental Unit
          274th Dental Unit
          301st Dental Unit
          421st Dental Unit
       15th Optical Unit
       8th Military District Depot of Medical Stores
       16th Field Hygiene Section
       8th Military District Ordnance Depot
       19th Ordnance Ammunition Section
       109th Infantry Brigade Group Field Workshop
       109th Infantry Brigade Group Ordnance Field Park
       30th Infantry Brigade Provost Platoon
       8th Military District Accounts Office
       8th Military District Postal Unit
       8th Military District Records Office
       8th Military District Stationery Depot
       8th Military District Printing Section
       8th Military District Graves Registration and Inquiries Unit
       8th Military District Laundry and Decontamination Unit
       8th Military District Army Field Bakery
       8th Military District Base Depot
       8th Military District Marine Section
       8th Military District Canteen Services
       8th Military District Training Centre
       Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit