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4 May in military history: Battle of the Coral Sea begins, 1942

Military history · 4 May · World War II, PacificFull calendar

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Black and white photograph taken from a carrier deck: the dark silhouette of an aircraft carrier sails across a glittering sea under a pale sky, while the folded wings of aircraft fill the lower left corner.
An aircraft carrier at sea, photographed from the flight deck of another carrier. Public domain. U.S. Navy photograph, via Wikimedia Commons.
Quick answer

On 4 May 1942 aircraft from the carrier USS Yorktown attacked Japanese ships at Tulagi, in the Solomon Islands, opening the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first battle fought between aircraft carriers. On 4 May 1799 the army of George Harris stormed Seringapatam, where Tipu Sultan was killed, and in 1471 Edward IV won at Tewkesbury.

The Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942: the first carrier battle

4 to 8 May 1942 · 84 years ago

The Battle of the Coral Sea, 4 to 8 May 1942, was the first carrier-versus-carrier battle in history, fought entirely by aircraft while the fleets stayed out of sight of each other. Japan sank more tonnage, including the US carrier Lexington, so the day was a tactical draw or slight Japanese edge.

Read the full story of The Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942: the first carrier battle ›

Battle of Tewkesbury, 1471: the day the House of Lancaster lost its heir

4 May 1471 · 555 years ago

Edward IV and the Yorkists caught the Lancastrian army at Tewkesbury as it tried to reach Wales, in a decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses. The Lancastrian heir Edward of Westminster was killed, and Henry VI died in the Tower soon after.

Read the full story of Battle of Tewkesbury, 1471: the day the House of Lancaster lost its heir ›

Frequently asked questions

When was the Battle of the Coral Sea?

From 4 to 8 May 1942, by the dates of the Australian War Memorial and the U.S. Navy's 1943 Combat Narrative. It opened on 4 May with a strike by aircraft from USS Yorktown on Japanese ships at Tulagi, and the two carrier forces struck at each other on 8 May.

Why was the Battle of the Coral Sea fought?

Japan prepared to invade Port Moresby in New Guinea and to move into the Solomon Islands. Allied intelligence uncovered the plan, and the Allies answered with a force built around the carriers Yorktown and Lexington.

Who won the Battle of the Coral Sea?

Accounts differ. Gill, the Australian official naval historian, calls it a tactical victory for the Japanese but a strategic victory for the Allies; Samuel J. Cox calls it a tactical draw and a strategic victory for the United States. The Japanese lost the light carrier Shoho, the Americans the carrier Lexington, and the invasion of Port Moresby was postponed.

Why is the Coral Sea called the first carrier battle?

The issue was decided by carrier aircraft alone: the opposing surface ships never came within sight of each other and never exchanged a shot.

What happened at Seringapatam on 4 May 1799?

The army of Lieutenant-general George Harris stormed the fortress, and Tipu Sultan was killed in one of its gateways.

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