The Coral Sea 1942: The First Carrier Battle

Osprey Campaign #214

by Mark E. Stille, John White (Illustrator)

Osprey's study of the Battle of the Coral Sea of World War II (1939-1945), which is unique in the annals of naval history. It is the first battle in which enemy fleets never came within sight of one another. Instead, aircraft launched from carrier decks were sent out to attack the enemy with bombs and torpedoes.

In May of 1942, the Japanese fleet moved on Port Moresby, the last Allied base between Australia and Japan. Forced to respond, the Americans sent two aircraft carriers to protect the base. In the ensuing battle, one American carrier was destroyed and the other severely damaged. However, the Japanese also lost a carrier and decided to withdraw. Although bloody, it proved to be an important strategic victory for the Allies as the Japanese were forced to attempt future attacks on Port Moresby over land. Using the latest research and numerous period photographs, retired USN Commander Mark O. Stille tells the story of this important and unique battle in the Pacific War.

Genres: History, Military History, World War II, Military Fiction, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

Published November 10, 2009

Reviews

[Billy Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most books published by Osprey, the story on the Coral Sea was basically a summary. To be fair you can't do justice to a major battle in less than 100 pages. Still the book contains significant information to be a worthwhile read. Parts of the narrative are well detailed and concise. However, for a clearer understanding and appreciation of the battle, a deeper read from another source will be necessary. Although as a research tool this book contains quite a bit of useful information. I liked the book but accepted it for what it was. A brief overview of a complex story. I had another initial issue with the book itself. While this book contains some very detailed charts and tables, some of it is unreadable as it is hidden in the crease of the book itself. However, the order of battle for a researcher like myself was invaluable.

[Shrike58 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Stille is one of those people from Osprey's stable of writers that I come to appreciate more and more with time, in as much as he has the background (service as a USN intelligence officer and a continuing career as an analyst) to rise above the obvious and offer some original insights. As for this booklet, Stille has two main points. One, the Japanese effort to take Port Moresby in New Guinea was where their efforts to conquer the an imperial exclusion zone in the Pacific began to fall apart, as the available resources began to dwindle. Two, in retrospect, the chances that Ernest King and Chester Nimitz were prepared to take with those resources available to them were highly risky in retrospect. Built on the best available studies at the time, you could do a lot worse if you're looking for an incisive examination of this battle.

[Luis Arturo Mantilla Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yamamoto’s aprehensión after Pearl Harbor proved him right

This portion of World War was a game of David and Goliath, the Japanese started with the upper hand, and reign supreme for few months until the industrial might of USA started to turn the balance into them, after that it was a matter on who’s the one with better , and finally after a battle of attrition with the USA japan succumb in a flashlight. Great read truly recommend it.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in the Osprey series of brief works on warfare. The focus here is the Battle of the Coral Sea, carried out in 1942. As usual, this is a rather brief book, featuring a slender volume. Nonetheless, there is value to this publication.

The book explores the context and actions during the first major carrier battle in history. The Japanese and American navies converged in the Coral Sea for a contest between the respective aircraft carriers--Lexington and Yorktown representing the American carriers and Shokuku, Zuikaku, and light carrier Shoho for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).

The book itself features a chronology leading up to the battle, a thumbnail sketch of the leading commanders for both sides (e.g., Admiral Yamamoto for the IJN and Admirals Nimitz and Fletcher for the Allies, among others), the opposing fleets (including specifications for the carriers), the opposing plans for battle, and then a description of the battle itself.

The Japanese were at a disadvantage,, since they did not have radar (although American radar was hardly deployed with great effectiveness). They also depended too much on an overly complex plan of action. The battle itself featured errors and missed opportunities by both sides.

In the end, though, the battle took place, and the era of the carrier as the dominant warship began.

This is a useful brief introduction to an important battle.

[Philippe]

The book is a factual report of the battle listing the forces that were present as well as the conduct of the battle. It does touch briefly on the consequences of this battle on the Battle of Midway that happened three to four weeks later making this battle a Strategic win for the US while it probably was a tactical win for the Japanese. It is part of a series of factual campaign books published by Osprey.

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great break down of the battle and the tactics used in a truly revolutionary naval battle.