BATTAGLIA NAVALE DEL MAR DEI CORALLI

(BATTLE OF CORAL SEA)

(4-8 MAGGIO 1942)

STORIA DELLA BATTAGLIA NAVALE DEL MAR DEI CORALLI

(HISTORY OF THE NAVAL BATTLE OF CORAL SEA)

LA BATTAGLIA DEL MAR DEI CORALLI - 8 MAGGIO 1942

(TRATTO DA "LA GUERRA DEL PACIFICO" DI B. MILLOT)

(THE NAVAL BATTLE OD CORAL SEA - 8 MAY 1942)

La squadra dell'ammiraglio Takagi continuava a seguire la rotta a nord  quando, alle 6, prima dell'alba, l'ammiraglio Hara lanciò i suoi ricognitori con il compito di esplorare il settore sud-ovest, ove si presumeva fosse la flotta americana.

In base ad una tattica ormai abituale, Hara fece partire la prima ondata di attacco alle 7.15, senza aspettare il risultato delle ricognizioni.

Il comandante Takahashi si diresse a sud-ovest al comando di 69 apparecchi che si suddividevano in 18 caccia Zero, 18 aerosiluranti Kate e 33 bombardieri in picchiata Val.

Verso le 7.25 un messaggio che annunciava stabilito il contatto pervenne stazione radio della Shokaku: la flotta americana si trovava 200 miglia a sud est, in piena zona di bel tempo.

L'informazione venne immediatamente ritrasmessa a Takahashi.

Alle 8.25, poco dopo il decollo dell'ultimo aereo, la forza d'urto nipponica accostò per sud-ovest, nella direzione in cui era stato segnalato il nemico e aumentò la velocità a 30 nodi.

Come si può facilmente immaginare, le tattiche dei due ammiragli ne furono sensibilmente analoghe.

Fletcher, desideroso di conoscere la posizione della forza d'urto nipponica, fece partire dalla Lexington quando si vedevano all'orizzonte le prime luci dell'alba, alle 6.25, 18 apparecchi da ricognizione Dauntless.

Nella vasta zona che questi apparecchi avevano il compito di esplorare doveva trovarsi necessariamente la flotta nemica.

Era quanto Fletcher sperava ardentemente, ed egli non riuscì a nascondere la propria impazienza, che si tramutò del resto in inquietudine, allorchè egli seppe, un' ora dopo, di essere osservato da un aereo giapponese il quale si mantenne fuor di portata della contraerea e riuscì a sfuggire a tutti gli attacchi dei Wildcat di protezione.

Avere la certezza di essere stato scoperto e non sapere nulla dell'avversario divenne per Fletcher un vero e proprio tormento.

Soltanto alle 8.38 l'insopportabile silenzio radio fu interrotto.

Un pilota segnalò la flotta nemica 175 miglia a nord-est. Fletcher non esitò un attimo e diede l'ordine di attacco.

Alle 8.40 decollarono i primi aerei.

Mezz' ora dopo, 39 apparecchi dalla Yorktown e 43 dalla Lexington si stavano dirigendo verso il punto segnalato.

Comprendevano 46 bombardieri Dauntless, 21 aerosiluranti Devastator e 15 caccia Wildcat.

Un altro Dauntless da ricognizione si diresse verso il settore segnalato e, alle 9.30, avvistò a sua volta la flotta nipponica, ma la situò 45 miglia, a nord della posizione precedentemente annunciata.

Questo errore di valutazione del pilota del primo Dauntless ebbe conseguenze assai incresciose, come vedremo in seguito.

Se la flotta americana navigava da oltre dodici ore in una zona di bel tempo, sotto il cielo perfettamente sereno, le navi giapponesi, invece si trovavano al limite di una grande depressione ed erano nascoste a intermittenza da nuvole e da piovaschi.

Verso le 10.40 gli apparecchi della Yorktown scorsero, tra due nubi, la flotta nemica che navigava suddivisa in due gruppi disposti intorno ad ognuna delle portaerei, lontani un po' meno di 10 miglia l'uno dall'altro.

Quando il comandante del V gruppo aerosiluranti diede l'ordine di attacco, alle 11.57, la Shokaku stava uscendo in piena luce da dietro lo schermo di nubi, mentre la Zuikaku scompariva completamente in un piovasco.

I 9 aerosiluranti discesero a bassissima quota, ma il coraggio e la risolutezza di cui davano prova erano mal serviti da un tipo di siluro troppo lento e che talora non esplodeva affatto.

Inoltre, infastiditi da gli Zero di protezione, lanciarono gli ordigni troppo da lontano e nessuno di essi raggiunse il bersaglio.

Fu una grande delusione per gli americani, che si aspettavano molto da questo attacco.

Gli aerosiluranti furono seguiti immediatamente dai bombardieri in picchiata, i quali non ebbero molta più fortuna, in quanto, su 24 bombc sganciate, 2 soltanto colpirono la Shokaku, una a prora e l'altra a poppa a dritta del ponte di volo, rendendolo inutilizzabile e causando un violento incendio.

Gli aerosiluranti della Lexington non trovarono l'obiettivo perchè volavano in base ai dati del primo messaggio di avvistamento. Iniziarono ricerche e avvistarono il nemico soltanto alle 11.40.

Nel frattempo, Dauntless della Lexington perdettero ore preziose nelle esplorazioni c dovettero invertire la rotta avendo raggiunto il limite di carburante necessario per il ritorno.

Il secondo attacco, pertanto, fu effettuato soltanto da un piccolo numero di aerei.

Mentre gli 11 aerosiluranti si portavano alla quota di lancio, 3 Wildcat precipitarono tentando di proteggere i bombardieri.

Una volta di più i siluri lanciati delusero, poichè le navi giapponesi riuscirono facilmente a schivarli tutti.

I 4 Dauntless ancora in condizioni di combattere poterono piazzare sulla Shokaku una bomba che causò gravi danni, senza però condannare la nave.

Una parte dei suoi apparecchi fu allora trasferita sulla Zuikaku, mentre le squadre di sicurezza riuscivano a domare gli incendi.

Alle 13 la portaerei Shokaku, in avaria, si diresse verso Truk, e successivamente in Giappone, per le riparazioni necessarie.

È lecito pensare, alla luce delle testimonianze, sia giapponesi sia americane, che se i Dauntless della Lexington avessero potuto attaccare tutti, la Shokaku sarebbe probabilmente affondata; infatti, gli incendi causati dalle tre sole bombe giunte a segno, avevano sfiorato le riserve di benzina avio della portaerei, e qualche altra bomba sarebbe certo riuscita ad avere ragione dell'unità.

Anche in questo caso, l'assenza dei bombardieri in picchiata americani fu causata direttamente dall'errore di calcolo relativo alla posizione delle navi giapponesi al momento della prima segnalazione di scoperta delle 8.38.

Ma torniamo indietro, al momento in cui la squadra americana era certa di dover far fronte a un attacco aereo analogo a quello che essa stessa aveva lanciato.

Erano le 10.30, il traffico radio giapponese e le informazioni trasmesse dai ricognitori non lasciavano dubbi.

Il capitano di vascello Sherman, comandante della Lexington, avverti gli equipaggi che bisognava aspettarsi un attacco aereo verso le I1. Alle 10.55 il radar segnalò l'avvicinarsi dei giapponesi e le due portaerei fecero partire 14 Wildcat per intercettare gli attaccanti. La squadra americana accostò per nord-ovest e portò la velocità a 30 nodi.

Le due forze contrapposte correvano ormai a tutta forza l'una verso l'altra.

I rispettivi ammiragli avevano cosi deciso per abbreviare il volo di ritorno dei loro gruppi aerei.

L'ammiraglio Fitch aveva inoltre fatto decollare 23 Dauntless allo scopo, anzitutto, di sottrarli alla distruzione sui ponti di volo e, successivamente, di lanciarli. all'attacco degli aerosiluranti giapponesi, più lenti di loro.

I Wildcat di protezione vennero ben presto sopraffatti dal numero e dalla qualità dei caccia nipponici e la flotta americana, in pratica, fu difesa soltanto dalla propria artiglieria contraerea.

L'attacco giapponese fu sferrato alle 11.18, con l'avvicinarsi a prua di numerosi aerosiluranti che lanciarono, tra 15 e 60 metri di quota, i loro eccellenti siluri veloci propulsi ad ossigeno.

La grande Lexington compì una pesante evoluzione e riuscì ad evitare una prima ondata di 11 ordigni; ma, alle 11.20, fu colpita da 2 o 3 siluri, l'uno di prora a sinistra, e 102 sotto l' isola

Al contempo, i bombardieri Val si gettarono in picchiata, con il sole alle spalle, sui loro obiettivi e la Lexington incassò, quasi contemporaneamente, una bomba che esplose in un deposito dì munizioni da 127 mm. e un'altra che devastò il blocco dell'isola  accanto al fumaiolo.

Numerose altre bombe, cadendo vicinissime allo scafo, dilaniarono le lamiere in vari punti.  La sirena di bordo, messa in azione da una scheggia di bomba, aumentò ulteriormente il frastuono apocalittico della battaglia.

Nel frattempo, la Yorktown non era stata risparmiata e, alle 11.18 venne anch'essa presa di mira dagli aerosituranti giapponesi.  Con le sue qualità evolutive superiori a quelle della Lexington, la Yorktown riusci a evitare gli 8 siluri che le erano stati destinati.

Il suo comandante, capitano di vascello Buckmaster, fece miracoli; ma, alle 11.40, non riuscì a fronteggiare del tutto l'attacco dei bombardieri in picchiata Val: una bomba da 800 libbre colpì il ponte di volo vicinissimo alla plancia e penetrò, come una meteora, fino al quarto ponte, ove esplose.

Vi furono più di 70 morti e scoppiò un incendio violentissimo.  Un fumo denso sfuggiva dallo squarcio nel ponte di volo, come se si fosse trattato di un secondo fumaiolo.  Altre 2 bombe caddero contro lo scafo, ma non misero in pericolo la capacità di combattimento dell'unità.

La Yorktown poteva ancora accogliere a bordo e far decollare i propri aerei, e mantenere una velocità di 24 nodi.  Le squadre antincendio della nave riuscirono a domare le fiamme e a chiudere la falla nel ponte senza che la Yorktown abbandonasse il proprio posto nella Task Force.

Alle 11.40 la battaglia si concluse.

La Lexington, colpita più gravemente, era sbandata di 7 gradi.

Tre delle caldaie risultavano allagate in parte e infuriavano a bordo numerosi incendi che non si riusciva a domare.

Ma l'equipaggio continuò a compiere sforzi sovrumani e, verso le 12.30, si poteva essere ottimisti: gli incendi erano notevolmente meno intensi, gli uomini avevano chiuso le falle nel ponte e nello scafo, la nave era stata raddrizzata grazie ai travasi di carburante nei depositi nafta e il ponte di volo poteva nuovamente accogliere gli aerei.

La Lexington era ferita ma poteva essere salvata. 

Tutto stava andando quindi per il meglio quando, alle 12.47, una gigantesca scossa fece sussultare tutta la nave.

Molti uomini credettero che la portaerei fosse stata colpita da numerosi siluri contemporaneamente, sostennero che si era trattato di qualcosa di simile a un terremoto violentissimo.

Si trattava, purtroppo, di tutt'altro.

Uno dei siluri giapponesi  aveva sfondato, senza che l'equipaggio se ne rendesse conto, un serbatoio di benzina avio e i gas esplosivi si erano infiltrati in tutta la nave.

Una volta diffusisi nel locale generatori, le scintille elettriche avevano causato il dramma.

La Lexington parve sul punto di sfasciarsi nella deflagrazione.

Alle 14.14 la nave procedeva sempre a 25 nodi, ma, poco le squadre antincendio furono sconfitte dalla violenza delle fiamme e un locale dopo l'altro, dovettero rinunciare a combattere il fuoco.

Alle 14.45 vi fu, nei locali macchine, una violenta esplosione che distrusse i ventilatori e costrinse a ridurre la velocità.

Una ventina di apparecchi che non avevano ancora appontato raggiunsero la Yorktown, mentre il cacciatorpediniere Morris veniva ad assistere la Lexington agonizzante.

Alle 15.15 apparve ovvio che non sarebbe più possibile salvare la nave.

Esplosioni, sebbene meno violente, continuavano a determinarsi e i depositi di munizioni e di siluri per aerei avevano raggiunto la temperatura critica di 60 gradi.

La portaerei poteva saltare in aria da un momento all'altro.

Il comandante Sherman diede di aprire le prese di allagamento delle macchine e, alle 16.30, si fermò per consentire lo sgombero dei feriti.

Tutto si svolse con un ordine e una disciplina straordinari; alle 17.07 venne impartito l'ordine di abbandonare la nave.

Il contrammiraglio Kinkaid, a bordo dell'incrociatore pesante Minneapolis, assecondato dai cacciatorpediniere Morris, Anderson e Hammam, diresse le operazioni di salvataggio e prese a bordo l'equipaggio e lo stato maggiore della Lexington.

La portaerei continuò ad essere scossa da esplosioni, ma rimase a galla.

Alle 20 il cacciatorpediniere Phelps ricevette l'ordine penoso di finire con i siluri la grande unità.

Lady Lex (nomignolo affettuoso dato alla nella marina) sussultò un'ultima volta e si inabissò di prora negli abissi.

I cadaveri di 216 uomini dell'equipaggio furono inghiottiti insieme ad essa, mentre 2735 tra marinai e ufficiali si salvarono.

THE NAVAL BATTLE OF COARL SEA - 8 MAY 1942

Admiral Takagi's team kept on following the rout to north when, at 6 o'clock, before the dawn, the admiral Hara launched his/her scouts with the assignment to explore the sector southwest, where he supposed pits the American fleet.

In base to a tactic by now usual, Hara made to depart the first wave of attack at 7.15 o'clock, without waiting for the result of the recognitions.

The commander Takahashi directed him southwest to the command of 69 instruments that you/they were divided in 18 fighters Zero, 18 aerosilurantis Kate and 33 bombardiers in beaten Val.

Toward the 7.25 a message that announced established the contact reached station radio of the Shokaku: the American fleet was found 200 south east miles, in the full zone of beautiful time. Admiral Takagi's team kept on following the rout to north when, at 6 o'clocks, before the dawn, the admiral Hara launched his/her scouts with the assignment to explore the sector southwest, where he supposed pits the American fleet.

In basic to tactic by now usual, Hara made to depart the first wave of attack at 7.15 o'clocks, without waiting for the result of the recognitions.

The commander Takahashi directed him southwest to the command of 69 instrumentses that you/they were divided in 18 fighterses Zero, 18 aerosilurantises Kate and 33 bombardierses in beaten Val.

Toward the 7.25 to message that announced established the contact reached station I remove of the Shokaku: the American fleet was found 200 south east miles, in the full zones of beautiful time.

The information was immediately rebroadcasted to Takahashi.

At 8.25 o'clocks, shortly after the take-off of the last airplane, the strength massive of nipponica approached for southwest in the direction in which the enemy had been signalled and it increased the speed to 30 knotses.

As he Khan easily imagine, the tactics of the two admirals were sensitively of it analogous.

Fletcher, desirous to know the position of the strength massive of nipponica, made to depart from the Lexington when they were seen to the horizon the first lights of the dawn, at 6.25 o'clocks, 18 recognitions instruments Dauntless.

In the vast zones that these instruments had the assignment to explore it had to necessarily be himself/herself/themselves the hostile fleet.

It was how much Fletcher passionately hoped, and he didn't succeed in hiding his/her own impatience, that transformed him after all in restlessness, when he knew, to' now later, to be observed by to Japanese airplane which he maintained fuor of course of the anti-aircraft one and he/she succeeded in escaping all the attacks of the Wildcat of protection.

Possession the certainty to have been open and not to know anything of the adversary became for Fletcher to real torment.

Only at 8.38 o'clocks the unbearable silence I remove was interrupted.

To pilot signalled the fleet hostile 175 northeastses miles. Fletcher didn't hesitate an instant and gave the order of attack.

At 8.40 o'clocks they took off the first airplanes.

Mezz' now later, 39 instrumentses from the Yorktown and 43 from the Lexington he was directing toward the signalled point.

They understood 46 bombardierses Dauntless, 21 aerosilurantises Devastator and 15 fighterses Wildcat.

Another recognition Dauntless directed him toward the signalled sector and, at 9.30 o'clocks, it sighted in turn the fleet nipponica, but it placed her/it 45 mileses, to north of the position previously announced.

This error of evaluation of the pilot of the first Dauntless had to great deal regrettable consequences, as we will see subsequently.

If the American fleet sailed from over twelve hours in to zones of beautiful time, under serene the sky perfectly, the Japanese ships, were found instead to the limit of to great depression and they were hidden to intermittence from clouds and from piovaschi.

Toward the 10.40 the instruments of the Yorktown perceived, among two clouds, the hostile fleet that sailed divided in two groups had around to each the aircraft carriers, distant burdens less than 10 mileses the one from the other.

When the commander of the V group aerosiluranti gave the order of attack, at 11.57 o'clocks, the Shokaku was going out in full light from behind the screen of clouds, while the Zuikaku disappeared completely in to squall.

The 9 aerosilurantises came down to low rates but the courage and the resoluteness of which you/they gave test they were ache served too much by to type of slow torpedo and that it didn't explode at all sometimes.

Besides bothered by him Zero of protection, they launched to make too much the devices from ninth and of them reached the target.

It was to great disappointment for the Americans, that were waited to lot by this attack.

The aerosilurantis were immediately followed by the bombardiers in beaten, which didn't have to lot of dark fortunes, in how much, on 24 unhookeds bombcs, only 2 strucks the Shokaku, one to bow and the other to stern to right-hand of the bridge of flight, making him/it unusable and causing to violent fire.

The aerosilurantis of the Lexington didn't find the objective because they flew in basic to the dates of the first message of sighting. They began searches and they sighted only the enemy at 11.40 o'clocks.

In the meantime, Dauntless of the Lexington perdettero precious times in the explorations c had to reverse the rout having reached the limit of necessary fuel for the return.

The second attack, therefore, was effected only by to small number of airplanes.

While the 11 aerosilurantises brought him to the rates of throwing, 3 Wildcat they fell trying to protect the bombardiers.

Ounces the launched torpedos dark disappointed, since the Japanese ships easily succeeded in shunning them everybody.

The 4 Dauntless anchors under conditions to fight you/they could place on the Shokaku to bomb that caused serious damages, without however to condemn the ship.

To part of its instruments was transferred then on the Zuikaku, while the safety teams succeeded in taming the fires.

At 13 o'clocks the aircraft carrier Shokaku, in damage, it directed him toward Truk, and subsequently in Japan, for the necessary reparations.

It is permissible to think, to the light of the testimonies both Japanese both American, that if the Dauntless of the Lexington had been able to attach all, the Shokaku would probably be sunk; in fact, the fires had been causing for the three sun bombs reached sign, had grazed the reserves of gasoline avio of the aircraft carrier, and burdens other bomb would be certain result to be right for the unity.

Also in this houses, the absence of the bombardiers in beaten American you/he/she was directly caused by the computational error related to the position of the Japanese ships during the first signaling of discovery of the 8.38.

But we return back, to the moment in which the American team was certain to have to torch an aerial attack analogous to that that it same you/he/she had launched.

They were the 10.30, the traffic I remove Japanese and the information transmitted by the scouts didn't leave doubts.

The captain of vessel Sherman, commander of the Lexington, warns the crews that it needed to wait him for an aerial attack toward the I1s. At 10.55 o'clocks the radar signalled the to draw near of the Japanese and the two aircraft carriers they made to depart 14 Wildcat to intercept the attackers. The American team approached for northwest and brought the speed to 30 knotses.

Two contrasted strengths raced by now to all strength the one verse the other.

The respective admirals had I know you define to shorten the return flight of their aerial groups.

The admiral Fitch had made besides to take off 23 Dauntless to the purpose, indeed, to escape them to the destruction on the bridges of flight and, subsequently, to launch them. to the attack of the Japanese aerosilurantis, slower than them.

The Wildcat of protection came well soon overpowered from the number and from the quality of the fighters nipponici and the American fleet, in practice, you/he/she was defended only by his/her own anti-aircraft artillery.

The Japanese attack was sferrato at 11.18 o'clocks, with to draw near to bow of numerous aerosiluranti that launched, between 15 and 60 meters rates, their excellent fast torpedos propelled to oxygen.

The great Lexington performed to heavy evolution and succeeded in avoiding to first wave of 11 deviceses; but, at 11.20 o'clocks, it was stricken from 2 or 3 torpedoses, the one of bow to the left, and 102 under isolated the

To the meantime, the bombardiers you Go they were thrown in beaten, with the sun to the shoulders, on their objectives and the Lexington it boxed, almost contemporarily, to bomb that exploded in to deposit day ammunition from 127 mmses. and another that devastated the block of the island close to the chimney.

Numerous other bombs, falling near to the hull, they tore to pieces the plates in various points.

The siren of edge, put in action by to splinter of bomb, it subsequently increased the apocalyptic noise of the battle.

In the meantime, the Yorktown had not been saved and, at 11.18 o'clocks it came also aimed at by the Japanese aerositurantis.

With his/her superior evolutionary qualities to those of the Lexington, the Yorktown succeeded in avoiding the 8 torpedoses that had been destined her.

His/her commander, captain of vessel Buckmaster, made miracles; but, at 11.40 o'clocks, it didn't succeed in facing entirely the attack of the bombardiers in beaten Val: to bomb from 800 poundses struck the bridge of near flight to the bridge and penetrated, as to meteor, up to the fourth bridge, where exploded.

There dark were than 70 corpseses and it bursted to violent fire.

To dense smoke escaped from The tears him/it in the bridge of flight, as if you/he/she had dealt with to second chimney.

Other 2 bombses fell against the hull, but they didn't put in danger the ability of fight of the unity.

The Yorktown was able he/she anchors to welcome on board and to make to take off his/her own airplanes, and to maintain to speed of 24 knotses.

The teams fireproof of the ship they succeeded in taming the flames and to close the leak in the bridge without the Yorktown abandoned the really place in the Task Force.

At 11.40 o'clocks the battle him concluded.

The Lexington, stricken it dark was seriously stray of 7 degreeses.

Three of the boilers resulted you flood partly and they raged on board numerous fires that he didn't succeed in taming.

But the crew kept on completing superhuman efforts and, toward the 12.30, you/he/she could be been optimist: the fires were intense notably, the men had closed the leaks in the bridge and in the hull, the ship you/he/she had been straightened thanks to the you decant of fuel in the deposits naphtha and the bridge of flight you/he/she could again welcome the airplanes.

The Lexington was wounded but it could be saved.

Everything was going therefore for the best when, at 12.47 o'clocks, to gigantic shake made to start the whole ship.

Many men credettero that the aircraft carrier had contemporarily been stricken from numerous torpedos, they sustained that you/he/she was treated of something similar to violent earthquake.

You treated, unfortunately, of all other.

One of the Japanese torpedos had broken down, without the crew if it realized of it, to reservoir of gasoline avio and the explosive gases had infiltrated in the whole ship.

Ounces spread him in the place generating, the electric sparks had caused the play.

The Lexington seemed on the point to unswathe him in the deflagrating.

At 14.14 o'clocks the ship always proceeded to 25 knotses, but, few the teams fireproof you/they were defeated by the violence of the flames and to place after the other, they had to give up fighting the fire.

At 14.45 o'clocks there was, in the local cars, to violent explosion that destroyed the fans and he/she forced to legionary the speed.

About twenty instruments that it didn't have appontato yet they reached the Yorktown, while the destroyer Morris came to assist the Lexington agonizzante.

At 15.15 o'clocks it appeared obvious that would not dark be possible to save the ship.

Explosions, although less violent, kept on resolving him and the deposits of ammunition and torpedos for airplanes you/they had reached the critical temperatures of 60 degreeses.

The aircraft carrier could jump in air from to moment to the other.

The commander Sherman gave to open the takings of flood of the cars and, at 16.30 o'clocks, you/he/she stopped him to allow the sgombero of the wounded.

All developed him with an order disciplines and extraordinary; at 17.07 o'clocks the order was imparted to abandon the ship.

The rear-admiral Kinkaid, on board of the heavy cruiser Minneapolis, favored by the destroyer Morris, Anderson and Hammam, it directed the lifesaving operations and takings on board the crew and the most greater of the Lexington.

The aircraft carrier continued to be shaken from explosions, but he/she was floating.

To the 20 the destroyer Phelps received the order pain to end with the torpedos the great unity.

Lady Lex (nickname affectionate datum to the in the harbor) to last time started and was sunk of bow in the abysses.

The dead bodies of 216 mens of the crew were swallowed together to it, while 2735 between sailors and officers were saved.

The information was immediately rebroadcasted to Takahashi.

At 8.25 o'clock, shortly after the take-off of the last airplane, the strength of massive nipponica approached for southwest in the direction in which the enemy had been signalled and it increased the speed to 30 knots.

As he can easily imagine, the tactics of the two admirals were sensitively of it analogous.

Fletcher, desirous to know the position of the strength of massive nipponica, made to depart from the Lexington when they were seen to the horizon the first lights of the dawn, at 6.25 o'clock, 18 recognition instruments Dauntless.

In the vast zone that these instruments had the assignment to explore it had to necessarily be himself/herself/themselves the hostile fleet.

It was how much Fletcher passionately hoped, and he didn't succeed in hiding his/her own impatience, that transformed him after all in restlessness, when he knew, a' now later, to be observed by a Japanese airplane which he maintained fuor of course of the anti-aircraft one and he/she succeeded in escaping all the attacks of the Wildcat of protection.

Possession the certainty to have been open and not to know anything of the adversary became for Fletcher a real torment.

Only at 8.38 o'clock the unbearable silence radio was interrupted.

A pilot signalled the fleet hostile 175 northeasts miles. Fletcher didn't hesitate an instant and gave the order of attack.

At 8.40 o'clock they took off the first airplanes.

Mezz' now later, 39 instruments from the Yorktown and 43 from the Lexington he was directing toward the signalled point.

They understood 46 bombardiers Dauntless, 21 aerosilurantis Devastator and 15 fighters Wildcat.

Another recognition Dauntless directed him toward the signalled sector and, at 9.30 o'clock, it sighted in turn the fleet nipponica, but it placed her/it 45 miles, to north of the position previously announced.

This error of evaluation of the pilot of the first Dauntless had a great deal regrettable consequences, as we will see subsequently.

If the American fleet sailed from over twelve hours in a zone of beautiful time, under the serene sky perfectly, the Japanese ships, were found instead to the limit of a great depression and they were hidden to intermittence from clouds and from piovaschi.

Toward the 10.40 the instruments of the Yorktown perceived, among two clouds, the hostile fleet that sailed divided in two groups had around to each the aircraft carriers, distant some less than 10 miles the one from the other.

When the commander of the V group aerosiluranti gave the order of attack, at 11.57 o'clock, the Shokaku was going out in full light from behind the screen of clouds, while the Zuikaku disappeared completely in a squall.

The 9 aerosilurantis came down to low quota but the courage and the resoluteness of which you/they gave test they were ache served too much by a type of slow torpedo and that it didn't explode at all sometimes.

Besides bothered by him Zero of protection, they launched far too much the devices from and none of them reached the target.

It was a great disappointment for the Americans, that were waited a lot by this attack.

The aerosilurantis were immediately followed by the bombardiers in beaten, which didn't have a lot of more fortune, in how much, on 24 unhooked bombcs, only 2 struck the Shokaku, one to bow and the other to stern to right-hand of the bridge of flight, making him/it unusable and causing a violent fire.

The aerosilurantis of the Lexington didn't find the objective because they flew in base to the data of the first message of sighting. They began searches and they sighted only the enemy at 11.40 o'clock.

In the meantime, Dauntless of the Lexington perdettero precious times in the explorations c had to reverse the rout having reached the limit of necessary fuel for the return.

The second attack, therefore, was effected only by a small number of airplanes.

While the 11 aerosilurantis brought him to the quota of throwing, 3 Wildcat they fell trying to protect the bombardiers.

Once the launched torpedos disappointed more, since the Japanese ships easily succeeded in shunning them everybody.

The 4 Dauntless anchors under conditions to fight you/they could place on the Shokaku a bomb that caused serious damages, without however to condemn the ship.

A part of its instruments was transferred then on the Zuikaku, while the safety teams succeeded in taming the fires.

At 13 o'clock the aircraft carrier Shokaku, in damage, it directed him toward Truk, and subsequently in Japan, for the necessary reparations.

It is permissible to think, to the light of the testimonies both Japanese both American, that if the Dauntless of the Lexington had been able to attach all, the Shokaku would probably be sunk; in fact, the fires had been causing for the three sun bombs reached sign, had grazed the reserves of gasoline avio of the aircraft carrier, and some other bomb would be certain result to be right for the unity.

Also in this case, the absence of the bombardiers in beaten American you/he/she was directly caused by the computational error related to the position of the Japanese ships during the first signaling of discovery of the 8.38.

But we return back, to the moment in which the American team was certain to have to face an aerial attack analogous to that that it same you/he/she had launched.

They were the 10.30, the traffic radio Japanese and the information transmitted by the scouts didn't leave doubts.

The captain of vessel Sherman, commander of the Lexington, warns the crews that it needed to wait him for an aerial attack toward the I1s. At 10.55 o'clock the radar signalled the to draw near of the Japanese and the two aircraft carriers they made to depart 14 Wildcat to intercept the attackers. The American team approached for northwest and brought the speed to 30 knots.

Two contrasted strengths raced by now to all strength the one verse the other.

The respective admirals had so definite to shorten the return flight of their aerial groups.

The admiral Fitch had made besides to take off 23 Dauntless to the purpose, indeed, to escape them to the destruction on the bridges of flight and, subsequently, to launch them. to the attack of the Japanese aerosilurantis, slower than them.

The Wildcat of protection came well soon overpowered from the number and from the quality of the fighters nipponici and the American fleet, in practice, you/he/she was defended only by his/her own anti-aircraft artillery.

The Japanese attack was sferrato at 11.18 o'clock, with to draw near to bow of numerous aerosiluranti that launched, between 15 and 60 meters quota, their excellent fast torpedos propelled to oxygen.

The great Lexington performed a heavy evolution and succeeded in avoiding a first wave of 11 devices; but, at 11.20 o'clock, it was stricken from 2 or 3 torpedos, the one of bow to the left, and 102 under the isolate

To the meantime, the bombardiers you Go they were thrown in beaten, with the sun to the shoulders, on their objectives and the Lexington it boxed, almost contemporarily, a bomb that exploded in a deposit day ammunition from 127 mms. and another that devastated the block of the island close to the chimney.

Numerous other bombs, falling near to the hull, they tore to pieces the plates in various points.

The siren of edge, put in action by a splinter of bomb, it subsequently increased the apocalyptic noise of the battle.

In the meantime, the Yorktown had not been saved and, at 11.18 o'clock it came also aimed at by the Japanese aerositurantis.

With his/her superior evolutionary qualities to those of the Lexington, the Yorktown succeeded in avoiding the 8 torpedos that had been destined her.

His/her commander, captain of vessel Buckmaster, made miracles; but, at 11.40 o'clock, he/she didn't succeed in facing entirely the attack of the bombardiers in beaten Val: a bomb from 800 pounds struck the bridge of near flight to the bridge and penetrated, as a meteor, up to the fourth bridge, where exploded.

There were more than 70 corpses and it bursted a violent fire.

A dense smoke escaped from I tear him/it in the bridge of flight, as if you/he/she had dealt with a second chimney.

Other 2 bombs fell against the hull, but they didn't put in danger the ability of fight of the unity.

The Yorktown was able he/she anchors to welcome on board and to make to take off his/her own airplanes, and to maintain a speed of 24 knots.

The teams fireproof of the ship they succeeded in taming the flames and to close the leak in the bridge without the Yorktown abandoned the really place in the Task Force.

At 11.40 o'clock the battle him concluded.

The Lexington, stricken it was more seriously stray of 7 degrees.

Three of the boilers resulted you flood partly and they raged on board numerous fires that he didn't succeed in taming.

But the crew kept on completing superhuman efforts and, toward the 12.30, you/he/she could be been optimist: the fires were notably intense, the men had closed the leaks in the bridge and in the hull, the ship you/he/she had been straightened thanks to the you decant of fuel in the deposits naphtha and the bridge of flight you/he/she could again welcome the airplanes.

The Lexington was wounded but you/he/she could be salvata. 

Everything was going therefore for the best when, at 12.47 o'clock, a gigantic shake made to start the whole ship.

Many men credettero that the aircraft carrier had contemporarily been stricken from numerous torpedos, they sustained that you/he/she was treated of something similar to a violent earthquake.

You treated, unfortunately, of all other.

One of the Japanese torpedos had broken down, without the crew if it realized of it, a reservoir of gasoline avio and the explosive gases had infiltrated in the whole ship.

Once spread him in the place generating, the electric sparks had caused the play.

The Lexington seemed on the point to unswathe him in the deflagrating.

At 14.14 o'clock the ship always proceeded to 25 knots, but, few the teams fireproof you/they were defeated by the violence of the flames and a place after the other, they had to give up fighting the fire.

At 14.45 o'clock there was, in the local cars, a violent explosion that destroyed the fans and he/she forced to reduce the speed.

About twenty instruments that you/they didn't have appontato yet they reached the Yorktown, while the destroyer Morris came to assist the Lexington agonizzante.

At 15.15 o'clock it appeared obvious that would not be more possible to save the ship.

Explosions, although less violent, kept on resolving him and the deposits of ammunition and torpedos for airplanes you/they had reached the critical temperature of 60 degrees.

The aircraft carrier could jump in air from a moment to the other.

The commander Sherman gave to open the takings of flood of the cars and, at 16.30 o'clock, you/he/she stopped him to allow the sgombero of the wounded.

All developed him with an order and a discipline extraordinary; at 17.07 o'clock the order was imparted to abandon the ship.

The rear-admiral Kinkaid, on board of the heavy cruiser Minneapolis, favored by the destroyer Morris, Anderson and Hammam, it directed the lifesaving operations and takings on board the crew and the most greater state of the Lexington.

The aircraft carrier continued to be shaken from explosions, but it was floating.

To the 20 the destroyer Phelps received the order pain to end with the torpedos the great unity.  Lady Lex (nickname affectionate datum to the in the harbor) a last time started and was sunk of bow in the abysses.

The dead bodies of 216 men of the crew were swallowed together to it, while 2735 between sailors and officers were saved.

BATTAGLIA NAVALE DEL MAR DEI CORALLI (NAVAL BATTLE OF CORAL SEA)

LE PIU' GRANDI BATTAGLIE NAVALI (NAVAL BATTLES)

NAVI DA GUERRA / WARSHIPS AND BATTLESHIPS

PORTAEREI NELLA STORIA / AIRCRAFT CARRIER

LE PIU' GRANDI BATTAGLIE NAVALI - NAVAL BATTLES - BATTAGLIA NAVALE DEL MAR DEI CORALLI - NAVAL BATTLE OF CORAL SEA- -