Show Battle of Coral Sea Termed First Big Defeat for Japan In the battle of that Island island d ocean known as the Coral sea which is 11 near the Solomon islands and about 1000 miles northeast of Australia Australia Aus Aus- Americas America's first real victory of ot the war with Japan was scored The action occurred on May 4 1942 1042 and called for deeds of ot valor as thrilling as any in all an American history The Coral sea battle was the first great naval defeat ever dealt the Imperial Japanese fleets And yet this thi battle was fought entirely in inthe inthe the air by the planes plane of opposing aircraft carriers The ships engaged in this battle never got lot sight Ight of each other They Thoy slugged it out without firing h a single gun at another ship the ship the first fIrt engagement engagement engagement en en- of its kind in history In Inthis Inthis this first great victory for the U. U S. S in 11 this global war the Japs Jape lost more than 15 ships chips sunk and at least 20 ZO others othera severely dam damaged ged The action perhaps saved liVed Australia from lava Inva sion lion However America paid a high hleb price for her victory in the sultry Coral sea ea In this engagement the aircraft carrier Lexington famed ship that laid the foundation of our on modern modem navys navy's aircraft carrier operations op orations went to the bottom This happened on Ma May 7 1 |