May 6, 1942: Coral Sea

On 6 May, VADM Fletcher combined Lexington (TF 11) and the cruiser/destroyer force into TF 17 (Yorktown). He believed the Japanese carriers were well to the north near Bougainville. Reconnaissance patrols failed to locate any of the Japanese naval forces, because they were located beyond scouting range.


At 10:00, a Kawanishi reconnaissance flying boat from Tulagi sighted TF 17 and notified its headquarters. Takagi received the report at 10:50. At that time, Takagi's force was about 300 nmi (350 mi; 560 km) north of Fletcher, near the maximum range for his carrier aircraft. He concluded, based on the sighting report, TF 17 was heading south and increasing the range. Furthermore, Fletcher's ships were under a large, low-hanging overcast which Takagi and Hara felt would make it difficult for their aircraft to find the American carriers. Takagi detached his two carriers with two destroyers under Hara's command to head towards TF 17 at 20 knots and to be in position to attack at first light.

American B-17 bombers based in Australia and staging through Port Moresby attacked the approaching invasion forces, including Gotō's warships, several times during the day on 6 May without success. MacArthur's headquarters radioed Fletcher with reports of the attacks and the locations of the Japanese invasion forces. MacArthur's fliers' reports of seeing a carrier (Shōhō) about 425 nmi (489 mi; 787 km) northwest of TF17 further convinced Fletcher fleet carriers were with the invasion force.

At 18:00, TF 17 completed fueling and Fletcher detached Neosho with a destroyer, Sims, to take station further south at a prearranged rendezvous. TF 17 then headed northwest towards Rossel Island in the Louisiades. Unbeknownst to the two admirals, their carriers were only 70 nm away from each other by 20:00 that night. At that time, Hara reversed course to meet Takagi who completed refueling and was now heading in Hara's direction.

Meanwhile on Corregidor, Brigadier General Wainwright surrendered the last remaining American army forces (about 12,000 men) to Japanese General Homma. 

The stage was set.