Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, landmark, interwar and Second World War

Battle of the Coral Sea

Battle of the Coral Sea was a naval engagement fought on 4 May 1942 at Coral Sea; it lasted 4 days. It was part of the South West Pacific theater of World War II. The recorded result: See Significance.

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A heavy explosion on board the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) blows an aircraft over her side, 8 May 1942. This is probably the great explosion from the detonation of torpedo warheads
A heavy explosion on board the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) blows an aircraft over her side, 8 May 1942. This is probably the great explosion from the detonation of torpedo warheads. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought4 May 1942lasted 4 days
WhereCoral Sea16.267S, 162.333E
OutcomeSee Significance
Part ofSouth West Pacific theater of World War II

Where it sits in the South West Pacific theater of World War II

Bombing of Darwin, 1942Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942Battle of Milne Bay, 1942Battle of Buna–Gona, 1942Battle of Wau, 1943Operation Cartwheel, 1943Battle of Hollandia, 1944Battle of Driniumor River, 194419421944Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942
8 placed engagements of the South West Pacific theater of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date4 May 1942
to 8 May 1942
PlaceCoral Sea
16.267S, 162.333E
KindNaval engagement, interwar and Second World War
Battle of the Coral SeaBattle of the Coral Sea100 km16.267S, 162.333E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1942

Battle of the Coral Sea is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q207165, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Coral Sea, revision 1372041792, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.