Bright Sword: Construction starts from southeastern Shanxi

On the morning of May 7, the US and Japanese attack fleets were on the brink of each other's attack range, but due to technical difficulties, neither side detected the other, missing the opportunity to launch a preemptive strike. The US error was more dangerous, as its carrier-based aircraft strayed more than 90 degrees from their primary threat, but the US also achieved greater success—destroying a carrier. The Combined Fleet's mistake was unfortunate, as they at least knew the approximate location of their primary target. When the Fifth Air Fleet attempted to correct its error, it faced a time constraint: taking off at 2:5 PM and returning only at 14:18 PM (two hours after sunset), this was no easy decision in 1942. However, Vice Admiral Hara Chuichi of the Fifth Air Fleet dispatched 12 bombers and 15 torpedo planes, which detached from the carriers at 14:15 PM and headed for their intended targets. At dusk, the planes actually flew over the US fleet, but due to weather conditions, they missed their targets. They only discovered the US fleet on their return, but the planes had already jettisoned their bombs and were intercepted by US Wildcat fighters. In the twilight, several disoriented Japanese pilots mistakenly attempted to land on the Yorktown. However, due to a misidentification signal, they were spotted by anti-aircraft gunners, who shot one of their planes down into the sea, while the others fled into the darkness. This made Fletcher realize that Japanese carriers were nearby, and the decisive battle between the carriers would surely take place the next day.

Japanese aircraft carrier burned

Officers and sailors of the USS Lexington gather on the deck before abandoning ship

In the final hour before the attack on May 8th, identical preparations were carried out aboard four carriers within 200 nautical miles of the Coral Sea. The only difference, perhaps, was that American pilots were given chocolate, while Japanese pilots were given rice cakes. Reconnaissance planes had departed before sunrise. Fate had determined that the search aircraft would discover each other's targets almost simultaneously. At 8:15 a.m., the American reconnaissance plane flying farthest north reported: the enemy carrier task force was approximately 175 miles northeast of the Lexington, steaming south at 25 knots. Just minutes later, the American carriers' radios received a jubilant report from the Japanese, apparently indicating that they had also been spotted. The Yorktown and Lexington then launched a combined 82 aircraft, 15 fighters, 46 bombers, and 21 torpedo planes, swooping down on the Japanese fleet. An hour and three-quarters later, the American strike force spotted the Shokaku and Zuikaku heading southeast, eight miles apart, each escorted by two heavy cruisers and destroyers. While the Americans, using precious minutes to organize their attack amidst the cumulus clouds, took advantage of the opportunity to launch more fighters from the Shokaku, while the Zuikaku retreated into the nearby sea, where heavy rain was falling. The American pilots, launching their first attack against the heavily defended enemy fleet's aircraft carriers, were disoriented by the truly formidable enemy. The torpedo planes and dive bombers were scattered by the Zero fighters, and their lack of coordination meant that the torpedoes darted into the sea, missing their targets by a wide margin, rendering the bombing a blinding blow. Only two bombs struck the Shokaku, and a fire ensued on the flight deck due to an oil leak. Over ten minutes later, planes from the Lexington arrived, but they had difficulty detecting the enemy ships beneath the thick cloud cover, further hindering the attack. Fifteen bombers finally managed to locate a target, but with only six Wildcat fighters to protect them, they were easily scattered by the Zeros. The torpedo attack again failed, with the bombers only dropping a single bomb. (However, the American pilots' reports were different. Captain Taylor optimistically reported after the first attack: "The port side, about fifty to one hundred feet fore and aft, from the waterline to the flight deck, was a sea of ​​fire... When the carrier was last seen, about fifteen minutes after the attack, the fire was very intense. It is believed that she received very serious damage and eventually sank.")

Bombing a US aircraft carrier