HISTORY

Lt Cdr Paul Ramsey, CO of VF-3 “Ramsey’s

Lambsies” at the Battle of the Coral Sea, May

1942.

in three consecutive strikes against Tulagi, where they sank the destroyer Kikuzuki and three minesweepers, damaged

four other ships, and destroyed four H6Ks.

The strikes cost Air Group Five one TBD-1

and two F4F-3s; their crews became the

first Americans to arrive on Guadalcanal,

where they were rescued by Australian

coastwatchers.

Admiral Takagi’s Carrier Striking Force was fueling 350 miles north of Tulagi

when they learned the Americans had

attacked Tulagi. Knowing at least one

enemy carrier was in the Coral Sea, they

headed southeast while remaining north

of the Solomons.

Having saved Lexington, Edward H. „Butch“ O‘Hare became the first Naval Aviator of the Second World War awarded

the Medal of Honor, the only one of eight

Wildcat pilots to win this honor who was

carrier-based.

Remsey’s Lambsies at the

Battle of the Coral Sea

Lexington’s VF-2, the famous “Flying

Chiefs,” had been replaced aboard the carrier by VF-3 when Saratoga was torpedoed. When Sara arrived at the Bremerton

Naval Yard for repairs, the highly-experienced Chief NAPs departed; several were

commissioned, and others went to different fighter squadrons. Fighting-Two was

reconstituted under command of Lt Cdr

Paul Ramsey with a few experienced pilots among the “nuggets” fresh out of flight

school. F4F-3 Wildcats replaced the F2A-3s that had proven themselves unsuited

for carrier operations. The squadron, now

“Ramsey’s Lambsies,” returned to Pearl

Harbor in early April, in time to reconnect

with Lexington when she returned from

her South Pacific deployment.

On April 13, 1942, the British intercepted

and deciphered a message from the Imperial Navy General Staff informing overall theater commander Admiral Inoue

that the Carrier Striking Force commanded by Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi with the

Pearl Harbor veterans Zuikaku and her

sister Shōkaku had been assigned to cover the Port Moresby invasion.

Ramsey’s Lambsies returned to Lexington on April 15. Since the squadron lacked

pilots with combat experience, experienced pilots from VF-3 had been transferred

10

INFO Eduard

Task Forces 11 and 17 joined at 0816 hours

on May 5, 320 miles south of Guadalcanal.

A few minutes later, four Yorktown VF-42

Wildcats found a Yokohama Kōkūtai H6K

and shot it down 11 miles from Lexington.

While the Mavis failed to before it went

on April 12. Lt Albert O. Vorse became se- down, its failure to return alerted the Jacond division leader, with Ensign Edward panese that American carriers were in

L. Sellstrom as his wingman and Lieute- the Coral Sea.

nant(jg) Robert J. Morgan as element lead Later that day, Admiral Fletcher learwith Ensign John H. Lacket as wingman. ned intelligence had determined the JaLt (jg) Marion H. Dufilho, O’Hare’s wing- panese planned to land at Port Moresby

man in the epic battle off Rabaul, took on May 10; their carriers would cover

over third division with Ensign Newton H. the invasion convoy. Ever concerned

Mason as his wingman. Lt Noel A.M. Gay- about fuel, Fletcher notified Admiral

lor, who had scored three victories in the Fitch that once fueling was complebattle off Rabaul, took fourth division with ted on May 6 the fleet would head toLt(jg) Howard F. Clark as element lead ward the Louisiades, with expectation of

and Ensign Richard H. Rowell as wingman. a fleet action on May 7.

Ensigns Willard E. “Bill” Eder and Leon W.

Throughout May 5, both fleets sent out

Haynes joined fifth division.

scouts that failed to discover the enemy,

Task Force 11 sortied from Pearl Harbor since each was just out of range of the

the evening of April 15, headed for the other. At 1000 hours on May 6, an H6K

Coral Sea to join Admiral Fletcher’s York- from Tulagi sighted the American carriers.

town-based Task Force 17. During the voy- When Admiral Takagi received the report,

age south, “Ramsey’s Lambsies” trained his fleet was 300 miles north of the reporhard. The VF-3 veterans knew how to use ted American position, maximum range

the new “Thach Weave” maneuver develo- for a strike. His belief that battle was

ped by their former commander and the imminent was confirmed when Admiral

squadron worked hard to learn the mane- Gotō‘s Moresby invasion fleet was spouver. Essentially, the “Thach Weave” utili- tted and attacked by B-17s several times

zed the basic formation of a section of two during the day, but without success. When

airplanes; when attacked, they would turn Admiral Fletcher received the report that

toward each other, placing each Wildcat located “at least one carrier” (Shōhō) 489

in position to meet head-on a Zero that miles northwest of Task Force 17, he too

had commenced its attack from the rear, was convinced action was imminent.

which threw off the opponent while giving

either Wildcat the chance to shoot it down. Throughout May 6, the CAP protecting

By the time they got to the Coral Sea, eve- Lexington and Yorktown chased and found Japanese search planes. Four Wildcats

ryone knew the maneuver.

of VF-42 led by Lt Cdr Jimmy Flatley, and

The morning of May 1, Task Forces 17 four VF-2 Wildcats led by Lt Noel Gaylor

and 11 rendezvoused 300 nautical miles were sent after one shadower. Flatley

northwest of New Caledonia. The next day found the H6K and reported the discovery

was spent with Admiral Fletcher’s com- to Yorktown, which requested its position.

pulsive refueling. On May 3, word came He replied, “Wait a minute and I’ll show

the Japanese had arrived at Tulagi in the you,” and promptly shot down the Mavis,

Solomon Islands to establish a seaplane which blew up with pieces falling through

base. Yorktown was 100 miles south at the clouds, narrowly missing Gaylor, who

dawn on May 4; she launched 60 aircraft radioed, “That almost hit me!” to which

September 2022