battle of the coral sea

One of the first battles of the Pacific theatre of operations in World War II.

Fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in May 1942, it was the first naval battle between aircraft carriers and their air groups. It was fought without the ships engaging each other directly.

It ended in an apparent Japanese tactical victory, but also in a decisive, but costly, American strategic victory that helped their later success during the Battle of Midway.