Editing Battle of the Coral Sea (section)

====Attack on the U.S. carriers====
At 10:55, ''Lexington''{{'}}s [[CXAM radar|CXAM]]-1 [[radar]] detected the inbound Japanese aircraft at a range of {{convert|68|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} and vectored nine Wildcats to intercept. Expecting the Japanese torpedo bombers to be at a much lower altitude than they actually were, six of the Wildcats were stationed too low, and thus missed the Japanese aircraft as they passed by overhead.<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Macintyre |first= Donald |title= Shipborne Radar |magazine= Proceedings |publisher= [[United States Naval Institute]] |date= September 1967 |volume= 93 |issue= 9 |page=73 |url= https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1967/september/shipborne-radar |url-access=subscription |access-date= 20 March 2021}} {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=245–246}}; {{harvnb|Hoyt|2003|p=92}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|pp=107–108}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|pp=93–94}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|pp=188–189}}. Five of the Wildcats were from ''Lexington'' and four were from ''Yorktown''. The Wildcats were at altitudes between {{convert|2500|and|8000|ft|m|abbr=on}} when the Japanese aircraft, stacked between {{convert|10000|and|13000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, flew by. Kanno paused during his return to ''Shōkaku'' to lead the Japanese strike formation to within {{convert|35|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} of the U.S. carriers even though he was low on fuel.</ref> Because of the heavy losses in aircraft suffered the night before, the Japanese could not execute a full torpedo attack on both carriers. Lieutenant Commander [[Shigekazu Shimazaki]], commanding the Japanese torpedo planes, sent 14 to attack ''Lexington'' and 4 to attack ''Yorktown''. A Wildcat shot down one and patrolling SBDs (8 from ''Yorktown'', 15 from ''Lexington'') destroyed 3 more as the Japanese torpedo planes descended to take attack position. In return, escorting Zeros shot down 4 ''Yorktown'' SBDs.<ref>{{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=246–251}}; {{harvnb|Hoyt|2003|p=93}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|p=108}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|p=189}}. The crews of the four SBDs, totalling eight airmen, were all killed (The crewmen's names are given in Cressman, p. 108. One was [[Samuel Underhill]]). The four torpedo planes sent after ''Yorktown'' were from ''Zuikaku''. Two of the Zero escorts from ''Shōkaku'' were piloted by [[Flying ace|aces]] [[Ichirō Yamamoto]] and [[Masao Sasakibara]] ({{harvnb|Hata|Izawa|1975|pp=314, 317}}).</ref> One of the survivors, [[Swede Vejtasa]], claimed 3 Zeros during the onslaught (though none were lost).<ref>{{harvnb|Tillman|1976|pp=49–50, 52}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date= 9 May 2013 |url= https://navalaviationnews.navylive.dodlive.mil/2013/05/09/swede-vejtasa-in-memoriam/ |title= Swede Vejtasa: In Memoriam |work= Naval Aviation News |publisher= [[Naval Air Systems Command]] |access-date= 20 March 2021 |archive-date= 14 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210414020922/https://navalaviationnews.navylive.dodlive.mil/2013/05/09/swede-vejtasa-in-memoriam/ |url-status= dead }}  This action, as well as his participation in the attacks on Tulagi and ''Shoho'', earned him his second Navy Cross citation. He was later transferred to [[VF-10]] on board USS ''Enterprise'' and became an ace during the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands]].</ref>
[[File:USS Lexington under attack at Coral Sea.jpg|thumb|left|''Lexington'' (center right), afire and under heavy attack, in a photograph taken from a Japanese aircraft.]]

The Japanese attack began at 11:13 as the carriers, stationed {{convert|3000|yd|m|abbr=on}} apart, and their escorts opened fire with anti-aircraft guns. The four torpedo planes which attacked ''Yorktown'' all missed. The remaining torpedo planes successfully employed a pincer attack on ''Lexington'', which had a much larger turning radius than ''Yorktown'', and, at 11:20, hit her with two [[Type 91 torpedo|Type 91]] torpedoes. The first torpedo buckled the port aviation gasoline stowage tanks. Undetected, gasoline vapors spread into surrounding compartments. The second torpedo ruptured the port water main, reducing water pressure to the three forward firerooms and forcing the associated boilers to be shut down. The ship could still make {{convert|24|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}} with her remaining boilers. Four of the Japanese torpedo planes were shot down by anti-aircraft fire.<ref>{{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=251–254}}; {{harvnb|Hoyt|2003|pp=93–98, 113–117}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|p=109}}; {{harvnb|Woolridge|1993|p=42}}; {{harvnb|Hoehling|1971|pp=67–81, 97–98}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|pp=94–96}}; {{harvnb|Dull|1978|pp=133–134}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|pp=188–191}}. Screening ''Yorktown'' were cruisers {{USS|Astoria|CA-34|2}}, {{USS|Portland|CA-33|2}}, and {{USS|Chester|CA-27|2}} and destroyers {{USS|Russell|DD-414|2}}, {{USS|Hammann|DD-412|2}}, and {{USS|Aylwin|DD-355|2}}. Protecting ''Lexington'' were the cruisers {{USS|Minneapolis|CA-36|2}} and {{USS|New Orleans|CA-32|2}} and the destroyers {{USS|Dewey|DD-349|2}}, {{USS|Morris|DD-417|2}}, {{USS|Anderson|DD-411|2}}, and {{USS|Phelps|DD-360|2}}. Some participants thought ''Lexington'' might have been hit by as many as five torpedoes (Woolridge, p. 42 and Lundstrom 2006, p. 191). Two torpedo planes switched targets from ''Lexington'' to ''Minneapolis'' but missed (Lundstrom 2006, p. 191).</ref>

The 33 Japanese dive bombers circled to attack from upwind, and thus did not begin their dives from {{convert|14000|ft|m|abbr=on}} until three to four minutes after the torpedo planes began their attacks. The 19 ''Shōkaku'' dive bombers, under Takahashi, lined up on ''Lexington'' while the remaining 14, directed by [[Tamotsu Ema]], targeted ''Yorktown''. Escorting Zeros shielded Takahashi's aircraft from four ''Lexington'' CAP Wildcats which attempted to intervene, but two Wildcats circling above ''Yorktown'' were able to disrupt Ema's formation. Takahashi's bombers damaged ''Lexington'' with two bomb hits and several near misses, causing fires which were contained by 12:33. At 11:27, ''Yorktown'' was hit in the centre of her flight deck by a single {{convert|250|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, semi-[[Armor-piercing shot and shell|armour-piercing bomb]] which penetrated four decks before exploding, causing severe structural damage to an aviation storage room and killing or seriously wounding 66 men, as well as damaging the superheater boilers which rendered them inoperable. Up to 12 near misses damaged ''Yorktown''{{'}}s hull below the waterline. Two of the dive bombers were shot down by a CAP Wildcat during the attack.<ref>[[File:Damaged port forward gun gallery aboard USS Lexington (CV-2) on 8 May 1942 (80-G-16807).jpg|thumb|right|Damage to ''Lexington'' {{convert|5|in|mm|adj=on|1}} gun gallery]]{{harvnb|ONI|1943|pp=55–56}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=254–259}}; {{harvnb|Hoyt|2003|pp=98–103, 117–122}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|pp=110–114}}: {{harvnb|Hoehling|1971|pp=81–95, 110–116}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|pp=97–98}}; {{harvnb|Dull|1978|p=134}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|pp=189–191}}; {{harvnb|D'Albas|1965|p=107}}. The four ''Lexington'' Wildcats were from VF-2 Squadron's 3rd Division under Lieutenant Fred Borries, Jr. The two ''Yorktown'' Wildcats were piloted by Vincent F. McCormack and Walter A. Haas from VF-42's 3rd Division. After losing their leader over ''Lexington'', the last two ''Shōkaku'' dive bombers switched to attack ''Yorktown'' at the last minute. One of these was shot down by Albert O. Vorse (Lundstrom 2006, p. 191). Hoyt states that the bomb hit on ''Yorktown'' seriously wounded 26 men, several of whom (Hoyt does not specify the exact number) died later from their injuries. One of those killed by the bomb hit on ''Yorktown'' was [[Milton Ernest Ricketts]]. Three of ''Yorktown''{{'}}s boilers were shut down due to a flareback, but were back on line within 30 minutes (Cressman, p. 113). One bomb that hit ''Lexington'' wiped out a battery of [[United States Marine Corps]] anti-aircraft machine guns, killing six men (Hoehling, p. 82). Another did heavy damage to a {{convert|5|in|mm|adj=on|1}} gun battery and wiped out its entire crew (Hoehling, pp. 90–92, see image at right, Lundstrom 2006, p. 191).</ref> 
[[File:Tamotsu Ema.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Tamotsu Ema]], leader of the ''Zuikaku'' dive bombers that damaged ''Yorktown'']]

As the Japanese aircraft completed their attacks and began to withdraw, believing that they inflicted fatal damage to both carriers, they ran a gauntlet of CAP Wildcats and SBDs. In the ensuing aerial duels, three SBDs and three Wildcats for the U.S., and three torpedo bombers, one dive bomber, and one Zero for the Japanese were downed. By 12:00, the U.S. and Japanese strike groups were on their way back to their respective carriers. During their return, aircraft from the two adversaries passed each other in the air, resulting in more air-to-air altercations. Kanno's and Takahashi's aircraft were shot down, killing both of them.<ref>{{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=259–271}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|pp=106, 114–115}}; {{harvnb|Hoehling|1971|pp=100–101}}, {{harvnb|Dull|1978|p=134}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|p=192}}. [[William E. Hall]] was one of the SBD pilots who aggressively pursued the Japanese aircraft after they completed their attacks. A damaged SBD piloted by Roy O. Hale attempted to land on ''Lexington'' but was shot down by friendly anti-aircraft fire from the carrier and its escorts, killing Hale and his rear gunner (Lundstrom and Hoehling). Another damaged SBD bounced off ''Lexington''{{'}}s flight deck into the ocean, but its pilot, Frank R. McDonald, and rear gunner were rescued (Lundstrom and Hoehling). An SBD from VS-2 and two from VB-2 (''Lexington'') shot down the three Japanese torpedo planes, two from ''Shōkaku''. The Japanese dive bomber was shot down by Walt Haas from ''Yorktown''{{'}}s VF-42. Two Wildcats from VF-2 (''Lexington'') piloted by [[Clark Franklin Rinehart]] and Newton H. Mason disappeared and their fates are unknown. A VF-42 (''Yorktown'') Wildcat piloted by Richard G. Crommelin was shot down by a Zero but Crommelin, unharmed, was rescued by the destroyer ''Phelps''. A damaged Zero piloted by Shigeru Okura from ''Zuikaku'' ditched at Deboyne and Okura survived. A total of three Wildcats (two from VF-2 and one from VF-42) and six SBDs were lost defending TF17 from the Japanese strike. Kanno was killed by VF-42 pilots Bill Woolen and John P. Adams. Takahashi was killed by VF-42's Bill Leonard (Lundstrom). ''Lexington'' SBD pilot [[Joshua G. Cantor-Stone]] was also killed that day.</ref> Two future U.S. destroyers were named after naval pilots lost in this confrontation: the USS ''Rinehart'' and USS ''Mason''.