Editing Battle of the Coral Sea (section)

==Aftermath==
On 9 May, TF&nbsp;17 altered course to the east and proceeded out of the Coral Sea via a route south of New Caledonia. Nimitz ordered Fletcher to return ''Yorktown'' to Pearl Harbor as soon as possible after refueling at Tongatabu. During the day, U.S. Army bombers attacked Deboyne and ''Kamikawa Maru'', inflicting unknown damage. In the meantime, having heard nothing from Fletcher, Crace deduced that TF17 had departed the area. At 01:00 on 10 May, hearing no further reports of Japanese ships advancing towards Port Moresby, Crace turned towards Australia and arrived at [[Whitsunday Islands|Cid Harbor]], {{convert|130|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} south of Townsville, on 11 May.<ref>{{harvnb|Gill|1968|p=53}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=283–284}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|p=105}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|pp=117–118}}; {{harvnb|Hoyt|2003|pp=170–173}}; {{harvnb|Pelvin|2017}}. On 9 May, ''Yorktown'' counted 35 operational aircraft: 15 fighters, 16 dive bombers, and seven torpedo planes ({{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|pp=200, 204}}). Fletcher stationed ''Russell'' and ''Aylwin'' {{convert|20|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} astern as radar pickets to warn of any Japanese pursuit (Lundstrom 2006, p. 204). On 9 May, a ''Yorktown'' SBD on scout patrol sighted what it thought was a Japanese carrier {{convert|175|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} from TF17. ''Yorktown'' dispatched a strike force of four SBDs, which could not locate the target. It was later determined the scout probably sighted the [[Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve|Lihou Reef and Cays]] (Lundstrom 2006, pp. 205–6). Fourteen U.S. Army B-17s from Townsville also responded to the erroneous report. During the false alarm, an SBD crashed in the sea; the crew was rescued. On 11 May, Fletcher dispatched cruisers ''Minneapolis'', ''New Orleans'', and ''Astoria'' with three destroyers under Kinkaid to rendezvous with Halsey's TF16 near Efate after a brief stop at Nouméa (Lundstrom 2006, p. 205). {{harvtxt|Gillison|1962|p=527}} reports that Japanese float fighters from Deboyne attacked and seriously damaged an RAAF reconnaissance PBY, from [[No. 11 Squadron RAAF|11th Squadron]], commanded by Flying Officer Miller, on 9 May.</ref>

At 22:00 on 8 May, Yamamoto ordered Inoue to turn his forces around, destroy the remaining Allied warships, and complete the invasion of Port Moresby. Inoue did not cancel the recall of the invasion convoy, but ordered Takagi and Gotō to pursue the remaining Allied warship forces in the Coral Sea. Critically low on fuel, Takagi's warships spent most of 9 May refueling from the fleet oiler ''Tōhō Maru''. Late in the evening of 9 May, Takagi and Gotō headed southeast, then southwest into the Coral Sea. Seaplanes from Deboyne assisted Takagi in searching for TF&nbsp;17 on the morning of 10 May. Fletcher and Crace were already well on their way out of the area. At 13:00 on 10 May, Takagi concluded that the enemy was gone and decided to turn back towards Rabaul. Yamamoto concurred with Takagi's decision and ordered ''Zuikaku'' to return to Japan to replenish her air groups. At the same time, ''Kamikawa Maru'' packed up and departed Deboyne.<ref>{{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=284–290}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|pp=106–107}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|p=118}}; {{harvnb|Hoyt|2003|p=171}}; {{harvnb|Dull|1978|p=134}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|pp=200, 206–207}}; {{harvnb|Chihaya|1991|pp=124–125}}. The invasion convoy returned to Rabaul on 10 May. Takagi intended to complete the delivery of the Tainan Zeros to Rabaul and then provide air support for the ''RY'' operation before Yamamoto ordered the ship back to Japan. After further repairs to battle-damaged aircraft, on 9 May ''Zuikaku'' counted 24 fighters, 13 dive bombers, and eight torpedo planes operational. Takagi's scout aircraft sighted the drifting ''Neosho'' on 10 May, but Takagi decided the tanker was not worth another strike (Lundstrom 2006, p. 207). Takagi completed delivery of the Zeros to Rabaul after turning back on 10 May. [[Matome Ugaki]], Yamamoto's chief of staff, stated that he initiated and sent the order in Yamamoto's name to Takagi to pursue the Allied ships (Chihaya, p. 124). Four U.S. Army B-25 bombers [[American Deboyne Strike (1942)|attacked]] Japanese floatplanes moored at Deboyne on 10 May, but apparently caused no damage. The bombers did not see ''Kamikawa Maru'' present ({{harvnb|Gillison|1962|p=527}}).</ref> At noon on 11 May, a U.S. Navy [[PBY Catalina|PBY]] on patrol from Nouméa sighted the drifting ''Neosho'' ({{coord|15|35|S|155|36|E}}). The U.S. destroyer {{USS|Henley|DD-391|2}} responded and rescued 109 ''Neosho'' and 14 ''Sims'' survivors later that day, then scuttled the tanker with gunfire.<ref>{{harvnb|ONI|1943|p=52}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|p=108}}; {{harvnb|Morison|1949|pp=35–37}}. The PBY was from ''Tangier''{{'}}s air group. The U.S. destroyer {{USS|Helm|DD-388|2}} recovered four more ''Neosho'' crewmen from a drifting raft (Morison coords: {{coord|15|25|S|154|56|E}}; ONI coords: {{coord|15|16|S|155|07|E}}) on 14 May, the sole survivors of the group which abandoned ship in panic on 7 May (ONI, p. 53; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|p=108}}; and Morison, p. 36). Hoyt incorrectly says that it was U.S. destroyer ''Phelps'' who recovered the final four survivors ({{harvtxt|Hoyt|2003|pp=192–193}}). Two more ''Neosho'' crewmembers died on 13 May aboard ''Henley'' from their injuries (Hoyt) and one of the four rescued from the ocean by ''Helm'' died soon after rescue (Morison, p. 36).</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Neosho II (AO-23)|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/neosho-ii.html|website=www.history.navy.mil|publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command|access-date=4 May 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Shokaku Coral Sea battle damage 1.jpg|thumb|right|Bomb damage to ''Shōkaku''{{'}}s bow and forward flight deck]]

On 10 May, Operation RY commenced. After the operation's flagship, minelayer {{Ship|Japanese minelayer|Okinoshima||2}}, was sunk by the U.S. submarine {{USS|S-42|SS-153|2}} on 12 May ({{coord|05|06|S|153|48|E}}), the landings were postponed until 17 May. In the meantime, Halsey's TF&nbsp;16 reached the South Pacific near Efate and, on 13 May, headed north to contest the Japanese approach to Nauru and Ocean Island. On 14 May, Nimitz, having obtained intelligence concerning the Combined Fleet's upcoming operation against Midway, ordered Halsey to make sure that Japanese scout aircraft sighted his ships the next day, after which he was to return to Pearl Harbor immediately. At 10:15 on 15 May, a Kawanishi reconnaissance aircraft from Tulagi sighted TF&nbsp;16 {{convert|445|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} east of the Solomons. Halsey's feint worked. Fearing a carrier air attack on his exposed invasion forces, Inoue immediately canceled ''RY'' and ordered his ships back to Rabaul and Truk. On 19 May, TF&nbsp;16 – which returned to the Efate area to refuel – turned towards Pearl Harbor and arrived there on 26 May. ''Yorktown'' reached Pearl the following day.<ref>{{harvnb|Brown|1990|p=63}}, {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=285–296, 313–315}}; {{harvnb|Millot|1974|p=107}}; {{harvnb|Cressman|2000|p=120}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2006|pp=208–211, 216}}; {{harvnb|Chihaya|1991|pp=126–127}}; {{harvnb|Morison|1949|pp=61–62}}. The ''RY'' invasion force included one light cruiser, one minelayer, two destroyers, and two transports (Lundstrom). Takagi's cruisers and destroyers provided distant cover to the north. Ocean and Nauru were later occupied by the Japanese without opposition on 25–26 August and held until the end of the war (Millot and Morison). ''Yorktown'' refueled from an Australian armed merchant cruiser {{HMAS|Kanimbla|1936|6}} at Tongatabu on 16 May, and then – along with her escorts – from the oiler {{USS|Kanawha|AO-1|6}} on 18 May (Lundstrom 2006, pp. 207 & 216). The initial U.S. intelligence on Yamamoto's upcoming operation indicated an attack on Oahu, but around 17 May, Midway emerged as the probable target (Lundstrom 2006, pp. 208 & 212).</ref>

''Shōkaku'' reached [[Kure]], Japan, on 17 May, almost capsizing en route during a storm due to her battle damage. ''Zuikaku'' arrived at Kure on 21 May, having made a brief stop at Truk on 15 May. Acting on signals intelligence, the U.S. placed eight submarines along the projected route of the carriers' return paths to Japan, but the submarines were not able to make any attacks. Japan's Naval General Staff estimated that it would take two to three months to repair ''Shōkaku'' and replenish the carriers' air groups. Thus, both carriers would be unable to participate in Yamamoto's upcoming Midway operation. The two carriers rejoined the Combined Fleet on 14 July and were key participants in subsequent carrier battles against U.S. forces. The five ''I''-class submarines supporting the ''MO'' operation were retasked to support an [[attack on Sydney Harbour]] three weeks later as part of a campaign to [[Axis naval activity in Australian waters#1942|disrupt Allied supply lines]]. En route to Truk the submarine ''I-28'' was torpedoed on 17 May by the U.S. submarine {{USS|Tautog|SS-199|2}} and sank with all hands.<ref>{{harvnb|Tully|1999b}}; {{harvnb|Tully|1999c}}; {{harvnb|Hackett|Kingsepp|2003b}}; {{harvnb|Parshall|Tully|2005|p=10}}; {{harvnb|Lundstrom|2005b|pp=298–299}}; {{harvnb|Blair|1975|pp=230–233}}; {{harvnb|Pelvin|2017}}; {{harvnb|Gillison|1962|p=531}}. ''Shōkaku'' almost capsized because she had to steam at high speed during the trip to Japan to avoid attacks from the U.S. submarines. The high speed caused her to take on water through her damaged bow. Four submarines— {{USS|Gar|SS-206|2}}, {{USS|Greenling|SS-213|2}}, ''Tautog'', and {{USS|Grampus|SS-207|2}} – were stationed off Truk, and four more – {{USS|Drum|SS-228|2}}, {{USS|Grenadier|SS-210|2}}, {{USS|Triton|SS-201|2}}, and {{USS|Pollack|SS-180|2}} – between Truk and Japan. ''Triton'' sighted a carrier, believed to be ''Shōkaku'', at {{convert|6700|yd|m|abbr=on}} but was unable to close and attack ({{harvnb|Holmes|1979|p=74}}; Blair, pp. 230–233). Tully states ''Shōkaku'' was joined by destroyers {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Kuroshio||2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Oyashio||2}}, and {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Hayashio||2}} on 12 May in the [[Philippine Sea]] and ''Ushio'' and ''Yūgure'' were released to escort ''Zuikaku'' from Truk.</ref>