Fletcher (DD 992) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 33 text:

E fam fqa ' W-W

Page 32 text:

5 ,. X. ,sg - , X NA ' J, LLL, -, Q x L LQ.. A '-.-,L, . V ,YW , V, K 'Na Ek. ' ja Lifjw - eff' 1 . f , i ' . J , , , , . if i I Q 1 , i, Ji A major portion of this deployment was devoted to observing the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Admiral Fletcher was senior officer afloat during this pitched WWII battle. Fletcher and her crew visited four Australian ports and particapated in a parade of ships through Sydney Harbor and a wreath laying ceremony off the shores of Townsville with over 50 Australian and American WWII veterans onboard. AFLETCHER honor gaurd presented the Lord Mayor of Townsville with a large 20X40 ft. American flag to symbolize the deep friendship between the two nations. After the capture of the Philippines, Singapore, Netherlands, East Indies, Guam and Wake Island the Japanese decided to expand their Pacific holdings further. With Japanese troops already occupying Northwest New Guinea, the plan called for the capture of Port Moresby, the principal Australian outpost in Southeastern New Guinea. The loss of this base would cut the supply route between Australia and the United States leaving the coast of Northeast Australia open to invasion. The Japanese assembled two task forces: a carrier stricking force, including the carriers Shokaku CSHO-ICA-KUD and Zuikaku CZU-E-KA-KUD, departed Truk for the Coral Sea area, and the invasion force, escorted by the carrier Shoho CSHO- HOJ and four cruisers, departed Rabaul on 4 May 1942 en route Port Moresby. U.S. Codebreakers learned of the operation in time for Admiral Nimitz to dispatch the carriers Yorktown CRADM Fletcherb and Lexington CRADM Fitchb to the Coral Sea. The Royal Australian Navy supplied the task force with HMAS Australia and HMAS Hobart. From 4-6 May, both forces conducted extensive scouting efforts to locate the enemy throughout the Northern Coral Sea. During 7-8 May, a series of war -at-sea strikes were launched by both sides, the Japanese losing the canier Shoho, and seeing the canier Shokaku heavily damaged. The allied task force suffered the loss of Lexington, the destroyer Sims and the oiler N eosho. In the aftermath of this pivotal battle, the Japanese carrier and invasion forces retreated to Rabual. The Port Moresby invasion operation was postponed and eventually canceled, affording the U.S. and Australian fleet an important strategic victory in the Coral Sea. Q wi

Page 34 text:

- COS1 Buchanan made the local paper durmg our v1s1t to Darwln Austrahaj Llsa Heames 11 of Wulag1 School studles hehcopters onboard USS Fletcher w1th U S sa1lor OS1 Denrus Buchanan ' Q xWwQ 'n., ,, l Q,,Q,g S l X i Ii l l l l 1 X