The Battle of the Coral Sea.
The coral sea is a small sea on the north east coast of Australia, it has some islands near it. The battle of the Coral Sea is the first battle in history to be an air and sea battle. Who do you think will win the battle of the coral sea? The Japanese? or Australia and the US?
540 Australian and US people died and 3,500 Japanese people died in the four days the battle lasted in may 1942, 4th - 8th, in the second world war.
The cause of the battle is because the Japanese wanted to control the Coral Sea with an invasion of Port Moresby in southeast New Guinea. The Japanese plan was ruined by allied forces. When the Japanese landed in the area they were under attack from the aircraft carrier planes of the American task force, commanded by Frank J Fletcher. Both forces suffered damages to the carriers. The Americans left the battle because they didn’t have enough planes to cover the ground attack of Port Moresby. The Japanese won with a strategic allied.
The damages for the Americans were horrible, all together there was three sunken ships and sixty-nine destroyed aircrafts.
The Japanese won! Where you right?
Jack Gibson Patterson was in the war, and he fought in the navy in world war 2.
Jack Gibson Patterson was born on the 23rd of May 1912, but his death is unknown. Jack was also born in Oamaru, New Zealand. Jack's parents are Katherine Robertson (Mother) and David Livingstone Patterson (Father), Jack’s wife is Joan Violet Gale. Jack has three daughters, all names are unknown.
During the Second World War, Jack was in the Navy, the navy is also known as RNZN. The RNZN was involved in local defence measures, initially in response to instructions by the German army merchant raiders.
Just take a moment to reflect on all those who died in the war, and think about how lucky we are to have a happy and healthy life, we are very fortunate.
“Old soldiers never die, they just fade away” - General Douglas MacArthur.
