Battle of the Coral Sea
As the American and Japanese fleets maneuvered in preparation for the Battle of the Coral Sea, Neosho fueled Yorktown (CV-5) and Astoria (CA-34), then retired from the carrier force with a lone escort, Sims (DD-409). ... The following day Japanese aircraft spotted the two ships, and believing them to be a carrier and her escort, launched the first of two attacks which sank Sims and left Neosho, victim of 7 direct hits and a suicide dive by one of the bombers, ablaze aft and in danger of breaking in two. She had shot down at least 3 of the attackers .... Neosho suffered 177 fatal casualties in the attack. ... Superb seamanship and skilled damage control work kept Neosho afloat for the next four days. The sorely stricken ship was first located by an RAAF aircraft, then an American PBY. ... On 11 May, Henley (DD-391) arrived to rescue the 123 survivors and to sink by gunfire, Neosho that had been so valiantly kept alive against impossible odds.
