3 May 1942

On this, the first day of the first modern US naval engagement in history, called the Battle of the Coral Sea, a Japanese invasion force succeeds in occupying Tulagi of the Solomon Islands in an expansion of Japan's defensive perimeter. The United States, having broken Japan's secret war code and forewarned of an impending invasion of Tulagi and Port Moresby attempted to intercept the Japanese armada. Four days of battles between Japanese and American aircraft carriers resulted in 70 Japanese and 66 Americans warplanes destroyed. This confrontation, called the Battle of the Coral Sea, marked the first air-naval battle in history, as none of the carriers fired at each other, allowing the planes taking off from their decks to do the battling. Among the casualties was the American carrier Lexington which suffered such extensive aerial damage that it had to be sunk by its own crew. Two hundred sixteen Lexington crewmen died as a result of the Japanese aerial bombardment. Although Japan would go on to occupy all of the Solomon Islands, its victory was a Pyrrhic one - The cost in experienced pilots and aircraft carriers was so great that Japan had to cancel its expedition to Port Moresby, Papua, as well as other South Pacific targets.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: During the night of 3 May, the submarine USS Spearfish (SS-190) slips into Manila Bay and picks up 27 Army and Navy officers, including nurses, from Corregidor Island to be evacuated to Fremantle, Western Australia. She is the last American submarine to visit Corregidor before the island is surrendered.

AUSTRALIA: Melbourne: The first victim of the "Brownout Strangler", 40 year old Ivy Violet McLeod, was found strangled in Victoria Avenue, Albert Park in Melbourne this morning. She was partly naked and had been badly beaten by her attacker. An American soldier had been seen in the area just before her body was discovered. Robbery did not appear to be the motive for the crime as her purse still contained about one Pound's worth of small change. (Denis Peck)

At 1054, the unescorted Laertes was hit by one torpedo from U-109 SE of Cape Canaveral, Florida. The ship was hit on the port side and the crew began to abandon ship. The starboard lifeboat was lowered without problem, but just as the port lifeboat reached the surface, a second torpedo struck the vessel just beneath the boat, killing all 17 occupants. The first mate was blown overboard from the boat deck and drowned. The British sailor Jones was also blown overboard, but was later picked up by a USN flying boat. The survivors in the starboard lifeboat landed at Cape Canaveral about six hours later.

At 1723, the unescorted San Rafael was hit near the bridge by one torpedo from U-125 and was sunk with 32 rounds from the deck gun after the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats and two rafts.

At 0014, the abandoned Jutland was torpedoed and sunk by U-251.

At 0638, the British Workman, which was straggling from Convoy ON-89 due to engine troubles, was torpedoed and sunk by U-455 SSE of Cape Race. Six crewmembers were lost. The master, 39 crewmembers and seven gunners were picked up by HMCS Assiniboine and Alberni and landed at St John's.

Banana boat Samana sunk by U-506 at 25.04N, 79.45W.

At 0824, the unescorted Ocean Venus was torpedoed and sunk by U-564 about 12 miles ESE of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Five crewmembers were lost. The master, 37 crewmembers and four gunners rowed to shore and landed at Cape Canaveral.

Motor tanker Geo W McKnight damaged by U-66 at 11.18N, 61.19W.