A 1942 invasion of Tulagi Island triggered the first naval battle fought entirely by aircraft
A 1942 Japanese landing on Tulagi Island set the stage for the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval engagement where opposing warships never actually saw one another.
When Japanese forces invaded Tulagi on May 3, 1942, they intended to establish a seaplane base to protect their flank. This move triggered an immediate response from Allied forces, leading to the historic Battle of the Coral Sea. This was the first time in history that a naval battle was fought entirely by carrier-based aircraft, with the surface ships never exchanging a single shot.
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