Coral Sea Battle

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31061, 17 May 1966, Page 16

Coral Sea Battle

Sir, —As a visitor to your lovely country I was interested in two letters of divergent views about the Battle of the Coral Sea. I was a resident of Darwin during the bombing by the Japanese in the last war. It is true we did have air support, but quite inadequate to protect us from

further attacks; and I must confess we were very grateful for American protection which gave us a feeling of security. 1 cannot help thinking what would have happened to Australia and your beautiful New Zealand had there been no Battle of the Coral Sea and no United States Navy to stop the enemy. Let us give credit where due. I, for one, am very grateful.—Yours, etc., MARY WHITE. Port Douglas, Queensland, May 14, 1966.

Sir,—l have read some twaddle by the anti-Yank fraternity, to whom the mere thought of giving the Americans credit for anything is as a red rag to a bull, but for sheer bigotry the letter from “6/3756” take some beating. How different things might have been if this master strategist had been directing operations in the Pacific! Apparently the Coral Sea Battle need not even have been fought, nor, presumably, were the Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Okinawa, etc., operations necessary. All that made the Japanese yell “Uncle” was the appearance of a few Spitfires at Darwin (perhaps the same ones which chased the bombers away from Prince of Wales and Repulse). However, 1 prefer the verdict of more competent and less biased historians. —Yours, etc., CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. May 16, 1966.