The remnants of the IJN Task Force that was ordered to bombard Port Moresby at Dawn
were trying to escape with the two severly damaged cruisers - the Kako and the Furutaka - being
towed by the CL Tenryu (itself damaged) and the DD Airake. They were finally run down by a
small US cruiser force. The US CAs Minneapolis and Astoria, with two destroyers as escorts,
caught up and in a very one sided fight sank the two heavy cruisers and the light cruiser as well,
Only the Japanese destroyer escaped. The Americans took no damage.
Meanwhile, over Port Moresby sixteen Nells, escorted by four zeros attempted to bomb the
airfield. Theye were met by seven airacobras. As has become usual in these contests, the Japanese
lost one zero and there were three airacobras lost. The US planes, however, did their duty and
shot down four Nells and severly damaged several others. As the Nells approached the base AA
fire tok out another four.
Japanese bombing was highly inaccurate, but some damage was done to the airfield and a hanger. All in all little gain for the loss of materials.
The frantic search for the carrier forces intensified as the allies received a report from a coaster that it was under attack by Japanese destroyers quite near the coast of Australia. Allied commanders are quite alarmed, but hopeful.
