1000, Japanese search planes spotted the two ships and misidentified them as a carrier and her escort. 78 aircraft from Shōkaku and Zuikaku soon arrived and began searching in vain for the "carrier" force. Eventually, they gave up and returned to sink Sims and leave Neosho—victim of seven 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 three of the attackers. One of her crewmen, Oscar V. Peterson, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts to save the ship in spite of his severe injuries suffered in the attack. Sound seamanship and skilled damage control work kept Neosho afloat for the next four days. The stricken ship was first located by a RAAF aircraft, then an American PBY Catalina flying boat. At 13:00 on 11 May, the destroyer arrived, rescued the 123 survivors and sank by gunfire the ship they had kept afloat. With Henley came word that the American fleet had succeeded in turning the Japanese back. Awards Neosho received two battle stars for her service. References Further reading (Primary source) External links Naval Historical center: USS Neosho navsource.org: USS Neosho hazegray.org: USS Neosho Web Archive.org of Naval Historical Center, USS Neosho (AO-23), 1939–1942 images The U.S. Neosho (AO-23) Details the survivors' ordeal. Roll of Honor Cimarron-class oilers (1939) Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey 1939 ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United States World War II tankers of the United States Ships present during the attack on Pearl Harbor World War II shipwrecks in the Coral Sea Maritime incidents in May 1942 Ships sunk by Japanese aircraft