▁ 2 ▁destroy ers , ▁and ▁ 2 3 ▁merchant ▁ships ▁for ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁aircraft . ▁Att acks ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁C ey lon ▁were ▁also ▁carried ▁out . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Cor al ▁Sea ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Air ▁Fle et ▁dispatch ed ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Car rier ▁Division ▁in ▁the ▁Cor al ▁Sea ▁during ▁the ▁return ▁from ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁On ▁May ▁ 7 ▁the ▁US N ▁sight ed ▁the ▁Port ▁M ores by ▁invasion ▁force ▁and ▁mist ook ▁it ▁for ▁the ▁main ▁car rier ▁force . ▁Admir al ▁F let cher ▁sent ▁an ▁aircraft ▁strike ▁which ▁s ank ▁the ▁I J N ▁light ▁car rier ▁Sh ō h ō . ▁After ▁this ▁loss ▁of ▁air ▁cover , ▁the ▁Port ▁M ores by ▁invasion ▁force ▁abandoned ▁its ▁mission ▁and ▁retre ated ▁north . ▁On ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁the ▁I J N ▁sight ed ▁and ▁s ank ▁US N ▁destroy er ▁Sim s ▁and ▁o iler ▁Ne os ho . ▁The ▁primary ▁action ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 8 ▁May . ▁Both ▁car rier ▁forces ▁sight ed ▁and ▁attacked ▁each ▁other . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Lex ington ▁was ▁s unk ▁and ▁York town ▁was ▁dam aged ▁by ▁a ▁Japanese ▁air ▁strike . ▁US N ▁aircraft ▁managed ▁to ▁damage ▁Sh ō k aku , ▁meaning ▁that ▁she ▁and ▁her ▁sister ▁ship ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁operation . ▁The ▁remaining ▁fleet ▁returned ▁to ▁Japan ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁the ▁Mid way ▁invasion ▁(