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Sunday, May 3, 2015

BATTLE OF CORAL SEA

BATTLE OF CORAL SEA BEGAN 73 YEARS AGO 

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (JFK+50) Seventy-three years ago today, May 3, 1942, the first day of the Battle of Coral Sea was fought between military forces of the Japanese Empire and the United States.

The battle, which was fought in between Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, resulted in the Japanese occupation of Tulagi in the Solomon Island chain.

The Battle of Coral Sea was the first air-naval battle in world history as fighting was done by carrier based airplanes.  The Japanese would go on to occupy all of the Solomon Islands, but the battle was the first in which the Japanese navy was turned back.

Later in 1943, Tulagi would be retaken and Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy would arrive there to take command of the PT109.




JFK GETS HONORARY DEGREE 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty-four years ago today, May 3, 1961, President John F. Kennedy was presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from George Washington University.

In accepting the honorary degree, JFK noted that his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, graduated with a BA from the university in 1957.

The President quipped:

"My wife beat me to this honor by about 8 or 9 years.  It took her 2 years to get this degree and it took me 2 minutes."


George Washington University
Photo by John White (2004)