The Coral Sea has long been overshadowed by the battle of Midway by historians. Few accounts have been written devoted solely to the Coral Sea and a definitive account of the battle has yet to appear. The titles below are recommended for additional research into the battle.
Bullard, Steven (translator), Japanese Army Operations in the South Pacific Area Australian War Memorial: Canberra, 2007. Despite the title of this work, it is a very valuable resource for the events leading up to the Coral Sea as it contains excerpts from two volumes of the official Japanese history of the Pacific War (Senshi Sosho). This is the first translation of the Senshi Sosho series available to anyone other than a few historians who have had parts of Senshi Sosho privately translated.
Dull, Paul S, A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1941–45 Naval Institute Press: Annapolis, MD, 1978. One of the first American scholars to heavily use Japanese sources.
Lundstrom, John B., The First Team Naval Institute Press: Annapolis, MD, 1984
——, Black Shoe Carrier Admiral Naval Institute Press: Annapolis, MD, 2006. Lundstrom is one of the finest historians of the Pacific War working today. The First Team is devoted to the early stages of the carrier war and includes detailed accounts of the air battle at the Coral Sea. In addition to exhaustive research into US Navy sources, Lundstrom makes good use of Japanese sources (including Senshi Sosho) thus presenting a balanced view of the battle. His newest book, Black Shoe Carrier Admiral, includes an examination of the Coral Sea from the perspective of Jack Fletcher. This is perhaps the best-balanced and most original account of the battle available.
Millot, Bernard, The Battle of the Coral Sea Ian Allan: London, 1974. This is one of the first books on the battle and remains useful.
Morison, Samuel Eliot, Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions May 1942–August 1942 (Volume IV of The History of United States Naval Operations in World War II) Little, Brown and Company: Boston, MA, 1975. Morison’s work was the best account available of the battle for many years being originally published in 1949. It must now be used with caution, from its dated order of battle to its scathing treatment of Fletcher.
Willmott, H. P., The Barrier and the Javelin, Naval Institute Press: Annapolis, MD, 1983. A thoughtful account of the Pacific War from February to June 1942 that includes coverage of the Coral Sea and Midway. The best work available for placing the battle into an overall context of the war.
Additionally, the following Osprey titles are useful for additional background:
Stille, Mark, New Vanguard 109: Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers 1921–45 Osprey Publishing Ltd: Oxford, 2005
——, New Vanguard 114: US Navy Aircraft Carriers 1922–45 (Prewar classes) Osprey Publishing Ltd: Oxford, 2005
——, Duel 6: USN Carriers vs IJN Carriers Osprey Publishing Ltd: Oxford, 2007