In May 1942, following the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese continued their offensive drive capturing the Dutch East Indies, the Philippians, Singaport, Malaya, Burma and most of the islands in the central and western Pacific.Their next objective was to capture Port Moresby on the southern coast of New Guinea and establish bases in order to cut the vital sea lanes used to bring supplies and munitions to the U.S. and Allied forces in the southwest Pacific.  This painting depicts a TBD off the Yorktown, releasing a torpedo against the Japanese carrier IJN Shoho, thus sinking the enemy ship.  Although the Navy lost the carrier Lexington and two of its support ships, with the loss of their small carrier Shoho, the overall Japanese offensive had been stunned and deterred for the first time since their attack on Pearl Harbor.