Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull talked up Australia’s relationship with the United States ahead of his first meeting with President Donald Trump, thanking American servicemen who fought in the pivotal World War II Battle of the Coral Sea.

“Our freedoms were secured by the bravery of the fighting men on those ships and the pilots who flew through everything the enemy and the weather could throw in their way,” Mr Turnbull said at a dawn service in Townsville Monday morning commemorating the 75th anniversary of the battle.

Families from sailors who served on the aircraft carrier the USS Lexington, which was lost in the battle, flew from America to attend the service.

Mr Turnbull said the US Navy’s commitment to the battle showed “a total commitment to the defence of Australia” and a unity of purpose that continues today.
”

Together, we’re taking a strong message to North Korea that we will not tolerate reckless, dangerous threats, to the peace and stability of our region,” he said.

“And we are united in our efforts to defeat the terrorists in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
”We must be forever grateful to those who put their lives on the line and those who do so today so that we might have a free and peaceful.”

Mr Turnbull will attend a commemorative dinner in New York later this week, where he will have his first face-to-face meeting with President Trump.

Governor General Peter Cosgrove and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk were among the dignitaries attending.

The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought south-west of the Solomon Islands and east of New Guinea from May 4 to 8, 1942.

It was the first decisive halt to the Japanese push south towards Australia during WWII.

It was also the first aircraft-carrier battle and stopped a planned Japanese sea invasion of Port Moresby.

– With AAP.