Midway order of battle
This is the order of battle for the World War II Battle of Midway, which took place 4–7 June 1942.
Overview
Ships involved in the Midway operation[1][2]
Japan
The Japanese forces (the "Combined Fleet") actually consisted of two different fleets detailed to two separate operations, namely Operation AL (for the Aleutians) and Operation MI (for Midway). The list below shows all ships assigned to Operation MI, however only Nagumo's First Carrier Striking Force and Kurita's Midway Support Force were actually involved in the Battle of Midway.
First Fleet
- First Fleet Main Force
- 1st Battleship Division (Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet in Yamato):
- Yamato (Rear Admiral Gihachi Takayanagi)
- Mutsu (Rear Adm. Gunji Kogure)
- Nagato (Captain Hideo Yano)
- Carrier Group:
- CVE Hōshō (Capt. Kaoru Umetani)
- Air Unit: 8 Yokosuka B4Y1 'Jean' biplane torpedo bombers (Lieutenant Yoshiaki Irikiin)
- DD Yūkaze (Lt. Cmdr. Shizuka Kajimoto)
- CVE Hōshō (Capt. Kaoru Umetani)
- Special Force:
- Screening Force
- 3rd Destroyer Squadron (Rear Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto in Sendai):
- CL Sendai (Capt. Nobue Morishita)
- 11th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kichiro Shoji):
- 19th Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe):
- 3rd Destroyer Squadron (Rear Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto in Sendai):
- 1st Supply Group (Capt. Shigeyasu Nishioka in Naruto):
- AO Naruto (Capt. Nishioka)
- AO Toei Maru
- 1st Battleship Division (Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet in Yamato):
- First Carrier Striking Force / First Air Fleet (Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo)
- 1st Carrier Division (Vice Adm. Nagumo in Akagi):
- Akagi (sunk/scuttled) (Capt. Taijiro Aoki)
- Air Unit (Commander Mitsuo Fuchida):
- 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Shigeru Itaya)
- 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Takehiko Chihaya)
- 18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Shigeharu Murata)
- Air Unit (Commander Mitsuo Fuchida):
- Kaga (sunk/scuttled) (Capt. Jisaku Okada†)
- Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kusumi†):
- 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Masao Sato)
- 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Shoichi Ogawa†)
- 27 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Ichiro Kitajima)
- Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kusumi†):
- Akagi (sunk/scuttled) (Capt. Taijiro Aoki)
- 2nd Carrier Division (Rear Adm. Tamon Yamaguchi† in Hiryū)
- Hiryū (sunk/scuttled) (Capt. Tomeo Kaku†)
- Air Unit (Lt. Joichi Tomonaga†):
- 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Shigeru Mori†)
- 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Michio Kobayashi†)
- 18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Rokuro Kikuchi†)
- Air Unit (Lt. Joichi Tomonaga†):
- Sōryū (sunk/scuttled) (Capt. Ryusaku Yanagimoto†)
- Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa):
- 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Masaji Suganami)
- 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Masai Ikeda)
- 18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Heijiro Abe)
- 2 Yokosuka D4Y1 'Judy' dive bombers
- Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa):
- Hiryū (sunk/scuttled) (Capt. Tomeo Kaku†)
- Support Group
- 8th Cruiser Division (Rear Adm. Hiroaki Abe in Tone):
- CA Tone (Capt. Tametsugu Okada)
- Air Unit: 3 Aichi E13A1 Type 0 'Jake' float planes, 2 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
- CA Chikuma (Capt. Keizo Komura)
- Air Unit: 3 Aichi E13A1 Type 0 'Jake' float planes, 2 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
- CA Tone (Capt. Tametsugu Okada)
- 3rd Battleship Division, 2nd Section (Rear Adm. Tamotsu Takama in Haruna):
- Haruna (Rear Adm. Takama) – 3 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
- Kirishima (Capt. Sanji Iwabuchi) – 3 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
- 8th Cruiser Division (Rear Adm. Hiroaki Abe in Tone):
- Screening Force
- 10th Destroyer Squadron (Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura in Nagara):
- CL Nagara (Capt. Toshio Naoi)
- 4th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kōsaku Aruga):
- 10th Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Abe):
- 17th Destroyer Division (Capt. Masayuki Kitamura):
- 10th Destroyer Squadron (Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura in Nagara):
- Supply Group 1 (Capt. Masanao Ota in Kyokuto Maru):
- 1st Carrier Division (Vice Adm. Nagumo in Akagi):
Second Fleet (Midway Invasion Force)
- Second Fleet Main Body (Vice Adm. Nobutake Kondō[4] in Atago)
- 3rd Battleship Division less 2nd Section (Rear Adm. Gunichi Mikawa):
- Kongō (Capt. Tomiji Koyanagi)
- Hiei (Capt. Masao Nishida)
- 4th Cruiser Division less 2nd Section (Vice Adm. Kondo):
- CA Atago (Capt. Baron Matsuji Ijuin)
- CA Chōkai (Capt. Mikio Hayakawa)
- 5th Cruiser Division (Vice Adm. Takeo Takagi):
- Screening Force
- 4th Destroyer Squadron (Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura in CL Yura):
- CL Yura (Capt. Shiro Sato)
- 3rd Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe):
- 9th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuo Sato):
- 4th Destroyer Squadron (Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura in CL Yura):
- Carrier Group (Capt. Sueo Obayashi):
- Supply Group: (Capt. Jiro Murao in Sata):
- AO Sata (Capt. Murao)
- AO Tsurumi (Capt. Toshizo Fujita)
- AO Genyo Maru (Capt. Shigetaro Ogawa)
- AO Kenyo Maru (Capt. Yoshio Kanemasu)
- AR Akashi (Capt. Tsunekichi Fukuzawa)
- 3rd Battleship Division less 2nd Section (Rear Adm. Gunichi Mikawa):
- Midway Occupation Force (Rear Adm. Raizo Tanaka)
- Transport Group carrying about 5000 troops under Capt. Minoru Ōta IJN and Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki IJA
- Transports:
- Kiyosumi Maru (Capt. Seiichiro Kito)
- Keiyo Maru (Capt. Masamichi Ikeuchi)
- Zenyo Maru
- Goshu Maru (Capt. Hiyoshi Furuya)
- Toa Maru No. 2 Go
- Kano Maru (Capt. Tomosaburo Miura)
- Argentina Maru (Cmdr. Takeshi Watanabe)
- Hokuroku Maru (Capt. Hiotaro Tsukagoshi)
- Brazil Maru (Capt. Kyujiro Jintsu)
- Kirishima Maru (Capt. Hiroshi Okubo)
- Azuma Maru (Capt. Nobuyoshi Morikawa)
- Nankai Maru (Capt. Akira Maki)
- Patrol Boats:
- Patrol Boat #1
- Patrol Boat #2
- Patrol Boat #34 also carrying SNLF detachment
- AO Akebono Maru (damaged by torpedo night of June 3–4) (Capt. Miki Otsuka)
- Transports:
- Escort Force (Rear Adm. Tanaka in CL Jintsu):
- CL Jintsu (Capt. Torazo Kozai)
- 15th Destroyer Division (Capt. Torajiro Sato):
- 16th Destroyer Division (Capt. Shiro Shibuya):
- Yukikaze (Cmdr. Kenjiro Tobita)
- Amatsukaze (Cmdr. Tameichi Hara)
- Tokitsukaze (Cmdr. Giichiro Nakahara)
- Hatsukaze (Cmdr. Kameshiro Takahashi)
- 18th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yoshito Miyasaka):
- Seaplane Tender Group (Rear Adm. Ruitaro Fujita in Chitose)
- 11th Seaplane Tender Division
- CVS Chitose (Capt. Tamotsu Furukawa)
- 16 Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters
- 4 Aichi E13A 'Jake' scout floatplanes
- AV Kamikawa Maru (Capt. Tarohachi Shinoda)
- 8 Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters
- 4 Aichi E13A 'Jake' scout floatplanes
- CVS Chitose (Capt. Tamotsu Furukawa)
- DD Hayashio (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kaneda)
- Patrol Boat #35 (carrying troops)
- 11th Seaplane Tender Division
- Transport Group carrying about 5000 troops under Capt. Minoru Ōta IJN and Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki IJA
- Midway Support Force (Vice Adm. Takeo Kurita in Kumano)
- 7th Cruiser Division (Vice Adm. Kurita):
- CA Kumano (Capt. Kikumatsu Tanaka)
- CA Suzuya (Capt. Masatomi Kimura)
- CA Mikuma (sunk) (Capt. Shakao Sakiyama†)
- CA Mogami (Capt. Akira Soji)
- 8th Destroyer Division (Cmdr. Nobuki Ogawa):
- Attached Oiler:
- AO Nichiei Maru (Capt. Matsushi Yamamoto)
- 7th Cruiser Division (Vice Adm. Kurita):
- Minesweeper Group (Capt. Sadatomo Miyamoto)
- 4 Auxiliary Minesweepers:
- Tama Maru #3 (Lt. (j.g.) Atsutoshi Yamaguchi)
- Tama Maru #5 (Lt. Akira Takato)
- Showa Maru #7 (Lt. Teruhisa Takahashi)
- Showa Maru #8 (Lt. (j.g.) Kiichi Sasaki)
- 3 Subchasers:
- Subchaser #16 (Lt. Yasukichi Suzuki)
- Subchaser #17 (Lt. Shigematsu Yoshioka)
- Subchaser #18 (Lt. Mitsugu Miyoi)
- 1 Supply ship:
- Soya (Cmdr. Toshi Kubota)
- 2 Cargo ships:
- Meiyo Maru (Capt. Hisao Koizumi)
- Yamafuku Maru (Capt. Torao Honda)
- 4 Auxiliary Minesweepers:
- Advance (Submarine) Force (Sixth Fleet) (Vice Adm. Teruhisa Komatsu in Katori at Kwajalein):
- CL Katori (Capt. Noboru Owada)
- 3rd Submarine Squadron (Rear Adm. Chimaki Kona in Rio de Janeiro Maru at Kwajalein):
- 19th Submarine Division (Capt. Ryojiro Ono):
- 13th Submarine Division (Capt. Takeji Miyazaki):
- 30th Submarine Division (Capt. Maseo Teraoka):
- I-162 (Lt. Cmdr. Takakazu Kinashi)
- I-165 (Lt. Cmdr. Hakue Jarada)
- I-166 (Lt. Cmdr. Makio Tanaka)
Shore-based Air Force
- Eleventh Air Fleet (Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara at Tinian)
- Midway Expeditionary Force (Capt. Chisato Morita):
- 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Mitsugi Kofukuda)
- 10 Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty' level bombers at Wake Island
- 6 flying boats at Jaluit
- 24th Air Flotilla (Rear Adm. Minoru Maeda)
- Chitose Air Group at Kwajalein (Capt. Fujiro Ohashi):
- 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters
- 36 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers
- 1st Air Group at Aur and Wotje (Capt. Samaji Inoue):
- 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters
- 36 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers
- 14th Air Group (Capt. Daizo Nakajima):
- 36 Kawanishi H6K 'Mavis' flying boats at Jaluit and Wotje
- Chitose Air Group at Kwajalein (Capt. Fujiro Ohashi):
- Midway Expeditionary Force (Capt. Chisato Morita):
Northern Area Force
- Fifth Fleet Main Body (Vice Adm. Boshirō Hosogaya in Nachi):
- CA Nachi (Capt. Takahiko Kiyota)
- DD Inazuma (Lt. Cmdr. Hajime Takeuchi)
- DD Ikazuchi (Lt. Cmdr. Shunsaku Kudo)
- Supply Group:
- AO Fujisan Maru (Capt. Kikuta Maki)
- AO Nissan Maru (Capt. Hachiro Naotsuka)
- AC Muroto (Capt. Masaji Yamagata)
- AP Akashisan Maru (Capt. Yoshio Hosoya)
- AF Tōkō Maru No. 2 Go
- Second Carrier Striking Force (Rear Adm. Kakuji Kakuta in Ryujo)
- 4th Carrier Division (Rear Adm. Kakuta):
- CVL Ryūjō (Capt. Tadeo Kato)
- Air Unit (Lt. Masayuki Yamagami):
- 16 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Minoru Kobayashi)
- 21 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Yamagami)
- Air Unit (Lt. Masayuki Yamagami):
- CV Jun'yō (Capt. Shizue Isii)
- Air Unit (Lt. Yoshio Shiga):
- 24 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Shiga)
- 15 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Zenji Abe)
- Air Unit (Lt. Yoshio Shiga):
- CVL Ryūjō (Capt. Tadeo Kato)
- 4th Cruiser Division, 2nd Section (Capt. Shunsaku Nabeshima in Maya):
- 7th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kaname Konishi):
- AO Teiyo Maru (Capt. Katasuke Tanaka)
- 4th Carrier Division (Rear Adm. Kakuta):
- Aleutian Support Force (Vice Adm. Shiro Takasu in Hyūga)
- 2nd Battleship Division (Vice Adm. Takasu):
- Fusō (Capt. Chozaemon Obata)
- Hyūga (Capt. Chiaki Matsuda)
- Ise (Capt. Isamu Takeda)
- Yamashiro (Capt. Gunji Kogure)
- Screening Force (Rear Adm. Fukuji Kishi in Kitakami)
- 9th Cruiser Division (Rear Adm. Kishi):
- 20th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yuji Yamada):
- 24th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuji Hirai):
- 27th Destroyer Division (Capt. Matake Yoshimura):
- Ariake (Lt. Cmdr. Shoichi Yoshida)
- Yūgure (Lt. Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamo)
- Shigure (Cmdr. Noboru Seo)
- Shiratsuyu (Lt. Cmdr. Kanematsu Hashimoto)
- Supply Group (Capt. Matsuo Eguchi):
- AO San Clemente Maru (Capt. Eguchi)
- AO Toa Maru (Capt. Yataro Yokohama)
- 2nd Battleship Division (Vice Adm. Takasu):
- Attu Invasion Force (Rear Adm. Sentaro Omori in Abukuma):
- CL Abukuma (Capt. Seiroku Murayama)
- 21st Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Shimizu):
- Wakaba (Lt. Cmdr. Masakichi Kuroki)
- Nenohi (Lt. Cmdr. Saburo Terauchi)
- Hatsuharu (Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Makino)
- Hatsushimo (Lt. Cmdr. Satoru Kohama)
- Magane Maru Minelayer (Capt. Heiji Sasaki)
- AP Kinugasa Maru (Capt. Naoshi Arima carrying 1200 army troops under Major Matsutoshi Hozumi)
- Kiska Invasion Force (Capt. Takeji Ono in Kiso):
- 21st Cruiser Division (Capt. Ono)
- Screening Force
- 13th Minesweeper Division (Capt. Toshio Mitsuka):
- Hakuhō Maru
- Kaihō Maru
- Shunkotsu Maru
- Transports:
- Hakusan Maru (Capt. Hareyoshi Goto) carrying 550 troops under Lt. Cmdr. Hifumi Mukai
- Kumagawa Maru (Capt. Shiro Yoshida) carrying 700 labor troops with construction equipment
- Submarine Detachment
- 1st Submarine Squadron (Rear Adm. Shigeaki Yamakazi):
- Aleutian Seaplane Tender Force (Capt. Keiichi Ujuku):
- AV Kimikawa Maru (Capt. Ujuku)
- Air Unit: 8 3-seat floatplanes
- DD Shiokaze (Lt. Yoji Tanegashima)
- AV Kimikawa Maru (Capt. Ujuku)
United States
The US Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas were under the overall command of Admiral Chester Nimitz.[5]
Carrier Strike Force
Task Force 17 (Rear Adm. Frank J. Fletcher in Yorktown)
- Task Group 17.5 (Carrier Group):
- USS Yorktown (sunk) (Captain Elliott Buckmaster)
- Yorktown Air Group (Including elements from the sidelined USS Saratoga Air Group) (Lieutenant Commander Oscar Pederson):
- 25 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters (VF-3 – Lt. Cmdr. John S. Thach)
- 18 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers (VB-3 – Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell F. Leslie)
- 19 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers (VS-5 – Lt. Wallace C. Short, Jr.)
- 13 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers (VT-3 – Lt. Cmdr. Lance E. Massey†)
- Yorktown Air Group (Including elements from the sidelined USS Saratoga Air Group) (Lieutenant Commander Oscar Pederson):
- USS Yorktown (sunk) (Captain Elliott Buckmaster)
- Task Group 17.2 (Cruiser Group) (Rear Adm. William W. Smith in Astoria)
- USS Astoria (Capt. Francis W. Scanland)
- USS Portland (Capt. Laurance T. DuBose)
- Task Group 17.4 (Destroyer Screen) (Capt. Gilbert Hoover, COMDESRON 2)
- USS Hammann (sunk) (Commander Arnold E. True)
- USS Anderson (Lt. Cmdr. William M. Hobby, Jr.)
- USS Gwin (Lt. Cmdr. J. M. Higgins)
- USS Hughes (Lt. Cmdr. Donald J. Ramsey)
- USS Morris (Cmdr. Harry B. Jarrett)
- USS Russell (Lt. Cmdr. J. C. Pollock)
Task Force 16 (Rear Adm. Raymond A. Spruance in Enterprise)
- Task Group 16.5 (Carrier Group):[6]
- USS Enterprise (Capt. George D. Murray)
- Enterprise Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. C. Wade McClusky):
- 27 F4F-4 fighters (VF-6 – Lt. James S. Gray)
- 19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers (VB-6 – Lt. Richard H. Best)
- 19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers (VS-6 – Lt. Wilmer E. Gallaher)
- 14 TBD-1 torpedo bombers (VT-6 – Lt. Cmdr. Eugene E. Lindsey†)
- Enterprise Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. C. Wade McClusky):
- USS Hornet (Capt. Marc A. Mitscher, promoted to Rear Adm en route)
- Hornet Air Group (Cmdr. Stanhope C. Ring):
- 27 F4F-4 fighters (VF-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Samuel G. Mitchell)
- 19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers (VB-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Robert R. Johnson)
- 18 SBD-1/2/3 dive bombers (VS-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Walter F. Rodee)
- 15 TBD-1 torpedo bombers (VT-8 – Lt. Cmdr. John C. Waldron†)
- Hornet Air Group (Cmdr. Stanhope C. Ring):
- USS Enterprise (Capt. George D. Murray)
- Task Group 16.2 (Cruiser Group) (Rear Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid, COMCRUDIV 6)
- CA USS Pensacola (Capt. Alfred G. Howe)
- CA USS Northampton (Capt. Walter N. Vernou)
- CA USS New Orleans (Capt. Allen B. Reed)
- CA USS Minneapolis (Capt. Gordon W. Haines)
- CA USS Vincennes (Capt. Burton H. Green)
- CL USS Atlanta (Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)
- Task Group 16.4 (Destroyer Screen) (Capt. Alexander R. Early, COMDESRON 1)
- Destroyer Squadron 1:
- USS Phelps (Lt. Cmdr. Edward L. Beck)
- USS Worden (Lt. Cmdr. William G. Pogue)
- USS Monaghan (Lt. Cmdr. William P. Burford)
- USS Aylwin (Lt. Cmdr. George R. Phelan)
- Destroyer Squadron 6:
- USS Balch (Lt. Cmdr. Harold H. Thiemroth)
- USS Conyngham (Lt. Cmdr. Henry C. Daniel)
- USS Benham (Lt. Cmdr. Joseph M. Worthington)
- USS Ellet (Lt. Cmdr. Francis H. Gardner)
- USS Maury (Lt. Cmdr. Gelzer L. Sims)
- Destroyer Squadron 1:
- Oilers Group:
- AO USS Cimarron (Cmdr. Russell H. Ihrig)
- AO USS Platte (Capt. Ralph H. Henkle)
- DD USS Dewey (Lt. Cmdr. C.F. Chillingworth, Jr.)
- DD USS Monssen (Cmdr. Roland N. Smoot)
Submarines Operational command under Rear Admiral Robert H. English (Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet) at Pearl Harbor.
- Task Group 7.1 (Midway Patrol Group)
- USS Cachalot (Lt. Cmdr. G.A. Lewis)
- USS Flying Fish (Lt. Cmdr. Glynn R. Donaho)
- USS Tambor (Lt. Cmdr. J.W. Murphy)
- USS Trout (Lt. Cmdr. F.W. Fenno)
- USS Grayling (Lt. Cmdr. E. Olsen)
- USS Nautilus (Lt. Cmdr. William H. Brockman Jr.)
- USS Grouper (Lt. Cmdr. C.E. Duke)
- USS Dolphin (Lt. Cmdr. R.L. Rutter)
- USS Gato (Lt. Cmdr. W.G. Myers)
- USS Cuttlefish (Lt. Cmdr. Martin P. Hottel)
- USS Gudgeon (Lt. Cmdr. H.B. Lyon)
- USS Grenadier (Lt. Cmdr. Willis A. Lent)
- Task Group 7.2 ("Roving Short-Stops")
- USS Narwhal (Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Wilkins)
- USS Plunger (Lt. Cmdr. D.C. White)
- USS Trigger (Lt. Cmdr. J.H. Lewis)
- Task Group 7.3 (North of Oahu Patrol)
- USS Tarpon (Lt. Cmdr. Lewis Wallace)
- USS Finback (Lt. Cmdr. J.L. Hull)
- USS Pike (Lt. Cmdr. W.A. New)
- USS Growler (Lt. Cmdr. Howard W. Gilmore)
Midway Garrison
- Air group
- Marine Aircraft Group 22 - Colonel Ira L. Kimes, USMC
- 21 Brewster F2A-3 (VMF-221, Major Floyd B. Parks†, USMC)
- 7 Grumman F4F-3A Wildcat (VMF-221, Captain John F. Carey, USMC)
- 19 Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless (VMSB-241 Major Lofton R. Henderson†, USMC)
- 17 Chance-Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator (VMSB-241, Major Benjamin W. Norris†, USMC)
- Navy Air Units - Captain Cyril T. Simard
- 31 PBY-5 and PBY-5A Catalinas (Detachments from Patrol Wings 1 and 2, USN)
- 6 Grumman TBF Avenger (Detachment from VT-8, USS Hornet - Lt. Langdon K. Fieberling†, USN)
- Detachment of Seventh Air Force - Maj. Gen. Willis Hale
- 4 Martin B-26 Marauder (Detachments from 18th Reconnaissance and 69th Bombardment Squadrons - Capt. James Collins, USAAF)
- 17 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Detachments from 26th, 31st, 72nd, 431st Bombardment Squadrons - Lt.Col. Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., USAAF)
- Marine Aircraft Group 22 - Colonel Ira L. Kimes, USMC
- Local Defenses - Colonel Harold D. Shannon, Fleet Marine Force commander
- "C" and "D" Companies, 2nd Raider Battalion, USMC
- 6th Defense Battalion (Reinforced) USMC Colonel Harold D. Shannon
- 1st Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron
- 11 PT boats (9 at Midway Island and 2 at Kure Atoll)[7]
Deployed along lesser reefs and islands of the Hawaiian Group
- French Frigate Shoals
- seaplane tenders USS Thornton and USS Ballard
- gasoline tanker USS Kaloli
- destroyer USS Clark
- Pearl and Hermes Reef
- patrol boat USS Crystal
- fleet tug USS Vireo
- Lisianski Island
- patrol boat YP-284
- Gardner Pinnacles
- patrol boat YP-345
- Laysan Island
- patrol boat YP-290
- Necker Island
- patrol boat YP-350
Midway Refueling Unit
- Comdr. Harry R. Thurber, USN
- AO USS Guadalupe
- DD USS Blue and USS Ralph Talbot
The military forces at the immediate point of tactical contact (i.e. not including support formations) are described below.
Aircraft
American Forces
Naval Air Station (NAS) Midway operated:[8]
- 31 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina, seaplanes.
- 6 Grumman TBF-1 Avenger, torpedo bombers (5 lost)
- 4 Martin B-26 Marauder, medium bombers
- 17 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, heavy bombers
- 19 Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless, dive bombers
- 17 Chance-Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator, dive bombers
- 21 Brewster F2A Buffalo, fighters
- 7 Grumman F4F-3A Wildcat, fighters
- 1 light utility aircraft
Task Force 17:
Yorktown: 77 aircraft (sunk)
- 25 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, fighters
- 37 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, dive bombers
- 15 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, torpedo bombers (13 lost)
Task Force 16:
Enterprise: 78 aircraft
- 27 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, fighters
- 37 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, dive bombers
- 14 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, torpedo bombers (10 lost)
Hornet: 77 aircraft
- 27 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, fighters
- 35 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, dive bombers
- 15 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, torpedo bombers (all lost)
Japanese Forces
The Japanese carriers of the Striking Force operated:
Akagi: 60 aircraft (sunk)
Kaga: 74 aircraft (sunk)
- 27 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
- 18 Aichi D3A, dive bombers
- 27 Nakajima B5N, torpedo bombers
- 2 Aichi D3A, dive bombers (as cargo, likely non-operational)
Hiryū: 57 aircraft (sunk)
- 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
- 16 Aichi D3A, dive bombers
- 18 Nakajima B5N, torpedo bombers
- 2 Yokosuka D4Y1C, pre-series dive bombers (experimental reconnaissance aircraft)
(Note: These figures include 21 operational Zero fighters of the 6th Air Group being ferried to Midway by the carriers.)
- Japanese Battleships and Cruisers: 16 reconnaissance floatplanes, most of them short-ranged (5 Aichi E13A, 10 Nakajima E8N, 1 Aichi E11A)
Footnotes
References
- http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/aftermidway.aspx
- Spennemann, Dirk HR (June 2009). "The Cultural Landscape of the World War II Battlefield of Kiska, Aleutian Islands" (PDF). National Park Service.
- Part of the Aleutian's Support Force: These ships detached from the Main Body before the Midway action commenced
- L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Vice-Admiral Nobutake Kondō". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942.
- "Battle of Midway". World War 2 Facts. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
- "Midway Order of Battle". NavWeaps.com. NavWeaps.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
- THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY INCLUDING THE ALEUTIAN PHASE. U.S. Naval War College. 1948. p. 120.
Meanwhile, at 1920 CNAS Midway decided to employ his motor torpedo boats as an attack squadron and sent a squadron of nine MTB's from Midway and two MTB's from Kure Island to attack the task force containing the burning carriers. They were unable to locate the target. With the coming of daylight they commenced their return to Midway.*
- "ONI Review of Midway". ONI Review of Midway. iBiblio.org. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
- "After Midway". Military History Online. militaryhistoryonline.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.