Battle of Midway order of battle

This is the order of battle for the Battle of Midway, a major engagement of the Pacific Theatre of World War II, fought 4–7 June 1942 by naval and air forces of Imperial Japan and the United States in the waters around Midway Atoll in the far northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The Japanese had two purposes for the campaign: to occupy Midway for use as a base for long-range search planes (for which the Americans were already using it), and to draw the US Pacific Fleet out of its base at Pearl Harbor for a decisive showdown battle.

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet (comprising all combat vessels) and mastermind of the Pearl Harbor Attack, was tasked with drawing up the operational plan. The Japanese Naval General Staff, responsible for strategic planning, required him to include a diversionary move as part of his detailed battle plan; they told him to include a side operation that would result in the capture of two islands in the Aleutians chain, believing that the occupation of even a tiny portion of a US possession would be sufficient to draw out the bulk of the Pacific Fleet.

US Navy code-breaking, Japanese overconfidence and the courage of American carrier fliers combined to create both a strategic and a tactical defeat for the Japanese: they failed to capture Midway and they suffered much greater losses in ships and planes than did the Americans (the loss of experienced naval pilots would prove to be particularly costly as the war dragged on). Midway put an end to Japanese expansion in the Pacific.

Because the Japanese assumed the tactical initiative, their forces are listed first.

Overview

Ships involved in the Midway operation

Losses indicated by *, counts in parentheses

Combat vessels

{| class="wikitable"

! scope="col" colspan = 2 width=45%| Imperial Japanese Navy

! Ship Type

! scope="col" colspan = 2 width=45%| United States Navy

| * · * · * · *

| style="text-align: center" | 4 (4)

| style="text-align: center" | Fleet carriers (CV)

| style="text-align: center" | 3 (1)

| · · *

| ·

| style="text-align: center" | 2

| style="text-align: center" | Light carriers (CVL)

| style="text-align: center" | -

| · · ·

| style="text-align: center" | 4

| style="text-align: center" | Seaplane tenders (CVS/AVD)

| style="text-align: center" | 2

| ·

| · · · in Atago

3rd Battleship Division less 2nd Section
Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
2 fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery)
(Capt. Tomiji Koyanagi)
(Capt. Masao Nishida)
4th Cruiser Division less 2nd Section
Vice Admiral Kondo
2 heavy cruisers (10 × 7.9-in. main battery)
(Capt. Baron Matsuji Ijuin)
(Capt. Mikio Hayakawa)
5th Cruiser Division
Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi
2 heavy cruisers (10 × 7.9-in. main battery)
(Capt. Teruhiko Miyoshi)
(Capt. Tomokazu Mori)
Screening Force
4th Destroyer Squadron
Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura in Yura
1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
(Capt. Shiro Sato)
3rd Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe)
4 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Naoji Suenaga)
(Cmdr. Takisaburo Matsubara)
(Lt. Cmdr. Masao Kamiyama)
(Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamiyama)
9th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuo Sato)
3 s
(Cmdr. Toru Iwahashi)
(Lt. Cmdr. Yasuatsu Suzuki)
(Lt. Cmdr. Moritaro Tsukamoto)
Carrier Group
Captain Sueo Obayashi
CVL (Capt. Obayashi)
12 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Saneyasu Hidaka)
12 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Kaji Matsuo)
1 (4 × 4.7-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. Saneho Maeda)
Supply Group
Captain 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 (Capt. Tsunekichi Fukuzawa)

Midway Occupation Force

thumb|upright|Raizo Tanaka

thumb|Kagero-class destroyer

thumb|Light cruiser Sendai

thumb|Seaplane tender Chitose

thumb|A6M "Rufe" floatplane fighter

thumb|Aichi E13 "Jake" scout plane

Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka in Jintsu

Transport Group carrying about 5000 troops under Captain Minoru Ōta, IJN and Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki, IJA
Transports
Kiyosumi Maru (Capt. Seiichiro Kito)
Keiyo Maru (Capt. Masamichi Ikeuchi)
Zenyo Maru
(Capt. Hiyoshi Furuya)
Toa Maru No. 2 Go
Kano Maru (Capt. Tomosaburo Miura)
Argentina Maru (Cmdr. Takeshi Watanabe)
Hokuroku Maru (Capt. Hiotaro Tsukagoshi)
(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)
Escort Force
2nd Destroyer Squadron
Rear Admiral Tanaka
1 (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
CL (Capt. Torazo Kozai)
15th Destroyer Division (Capt. Torajiro Sato)
2 s
(Cmdr. Tamaki Ugaki)
(Cmdr. Tokiyoshi Arima)
16th Destroyer Division (Capt. Shiro Shibuya)
4 s
(Cmdr. Kenjiro Tobita)
(Cmdr. Tameichi Hara)
(Cmdr. Giichiro Nakahara)
(Cmdr. Kameshiro Takahashi)
18th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yoshito Miyasaka)
2 s
(Cmdr. Shizuo Akazawa)
(Cmdr. Minoru Yokoi)
2 s
(Cmdr. Kiyoshi Tomura)
(Cmdr. Tomoe Ogata)
Seaplane Tender Group
Rear Admiral Ruitaro Fujita in Chitose
11th Seaplane Tender Division
CVS (Capt. Tamotsu Furukawa)
16 Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters
4 Aichi E13A 'Jake' scout floatplanes
AV (Capt. Tarohachi Shinoda)
8 Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters
4 Aichi E13A 'Jake' scout floatplanes
1
(Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kaneda)
Patrol Boat #35 (carrying troops)

Midway Support Force

thumb|Heavy cruiser Mikuma heavily damaged by US air attack at Midway

thumb|Destroyer Asashio

thumb|Nakajima E8N "Dave" scout plane

Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita in Kumano

7th Cruiser Division (Vice Adm. Kurita)
(Capt. Kikumatsu Tanaka)
(Capt. Masatomi Kimura)
(Capt. Shakao Sakiyama†)
(Capt. Akira Soji)
8th Destroyer Division (Cmdr. Nobuki Ogawa)
2 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Goro Yoshii)
(Cmdr. Hideo Kuboki)
Attached Oiler
AO Nichiei Maru (Capt. Matsushi Yamamoto)
Minesweeper Group
Captain 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
(Cmdr. Toshi Kubota)
2 cargo ships
Meiyo Maru (Capt. Hisao Koizumi)
(Capt. Torao Honda)

Advance (Submarine) Force (Sixth Fleet)

thumb|Light cruiser Katori pre-war

thumb|I-class submarine underway

Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu in at Kwajalein

1 (4 × 5.5-in. main battery)
(Capt. Noboru Owada)
3rd Submarine Squadron
Rear Admiral Chimaki Kona in Rio de Janeiro Maru at Kwajalein
19th Submarine Division (Capt. Ryojiro Ono)
(Lt. Cmdr. Katsuo Ohashi)
(Lt. Cmdr. Sakae Nakajima)
(Lt. Cmdr. Soshichi Kitamura)
(Lt. Cmdr. Tamori Yoshimatsu)
13th Submarine Division (Capt. Takeji Miyazaki)
(Lt. Cmdr. Yasuo Fujimori)
(Lt. Cmdr. Sadatoshi Norita)
(Lt. Cmdr. Toshitake Ueno)
30th Submarine Division (Capt. Maseo Teraoka)
(Lt. Cmdr. Takakazu Kinashi)
(Lt. Cmdr. Hakue Jarada)
(Lt. Cmdr. Makio Tanaka)

Shore-based Air Force

thumb|Mistubishi G4M "Betty" level bombers

thumb|Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" flying boat

Eleventh Air Fleet

Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara at Tinian

Midway Expeditionary Force (Capt. Chisato Morita)
36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters (Lt. Tadashi Kaneko)
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

Fifth Fleet (Northern Area Force)

5th Fleet Main Body

thumb|upright|Boshirō Hosogaya

Vice Admiral Boshirō Hosogaya in Nachi

1 heavy cruiser
(Capt. Takahiko Kiyota)
2 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Hajime Takeuchi)
(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

Second Carrier Striking Force

thumb|upright|Kakuji Kakuta

Rear Admiral Kakuji Kakuta in Ryujo

4th Carrier Division (Rear Adm. Kakuta)
CVL (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)
CV (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)
4th Cruiser Division, 2nd Section (Capt. Shunsaku Nabeshima in Maya)
2 heavy cruisers
(Capt. Bunji Asakura)
(Capt. Nabeshima)
7th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kaname Konishi)
3 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Minoru Nakagawa)
(Lt. Cmdr. Yoshitake Uesugi)
(Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Uwai)
AO Teiyo Maru (Capt. Katasuke Tanaka)

Aleutian Support Force

thumb|upright|Shiro Takasu

Vice Admiral Shiro Takasu in Hyūga

2nd Battleship Division (Vice Adm. Takasu)
(Capt. Chozaemon Obata)
(Capt. Chiaki Matsuda)
(Capt. Isamu Takeda)
(Capt. Gunji Kogure)
Screening Force (Rear Adm. Fukuji Kishi] in Kitakami)
9th Cruiser Division (Rear Adm. Kishi)
CL (Capt. Saiji Norimitsu)
CL (Capt. Moichi Narita)
20th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yuji Yamada)
4 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Nisaburo Maekawa)
(Cmdr. Masayoshi Motokura)
(Cmdr. Toyoji Hitomi)
(Capt. Buichi Ashida)
24th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuji Hirai)
4 s
(Cmdr. Nagahide Sugitani)
(Lt. Cmdr. Shuichi Hamanaka)
(Lt. Cmdr. Kazuo Wakabayashi)
(Lt. Cmdr. Kazuo Shibayama)
27th Destroyer Division (Capt. Matake Yoshimura)
2 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Shoichi Yoshida)
(Lt. Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamo)
2 s
(Cmdr. Noboru Seo)
(Lt. Cmdr. Kanematsu Hashimoto)
Supply Group (Capt. Matsuo Eguchi)
AO San Clemente Maru (Capt. Eguchi)
AO Toa Maru (Capt. Yataro Yokohama)

Attu Invasion Force

thumb|upright|Sentarō Ōmori

Rear Admiral Sentarō Ōmori in Abukuma

1st Destroyer Squadron
Rear Admiral Ōmori
CL (Capt. Seiroku Murayama)
21st Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Shimizu)
4 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Masakichi Kuroki)
(Lt. Cmdr. Saburo Terauchi)
(Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Makino)
(Lt. Cmdr. Satoru Kohama)
ML (Capt. Heiji Sasaki)
AP Kinugasa Maru (Capt. Naoshi Arima) carrying 1,200 army troops under Major Matsutoshi Hozumi

Kiska Invasion Force

Captain Takeji Ono in Kiso

21st Cruiser Division (Capt. Ono)
2 s
(Capt. Ono)
(Capt. Masaharu Kawabata)
2 auxiliary cruisers
Asaka Maru (Capt. Jiro Ban)
Awata Maru (Capt. Kikuta Maki)
Screening Force
6th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yusuke Tamada)
2 s
(Lt. Cmdr. Hagumu Ishii)
(Lt. Cmdr. Osamu Takasuka)
1
(Lt. Cmdr. Tomo Tanaka)
13th Minesweeper Division (Capt. Toshio Mitsuka)
Kaihō Maru
Transports
Hakusan Maru (Capt. Hareyoshi Goto) carrying 550 troops under Lt. Cmdr. Hifumi Mukai
(Capt. Shiro Yoshida) carrying 700 labor troops with construction equipment
Submarine Detachment
1st Submarine Squadron (Rear Adm. Shigeaki Yamakazi)
(Cmdr. Akiyoshi Fujii)
2nd Submarine Division (Capt. Hiroshi Imazato)
(Cmdr. Nobuo Ishikawa)
(Cmdr. Kozo Nishino)
(Cmdr. Shogo Narahara)
4th Submarine Division (Capt. Mitsuru Nagai)
(Cmdr. Akiji Tagami)
(Cmdr. Minoru Yokota)
Aleutian Seaplane Tender Force (Capt. Keiichi Ujuku)
AV (Capt. Ujuku)
Air Unit: 8 3-seat floatplanes
1
(Lt. Yoji Tanegashima)

United States

The US Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas were under the overall command of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

Task Force 17

thumb|upright|Frank Jack Fletcher

thumb|Damaged Yorktown with destroyer Balch standing by

Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in Yorktown

Task Group 17.5 (Carrier Group)
(Captain Elliott Buckmaster)
Yorktown 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†)
Task Group 17.2 (Cruiser Group)
Rear Admiral William W. Smith in Astoria
1 New Orleans-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
(Capt. Francis W. Scanland)
1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
(Capt. Laurance T. DuBose)
Task Group 17.4 (Destroyer Screen)
Captain Gilbert Hoover, COMDESRON 2
5 s (4 × 5-in. main battery)
(Commander Arnold E. True)
(Lt. Cmdr. William M. Hobby, Jr.)
(Lt. Cmdr. Donald J. Ramsey)
(Cmdr. Harry B. Jarrett)
(Lt. Cmdr. J. C. Pollock)
1 (5 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. John M. Higgins)

Task Force 16

thumb|upright|Raymond A. Spruance as a full admiral

thumb|Grumman F4F Wildcat

thumb|Douglas SBD Dauntless

thumb|Douglas TBD Devastator

thumb|Porter-class destroyer pre-war

Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in Enterprise

Task Group 16.5 (Carrier Group):
(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†)
(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†)
Task Group 16.2 (Cruiser Group)
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, COMCRUDIV 6
1 Pensacola-class heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery)
(Capt. Frank L. Lowe)
1 Northampton-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
(Capt. William D. Chandler Jr.)
3 New Orleans-class heavy cruisers (9 × 8-in. main battery)
(Capt. Howard H. Good)
(Capt. Frank J. Lowry)
(Capt. Frederick L. Riefkohl)
1 anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in. main battery)
(Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)
Task Group 16.4 (Destroyer Screen)
Captain Alexander R. Early, COMDESRON 1
Destroyer Squadron 1
1 (8 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. Edward L. Beck)
3 s (5 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. William G. Pogue)
(Lt. Cmdr. William P. Burford)
(Lt. Cmdr. George R. Phelan)
Destroyer Squadron 6
1 (4 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. Gelzer L. Sims)
2 s (4 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. Joseph M. Worthington)
(Lt. Cmdr. Francis H. Gardner)
1 (5 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. Henry C. Daniel)
1 (8 × 5-in. main battery)
(Lt. Cmdr. Harold H. Thiemroth)
Oilers Group
AO (Cmdr. Russell H. Ihrig)
AO (Capt. Ralph H. Henkle)
DD (Lt. Cmdr. C.F. Chillingworth, Jr.)
DD (Cmdr. Roland N. Smoot)

Submarines

thumb|Gato class

thumb|Nautilus class

thumb|Porpoise class

Rear Admiral Robert H. English

Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, HQ at Pearl Harbor

Task Group 7.1 (Midway Patrol Group)
3 (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. W.G. Myers)
(Lt. Cmdr. C.E. Duke)
(Lt. Cmdr. Glynn R. Donaho)
5 (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. J.W. Murphy)
(Lt. Cmdr. F.W. Fenno)
(Lt. Cmdr. E. Olsen)
(Lt. Cmdr. Willis A. Lent)
(Lt. Cmdr. H.B. Lyon)
4 (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. William H. Brockman Jr.)
(Lt. Cmdr. R.L. Rutter)
(Lt. Cmdr. G.A. Lewis)
(Lt. Cmdr. Martin P. Hottel)
Task Group 7.2 ("Roving Short-Stops")
1 (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. J.H. Lewis)
1 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. D.C. White)
1 (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Wilkins)
Task Group 7.3 (North of Oahu Patrol)
2 (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. Howard W. Gilmore)
(Lt. Cmdr. J.L. Hull)
2 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
(Lt. Cmdr. W.A. New)
(Lt. Cmdr. Lewis Wallace)

Midway Garrison

thumb|Brewster Buffalo

thumb|Consolidated Aircraft PBY Catalina

thumb|Boeing B-17

Air group
Marine Aircraft Group 22
Colonel Ira L. Kimes, USMC
21 Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo (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
Major General Willis Hale
4 Martin B-26 Marauder (Detachments from the 18th Reconnaissance and 69th Bombardment Squadrons - Capt. James Collins, USAAF)
17 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Detachments from the 26th, 31st, 72nd, and 431st Bombardment Squadrons - Lt.Col. Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., USAAF)
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)

Deployed along lesser reefs and islands of the Hawaiian Group

thumb|Oiler Guadalupe refueling a destroyer and a carrier

French Frigate Shoals
seaplane tenders and
gasoline tanker
destroyer
Pearl and Hermes Reef
patrol boat
fleet tug
Lisianski Island
patrol boat
Gardner Pinnacles
patrol boat
Laysan Island
patrol boat
Necker Island
patrol boat YP-350

Midway Refueling Unit

Cmdr. Harry R. Thurber, USN
AO
DD and

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:

United States Navy

31 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina, seaplanes.
6 Grumman TBF-1 Avenger, torpedo bombers (5 lost)

United States Army Air Forces

4 Martin B-26 Marauder, medium bombers
17 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, heavy bombers

United States Marine Corps

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:

: 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:

: 78 aircraft

27 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, fighters
37 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, dive bombers
14 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, torpedo bombers (10 lost)

: 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:

: 60 aircraft (sunk)

24 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers

: 74 aircraft (sunk)

27 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
27 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers
2 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers (as cargo, likely non-operational)

: 57 aircraft (sunk)

21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers