# 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

| Imperial Japanese Navy | Imperial Japanese Navy | Ship Type | United States Navy | United States Navy |
| Akagi * · Hiryū * · Kaga * · Sōryū * | 4 (4) | Fleet carriers (CV) | 3 (1) | Enterprise · Hornet · Yorktown * |
| Zuihō · Hōshō | 2 | Light carriers (CVL) | - | |
| Chitose · Kamikawa Maru · Chiyoda · Nisshin | 4 | Seaplane tenders (CVS/AVD) | 2 | Thornton · Ballard |
| Fusō · Haruna · Hiei · Hyūga · Ise · Kirishima · Kongō · Mutsu · Nagato · Yamashiro · Yamato | 11 | Battleships (BB) | - | |
| Kumano · Mikuma * · Mogami · Myōkō · Nachi · Suzuya · Tone | 11 (1) | Heavy cruisers (CA) | 7 | Astoria · Minneapolis · New Orleans · Northampton · Pensacola · Portland · Vincennes |
| Jintsu · Kitakami · Nagara · Ōi · Sendai · Yura | 6 | Light cruisers (CL) | 1 | Atlanta |
| Akigumo · Amagiri · Amatsukaze · Arare · Arashi · Arashio · Asagiri · Asashio · Asagumo · Ayanami · Fubuki · Hagikaze · Hamakaze · Harusame · Hatsukaze · Hatsuyuki · Hayashio · Isokaze · Isonami · Kagerō · Kasumi · Kazagumo · Kuroshio · Maikaze · Makigumo · Minegumo · Mikazuki · Murakumo · Murasame · Natsugumo · Nowaki · Oyashio · Samidare · Shikinami · Shiranui · Shirakumo · Shirayuki · Tanikaze · Tokitsukaze · Urakaze · Uranami · Yūdachi · Yūgiri · Yūgumo · Yūkaze · Yukikaze | 46 | Destroyers (DD) | 20 (1) | Aylwin · Anderson · Balch · Benham · Blue · Clark · Conyngham · Dewey · Ellet · Gwin · Hammann * · Hughes · Maury · Monaghan · Monssen · Morris · Phelps · Russell · Ralph Talbot · Worden |
| I-9 · I-15 · I-17 · I-19 · I-25 · I-26 · I-121 · I-122 · I-123 · I-156 · I-157 · I-158 · I-159 · I-162 · I-164 · I-165 · I-166 · I-168 · I-169 · I-171 · I-174 · I-175 | 22 | Submarines (SS) | 19 | Plunger · Tambor · Tarpon · Trigger · Trout |

### Auxiliaries

| Imperial Japanese Navy | Imperial Japanese Navy | Ship Type | United States Navy | United States Navy |
| Akebono · Fujisan · Genyo · Kenyo · Kokuyu · Kyokuto · Naruto · Nichiei · Nippon · Nissan Maru · San Clemente · Sata · Shinkoku · Toa Maru · Toei · Tōhō Maru · Tsurumi | 17 | AO | 4 | Cimarron · Guadalupe · Platte · Kaloli |
| No. 1 · No. 2 · No. 34 · No. 35 | 4 | PT | 16 | PT-20 · PT-21 · PT-22 · PT-24 · PT-25 · PT-26 · PT-27 · PT-28 · PT-29 · PT-30 · PT-42 · Crystal · YP-284 · YP-290 · YP-345 · YP-350 |
| Awata Maru | 2 | AMC | - | |
| Soya | 1 | AE | - | |
| Argentina Maru · Azuma Maru · Brazil Maru · Goshu Maru | Hakusan Maru · Hokuroku Maru · Kano Maru · Keiyo Maru · Kinugasa Maru · Kirishima Maru · Kiyosumi Maru · Kumagawa Maru · Meiyo Maru · Nankai Maru · Toa Maru No. 2 Go · Tōkō Maru No. 2 Go · Yamafuku Maru · Zenyo Maru | 18 | AP / AK | - | |
| Tama Maru No. 3 · Tama Maru No. 5 · Showa Maru No. 7 · Showa Maru No. 8 · Hakuhō Maru · Kaihō Maru · Shunkotsu Maru | 7 | AMS | - | |
| CH-16 · CH-17 · CH-18 | 3 | SC | - | |
| Akashi | 1 | AR | - | |
| Magane Maru | 1 | ML | - | |
| | - | AT | 1 | Vireo |

### Aircraft

| Imperial Japanese Navy | Imperial Japanese Navy | Aircraft Type | United States Navy | United States Navy |
| 105 × Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" | 105 × Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" | Fighters | 86 × Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" | 86 × Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" |
| 97 × Aichi D3A "Val" | 97 × Aichi D3A "Val" | Dive bombers | 131 × Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" | 131 × Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" |
| 101 × Nakajima B5N "Kate" | 101 × Nakajima B5N "Kate" | Torpedo bombers | 42 × Douglas TBD-1 "Devastator" 6 × Grumman TBF "Avenger" (USMC) | 42 × Douglas TBD-1 "Devastator" 6 × Grumman TBF "Avenger" (USMC) |
| | | Level bombers | 19 × Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (USAAC) 4 × Martin B-26 "Marauder" (USAAC) | 19 × Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (USAAC) 4 × Martin B-26 "Marauder" (USAAC) |
| | | Long-range patrol | 31 × Consolidated PBY Catalina | 31 × Consolidated PBY Catalina |

## Japan

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Commander, Combined Fleet
The only significant combat, both offensive and defensive, was experienced by Nagumo's First Striking Force. Kurita's transports were bombed with limited success by B-17s of the US Army Air Corps, but the vast majority Japanese ships saw no action during the entire Midway campaign.

### First Fleet
#### First Fleet Main Force

Admiral Yamamoto in Yamato
    1st Battleship Division
       1 Yamato-class battleship (9 × 18-in. main battery)
          Yamato (Rear Adm. Gihachi Takayanagi)
       2 Nagato-class battleships (8 × 16-in. main battery)
          Mutsu (Rear Adm. Gunji Kogure)
          Nagato (Captain Hideo Yano)
    Carrier Group:
       CVL Hōshō (Capt. Kaoru Umetani)
          Air Unit: 8 Yokosuka B4Y1 'Jean' biplane torpedo bombers (Lieutenant Yoshiaki Irikiin)
       1 Minekaze-class destroyer (4 × 4.7-in. main battery)
          Yūkaze (Lt. Cmdr. Shizuka Kajimoto)
    Special Force
       CVS Chiyoda (Capt. Kaku Harada)
       CVS Nisshin (Capt. Katsumi Komazawa)
    Screening Force
       3rd Destroyer Squadron
       Rear Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto in Sendai
          1 Sendai-class cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
             Sendai (Capt. Nobue Morishita)
          11th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kichiro Shoji)
             4 Fubuki-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Fubuki (Lt. Cmdr. Shizuo Yamashita)
                Shirayuki (Lt. Cmdr. Rokoro Sugawara)
                Hatsuyuki (Lt. Cmdr. Junnari Kamiura)
                Murakumo (Lt. Cmdr. Hideo Higashi)
          19th Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe)
             4 Fubuki-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Isonami (Cmdr. Ryokichi Sugama)
                Uranami (Lt. Cmdr. Tsutomu Hagio)
                Shikinami (Lt. Cmdr. Akifumi Kawahashi)
                Ayanami (Cmdr. Eiji Sakuma)
    1st Supply Group
    Captain Shigeyasu Nishioka in Naruto
       AO Naruto (Capt. Nishioka)
       AO Toei Maru

#### First Carrier Striking Force / First Air Fleet

Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in Akagi
    1st Carrier Division
    Vice Admiral Nagumo
       Akagi (scuttled 5 June) (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)
       Kaga (sunk 4 June) (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)
    2nd Carrier Division
    Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi† in Hiryū
       Hiryū (scuttled 5 June) (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†)
       Sōryū (scuttled 4 June) (Capt. Ryusaku Yanagimoto†)
          Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa)
             18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Masaji Suganami)
             16 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Masai Ikeda)
             18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Heijiro Abe)
             2 Yokosuka D4Y1 'Judy' dive bombers
    Support Group
       8th Cruiser Division
       Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe in Tone
          2 Tone-class heavy cruisers (8 × 7.9-in. main battery)
             Tone (Capt. Tametsugu Okada)
                Air Unit: 3 Aichi E13A1 Type 0 'Jake' float planes, 2 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
             Chikuma (Capt. Keizo Komura)
                Air Unit: 3 Aichi E13A1 Type 0 'Jake' float planes, 2 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
       3rd Battleship Division, 2nd Section
       Rear Admiral Tamotsu Takama in Haruna
          2 Kongo-class fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery)
             Haruna (Rear Adm. Takama)
                Air unit: 3 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
             Kirishima (Capt. Sanji Iwabuchi)
                Air unit: 3 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
    Screening Force
       10th Destroyer Squadron
       Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura in Nagara
          1 Nagara-class light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
             Nagara (Capt. Toshio Naoi)
          4th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kōsaku Aruga)
             4 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Nowaki (Cmdr. Magataro Koga)
                Arashi (Cmdr. Yusumasa Watanabe)
                Hagikaze (Cmdr. Juichi Iwagami)
                Maikaze (Cmdr. Seiji Nakasugi)
          10th Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Abe)
             3 Yugumo-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Kazagumo (Cmdr. Masayoshi Yoshida)
                Yūgumo (Cmdr. Shigeo Semba)
                Makigumo (Cmdr. Isamu Fujita)
          17th Destroyer Division (Capt. Masayuki Kitamura)
             4 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Urakaze (Cmdr. Nagayoshi Shiraishi)
                Isokaze (Cmdr. Shunichi Toyoshima)
                Tanikaze (Cmdr. Motoi Katsumi)
                Hamakaze (Cmdr. Tsuneo Orita)
    Supply Group 1
    Captain Masanao Ota in Kyokuto Maru
       1 Kagero-class destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery)
          Akigumo (Cmdr. Shohei Soma)
       AO Kyokuto Maru (Capt. Ota)
       AO Shinkoku Maru (Capt. Tokugyo Ito)
       AO Tōhō Maru (Capt. Kazutaka Niimi)
       AO Nippon Maru (Capt. Hironosuke Ueda)
       AO Kokuyo Maru (Capt. Toraji Hidai)

### Second Fleet (Midway Invasion Force)
#### Second Fleet Main Body

Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō in Atago
    3rd Battleship Division less 2nd Section
    Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
       2 Kongo-class fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery)
          Kongō (Capt. Tomiji Koyanagi)
          Hiei (Capt. Masao Nishida)
    4th Cruiser Division less 2nd Section
    Vice Admiral Kondo
       2 Takao-class heavy cruisers (10 × 7.9-in. main battery)
          Atago (Capt. Baron Matsuji Ijuin)
          Chōkai (Capt. Mikio Hayakawa)
    5th Cruiser Division
    Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi
       2 Myōkō-class heavy cruisers (10 × 7.9-in. main battery)
          Myōkō (Capt. Teruhiko Miyoshi)
          Haguro (Capt. Tomokazu Mori)
    Screening Force
       4th Destroyer Squadron
       Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura in Yura
          1 Nagara-class light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
             Yura (Capt. Shiro Sato)
          3rd Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe)
             4 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers
                Murasame (Lt. Cmdr. Naoji Suenaga)
                Samidare (Cmdr. Takisaburo Matsubara)
                Harusame (Lt. Cmdr. Masao Kamiyama)
                Yūdachi (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamiyama)
          9th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuo Sato)
             3 Asashio-class destroyers
                Asagumo (Cmdr. Toru Iwahashi)
                Minegumo (Lt. Cmdr. Yasuatsu Suzuki)
                Natsugumo (Lt. Cmdr. Moritaro Tsukamoto)
    Carrier Group
    Captain Sueo Obayashi
       CVL Zuihō (Capt. Obayashi)
          12 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Saneyasu Hidaka)
          12 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Kaji Matsuo)
       1 Mutsuki-class destroyer (4 × 4.7-in. main battery)
          Mikazuki (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 Akashi (Capt. Tsunekichi Fukuzawa)

#### Midway Occupation Force

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
          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)
    Escort Force
    Rear Admiral Tanaka
       1 Sendai-class cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
          CL Jintsu (Capt. Torazo Kozai)
       15th Destroyer Division (Capt. Torajiro Sato)
          2 Kagero-class destroyers
             Kuroshio (Cmdr. Tamaki Ugaki)
             Oyashio (Cmdr. Tokiyoshi Arima)
       16th Destroyer Division (Capt. Shiro Shibuya)
          4 Kagero-class destroyers
             Yukikaze (Cmdr. Kenjiro Tobita)
             Amatsukaze (Cmdr. Tameichi Hara)
             Tokitsukaze (Cmdr. Giichiro Nakahara)
             Hatsukaze (Cmdr. Kameshiro Takahashi)
       18th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yoshito Miyasaka)
          2 Kagero-class destroyers
             Shiranui (Cmdr. Shizuo Akazawa)
             Kagerō (Cmdr. Minoru Yokoi)
          2 Asashio-class destroyers
             Kasumi (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Tomura)
             Arare (Cmdr. Tomoe Ogata)
    Seaplane Tender Group
    Rear Admiral 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
       1 Kagero-class destroyer
          Hayashio (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kaneda)
       Patrol Boat #35 (carrying troops)

#### Midway Support Force

Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita in Kumano
    7th Cruiser Division (Vice Adm. Kurita)
       Kumano (Capt. Kikumatsu Tanaka)
       Suzuya (Capt. Masatomi Kimura)
       Mikuma (scuttled x June) (Capt. Shakao Sakiyama†)
       Mogami (Capt. Akira Soji)
    8th Destroyer Division (Cmdr. Nobuki Ogawa)
       2 Asashio-class destroyers
          Asashio (Lt. Cmdr. Goro Yoshii)
          Arashio (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
       Soya (Cmdr. Toshi Kubota)
    2 cargo ships
       Meiyo Maru (Capt. Hisao Koizumi)
       Yamafuku Maru (Capt. Torao Honda)

#### Advance (Submarine) Force (Sixth Fleet)

Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu in Katori at Kwajalein
    1 Katori-class cruiser (4 × 5.5-in. main battery)
       Katori (Capt. Noboru Owada)
    3rd Submarine Squadron
    Rear Admiral Chimaki Kona in Rio de Janeiro Maru at Kwajalein
       19th Submarine Division (Capt. Ryojiro Ono)
          I-156 (Lt. Cmdr. Katsuo Ohashi)
          I-157 (Lt. Cmdr. Sakae Nakajima)
          I-158 (Lt. Cmdr. Soshichi Kitamura)
          I-159 (Lt. Cmdr. Tamori Yoshimatsu)
       13th Submarine Division (Capt. Takeji Miyazaki)
          I-121 (Lt. Cmdr. Yasuo Fujimori)
          I-122 (Lt. Cmdr. Sadatoshi Norita)
          I-123 (Lt. Cmdr. Toshitake Ueno)
       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. 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

### Northern Area Force
#### Fifth Fleet Main Body

Vice Admiral Boshirō Hosogaya in Nachi
    1 Myoko-class heavy cruiser
       Nachi (Capt. Takahiko Kiyota)
    2 Akatsuki-class destroyers
       Inazuma (Lt. Cmdr. Hajime Takeuchi)
       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 Admiral 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)
       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)
    4th Cruiser Division, 2nd Section (Capt. Shunsaku Nabeshima in Maya)
       2 Takao-class heavy cruisers
          Takao (Capt. Bunji Asakura)
          Maya (Capt. Nabeshima)
    7th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kaname Konishi)
       3 Fubuki-class destroyers
          Akebono (Lt. Cmdr. Minoru Nakagawa)
          Ushio (Lt. Cmdr. Yoshitake Uesugi)
          Sazanami (Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Uwai)
    AO Teiyo Maru (Capt. Katasuke Tanaka)

#### Aleutian Support Force

Vice Admiral 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)
          CL Kitakami (Capt. Saiji Norimitsu)
          CL Ōi (Capt. Moichi Narita)
       20th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yuji Yamada)
          4 Fubuki-class destroyers
             Asagiri (Lt. Cmdr. Nisaburo Maekawa)
             Yūgiri (Cmdr. Masayoshi Motokura)
             Shirakumo (Cmdr. Toyoji Hitomi)
             Amagiri (Capt. Buichi Ashida)
       24th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuji Hirai)
          4 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers
             Umikaze (Cmdr. Nagahide Sugitani)
             Yamakaze (Lt. Cmdr. Shuichi Hamanaka)
             Kawakaze (Lt. Cmdr. Kazuo Wakabayashi)
             Suzukaze (Lt. Cmdr. Kazuo Shibayama)
       27th Destroyer Division (Capt. Matake Yoshimura)
          2 Hatsuharu-class destroyers
             Ariake (Lt. Cmdr. Shoichi Yoshida)
             Yūgure (Lt. Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamo)
          2 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers
             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)

##### Attu Invasion Force

Rear Admiral Sentarō Ōmori in Abukuma
    CL Abukuma (Capt. Seiroku Murayama)
    21st Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Shimizu)
       4 Hatsuharu-class destroyers
          Wakaba (Lt. Cmdr. Masakichi Kuroki)
          Nenohi (Lt. Cmdr. Saburo Terauchi)
          Hatsuharu (Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Makino)
          Hatsushimo (Lt. Cmdr. Satoru Kohama)
    ML Magane Maru (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 Kuma-class cruisers
          Kiso (Capt. Ono)
          Tama (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 Akatsuki-class destroyers
             Hibiki (Lt. Cmdr. Hagumu Ishii)
             Akatsuki (Lt. Cmdr. Osamu Takasuka)
          1 Minekaze-class destroyer
             Hakaze (Lt. Cmdr. Tomo Tanaka)
    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)
          I-9 (Cmdr. Akiyoshi Fujii)
          2nd Submarine Division (Capt. Hiroshi Imazato)
             I-15 (Cmdr. Nobuo Ishikawa)
             I-17 (Cmdr. Kozo Nishino)
             I-19 (Cmdr. Shogo Narahara)
          4th Submarine Division (Capt. Mitsuru Nagai)
                I-25 (Cmdr. Akiji Tagami)
             I-26 (Cmdr. Minoru Yokota)
    Aleutian Seaplane Tender Force (Capt. Keiichi Ujuku)
       AV Kimikawa Maru (Capt. Ujuku)
          Air Unit: 8 3-seat floatplanes
       1 Minekaze-class destroyer
          Shiokaze (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

Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in Yorktown
    Task Group 17.5 (Carrier Group)
       Yorktown (sunk by I-168 7 June) (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)
          Astoria (Capt. Francis W. Scanland)
       1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
          Portland (Capt. Laurance T. DuBose)
    Task Group 17.4 (Destroyer Screen)
    Captain Gilbert Hoover, COMDESRON 2
       5 Sims-class destroyers (4 × 5-in. main battery)
          Hammann (sunk by I-168 7 June) (Commander Arnold E. True)
          Anderson (Lt. Cmdr. William M. Hobby, Jr.)
          Hughes (Lt. Cmdr. Donald J. Ramsey)
          Morris (Cmdr. Harry B. Jarrett)
          Russell (Lt. Cmdr. J. C. Pollock)
       1 Gleaves-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
          Gwin (Lt. Cmdr. John M. Higgins)

### Task Force 16

Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in Enterprise
    Task Group 16.5 (Carrier Group):
       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†)
       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†)
    Task Group 16.2 (Cruiser Group)
    Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, COMCRUDIV 6
       1 Pensacola-class heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery)
          Pensacola (Capt. Frank L. Lowe)
       1 Northampton-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
          Northampton (Capt. William D. Chandler Jr.)
       3 New Orleans-class heavy cruisers (9 × 8-in. main battery)
          New Orleans (Capt. Howard H. Good)
          Minneapolis (Capt. Frank J. Lowry)
          Vincennes (Capt. Frederick L. Riefkohl)
       1 anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in. main battery)
          Atlanta (Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)
    Task Group 16.4 (Destroyer Screen)
    Captain Alexander R. Early, COMDESRON 1
       Destroyer Squadron 1
          1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in. main battery)
             Phelps (Lt. Cmdr. Edward L. Beck)
          3 Farragut-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
             Worden (Lt. Cmdr. William G. Pogue)
             Monaghan (Lt. Cmdr. William P. Burford)
             Aylwin (Lt. Cmdr. George R. Phelan)
       Destroyer Squadron 6
          1 Gridley-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery)
             Maury (Lt. Cmdr. Gelzer L. Sims)
          2 Benham-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery)
             Benham (Lt. Cmdr. Joseph M. Worthington)
             Ellet (Lt. Cmdr. Francis H. Gardner)
          1 Mahan-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
             Conyngham (Lt. Cmdr. Henry C. Daniel)
          1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in. main battery)
             Balch (Lt. Cmdr. Harold H. Thiemroth)
    Oilers Group
       AO Cimarron (Cmdr. Russell H. Ihrig)
       AO Platte (Capt. Ralph H. Henkle)
       DD Dewey (Lt. Cmdr. C.F. Chillingworth, Jr.)
       DD Monssen (Cmdr. Roland N. Smoot)

### Submarines

Rear Admiral Robert H. English Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, HQ at Pearl Harbor
    Task Group 7.1 (Midway Patrol Group)
       3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
          Gato (Lt. Cmdr. W.G. Myers)
          Grouper (Lt. Cmdr. C.E. Duke)
          Flying Fish (Lt. Cmdr. Glynn R. Donaho)
       5 Tambor-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
          Tambor (Lt. Cmdr. J.W. Murphy)
          Trout (Lt. Cmdr. F.W. Fenno)
          Grayling (Lt. Cmdr. E. Olsen)
          Grenadier (Lt. Cmdr. Willis A. Lent)
          Gudgeon (Lt. Cmdr. H.B. Lyon)
       4 Narhwhal-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
          Nautilus (Lt. Cmdr. William H. Brockman Jr.)
          Dolphin (Lt. Cmdr. R.L. Rutter)
          Cachalot (Lt. Cmdr. G.A. Lewis)
          Cuttlefish (Lt. Cmdr. Martin P. Hottel)
    Task Group 7.2 ("Roving Short-Stops")
       1 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
          Trigger (Lt. Cmdr. J.H. Lewis)
       1 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
          Plunger (Lt. Cmdr. D.C. White)
       1 Narhwhal-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
          Narwhal (Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Wilkins)
    Task Group 7.3 (North of Oahu Patrol)
       2 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
          Growler (Lt. Cmdr. Howard W. Gilmore)
          Finback (Lt. Cmdr. J.L. Hull)
       2 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
          Pike (Lt. Cmdr. W.A. New)
          Tarpon (Lt. Cmdr. Lewis Wallace)

### Midway Garrison

    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

    French Frigate Shoals
       seaplane tenders Thornton and Ballard
       gasoline tanker Kaloli
       destroyer Clark
    Pearl and Hermes Reef
       patrol boat Crystal
       fleet tug 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

    Cmdr. Harry R. Thurber, USN
       AO Guadalupe
       DD Blue and 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:
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:
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)
* 24 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
* 18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
* 18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers
Kaga: 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)
Hiryū: 57 aircraft (sunk)
* 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
* 18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
* 18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers
Sōryū: 57 aircraft (sunk)
* 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
* 16 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
* 18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" 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

* ↑ Shot down and killed by US fighter planes while on tour of upper Solomons April 1943.
* ↑ Killed during Battle of the Malacca Strait May 1945
* ↑ Died by self-inflicted gunshot on Saipan July 1944
* ↑ Forced to resign from navy March 1943 following unsatisfactory performance at Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
* ↑ Died during Battle of Saipan July 1944
* ↑ Killed during Battle of Surigao Strait October 1944
* ↑ Fell out of favor with Naval high command after Guadalcanal Campaign and was assigned to shore duty from December 1942 until end of war.
* ↑ Died by self-inflicted gunshot on Okinawa June 1945
* ↑ Killed on Guadalcanal August 1942
* ↑ Assigned to shore duty following unsatisfactory performance in Battle of the Komandorski Islands
* ↑ Died on Tinian prob. by suicide August 1944
* ↑ Died of illness September 1944 six months after promotion to full admiral
* ↑ Later oversaw work with torpedo suicide weapons; survived war
* ↑ Held overall command of invasion forces for Guadalcanal August 1942..
* ↑ Including elements from the sidelined Saratoga air group
* ↑ These aircraft were obsolete by mid-1942 and their slow speed allowed them to be practically wiped out during their attacks on the Japanese carriers. This sacrifice, however, was instrumental in allowing the US dive bombers to appear over Nagumo's task force almost unnoticed.
* ↑ Held desk job for remainder of war following disappointing performance in Aleutian Islands campaign.
* ↑ Impulsively relieved of command by Halsey following loss of light cruiser USS Juneau November 1942, a career-ruining move Halsey later supposedly expressed regret over.
* ↑ Later promoted to full admiral and commanded US Third Fleet.
* ↑ Later promoted to full admiral and commanded US First Fleet after war.
* ↑ An early proponent of naval aviation; later promoted to full admiral and commanded Fast Carrier Task Force.
* ↑ Later promoted to full admiral and commanded US Seventh Fleet.
* ↑ Later promoted to vice admiral and commanded amphibious forces in both Mediterranean and Pacific Theatres.
* ↑ First Puerto Rican to graduate from US Naval Academy; relieved following disastrous Battle of Savo Island and never held another sea command.
* ↑ Received ten commendations over his service in war.
* ↑ Killed in plane crash in Mendocino County, California January 1943.
* ↑ These aircraft were obsolete by mid-1942 and were no match for the advanced Mitsubishi Zero.