# Philippine Sea order of battle

The Battle of the Philippine Sea was fought 19–20 June 1944 in the waters west of the Mariana Islands by elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet and of the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet. The battle resulted from the Japanese reaction to the American invasion of the island of Saipan. Instead of attacking the troop transports off Saipan, Admiral Toyoda chose to engage the American carrier forces in what he intended to be the long-awaited “decisive battle” that would crush U.S. naval power.
The outcome was a disaster for the Japanese Navy. The battle exacted a terrible toll from the Japanese naval air arm, costing them most of their few remaining experienced pilots. The Combined Fleet was no longer capable of serious offensive operations after this engagement. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison characterized it this way:
This was the greatest carrier battle of the war. The forces engaged were three to four times those in preceding actions like Midway, and victory was so complete that the Japanese could never again engage on such a scale. ... above all the skill, initiative, and intrepid courage of the young aviators made this day one of the high points in the history of the American spirit.
Since the Japanese assumed the tactical offensive, their forces are listed first.

## Forces deployed

Losses in parentheses
| Ship Type | IJN | USN |
| Fleet carriers (CV) | 5 (3) | 7 |
| Light carriers (CVL) | 4 | 8 |
| Super battleships (SBB) | 2 | |
| Fast battleships (BB) | 3 | 7 |
| Heavy cruisers (CA) | 11 | 8 |
| Light cruisers (CL) | 2 | 13 |
| Destroyers (DD) | 33 (5) | 67 |
| Submarines (SS) | 24 (13) | ?? (2 IJN carriers claimed sunk by US subs; see Seventh Fleet Submarines‘ locations in order of battle listed below) |
| Aircraft Type | IJN | USN |
| Fighters | 230 | 455 |
| Dive bombers | 119 | 242 |
| Torpedo bombers | 101 | 203 |
| Totals | 450 | 900 |
| Aircraft losses | (415) | (123) |

## Japanese order of battle

Mobile Fleet Vice Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa in Taihō

### "A" Force

Sortied 13 June from Tawi Tawi anchorage off NE Borneo Vice Admiral Ozawa
    Carrier Division 1 (Vice Adm. Ozawa)
       3 fleet carriers
          Taihō (sunk by submarine 19 June)
          Shōkaku (sunk by submarine 19 June)
          Zuikaku
          Air Unit
             79 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters
             70 Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bombers
             7 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers
             51 Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers
    Cruiser Division 5 (Rear Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto)
       2 heavy cruisers: Myōkō, Haguro
    Screen (Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura in Yahagi)
       1 light cruiser: Yahagi
       9 destroyers
          1 Asashio-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Asagumo
          3 Kagerō-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Isokaze, Tanikaze (sunk by submarine 9 June), Urakaze
          4 Akizuki-class (8 × 3.9 in. main battery): Akizuki, Hatsuzuki, Wakatsuki, Shimotsuki
          1 Mutsuki-class (4 × 4.7 in. main battery): Minazuki (sunk by submarine 6 June)

### "B" Force

Sortied 13 June from Tawi Tawi anchorage off NE Borneo Vice Admiral Kakuji Kakuta in Jun'yo
    Carrier Division 2 (Vice Admiral Kakuta)
       2 converted carriers
          Jun'yō
          Hiyō (sunk by air attack 19 June)
       1 light carrier
          Ryūhō
          Air Unit
             81 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters
             27 Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bombers
             9 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers
             18 Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers
    1 old battleship: Nagato
    1 heavy cruiser: Mogami
    Screen
       10 destroyers
          2 Asashio-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Michishio, Yamagumo
          2 Kagerō-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Nowaki, Hamakaze
          2 Yūgumo-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Hayashimo, Akishimo
          4 Shiratsuyu-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Shiratsuyu (sunk following collision with Seiyo Maru 14 June), Shigure, Samidare, Harusame (sunk by air attack 8 June)

### Van Force

Sortied 12 June from Batjan anchorage off SW Halmahera Island Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita in heavy cruiser Atago
    Carrier Division 3 (Rear Adm. Sueo Obayashi)
       3 light carriers
          Chitose
          Chiyoda
          Zuihō
          Air Unit
             62 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters
             17 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers
             9 Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers
    Battleship Division 1 (Vice Adm. Matome Ugaki)
       2 super battleships: Yamato, Musashi
    Battleship Division 3 (Vice Adm. Yoshio Suzuki)
       2 old battleships: Kongō, Haruna
    Cruiser Division 4 (Vice Adm. Kurita)
       4 heavy cruisers: Atago, Chōkai, Maya, Takao
    Cruiser Division 7(Vice Adm.Kazutaka Shiraishi)
       4 heavy cruisers: Kumano, Suzuya, Chikuma, Tone
    Screen (Rear Adm.l Mikio Hayakawa in Noshiro)
       1 light cruiser: Noshiro
       1 super destroyer (41 knots, 15 torpedo tubes): Shimakaze
       8 destroyers:
          7 Yūgumo-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Kishinami, Okinami, Naganami, Asashimo, Tamanami, Hayanami (sunk by submarine 7 June), Fujinami

### Supply Forces

Sortied with Ozawa's carrier forces 13 June from Tawi Tawi anchorage off NE Borneo
    1st Supply Force
       4 oilers
          Hayasui, Nichiei Maru, Kokuyo Maru, Seiyo Maru (sunk 20 June)
       4 destroyers
          1 Fubuki class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Hibiki
          1 Hatsuharu class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Hatsushimo
          1 Kamikaze class (4 × 4.7 in. main battery): Yūnagi
          1 Momi class (3 × 4.7 in. main battery): Tsuga
    2nd Supply Force
       2 oilers
          Genyo Maru (sunk 20 June), Azusa Maru
       2 destroyers
          1 Kagerō-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): Yukikaze
          1 Mutsuki-class (4 × 4.7 in. main battery): Uzuki

### Submarine Forces

Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi at Saipan
    7 1st-class submarines
       I-5 (sunk by depth charges 19 July), I-10 (sunk by depth charges 4 July), I-38, I-41, I-53, I-184 (sunk by aircraft 19 June), I-185 (sunk by depth charges 22 June)
    Deployed in two parallel rows SW to NE north of the Admiralties and Bismarcks
    17 2nd-class submarines
       Ro-36 (sunk by depth charges 13 June), Ro-41, Ro-42 (sunk by depth charges 10 June), Ro-43, Ro-44 (sunk by depth charges 16 June), Ro-47, Ro-68, Ro-104 (sunk by depth charges 23 May), Ro-105 (sunk by depth charges 31 May), Ro-106 (sunk by depth charges 22 May), Ro-108 (sunk by depth charges 26 May), Ro-112, Ro-113, Ro-114 (sunk by depth charges 17 June), Ro-115, Ro-116 (sunk by depth charges 23 May), Ro-117 (sunk by depth charges 17 June)

## American order of battle

US Fifth Fleet Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in heavy cruiser Indianapolis
Task Force 58 – Fast Carrier Forces Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher in fleet carrier Lexington

### Task Group 58.1

    Carrier Division 13
    Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark
       2 fleet carriers
          Hornet (Capt. William D. Sample)
             Air Group 2 (Cmdr. Jackson D. Arnold)
                36 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. W.A. Dean)
                33 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. G.B. Campbell)
                18 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. L.M.D. Ford)
                4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. R.L. Reiserer)
          Yorktown (Capt. Ralph E. Jennings)
             Air Group 1 (Cmdr. J.M. Peters)
                41 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. B.M. Strean)
                40 SB2C Helldiver,4 SBD-5 Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.W. Runyan, USNR)
                17 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. W.F. Henry)
                4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. A.C. Benjes)
       2 light carriers
          Belleau Wood (Capt. John Perry)
             Air Group 24 (Cmdr. E.M. Link)
                26 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Link)
                9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. R.M. Swensson)
          Bataan (Capt. Valentine H. Schaeffer)
             Air Group 50 (Lt. Cmdr. J.C. Strange, USNR)
                24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Strange)
                9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. L.V. Swanson)
    Cruiser Division 10 (Rear Admiral Leo H. Thebaud)
       3 heavy cruisers
          Baltimore (Capt. W.C. Calhoun)
          Boston (Capt. E.E. Herrmann)
          Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early)
    Screen
       2 anti-aircraft light cruisers (Rear Admiral Thebaud)
          San Juan (Capt. Guy W. Clark)
          Oakland (Capt. William K. Phillips)
       14 destroyers (Capt. Clark)
          9 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Bell, Boyd, Bradford, Brown, Burns, Charrette, Conner, Cowell, Izard
          4 Gridley-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): Craven, Gridley, Maury, McCall
          1 Bagley-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): Helm

### Task Group 58.2

    Carrier Division 3
    Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery
       2 fleet carriers
          Bunker Hill (Capt. T.P. Jeter)
             Air Group 8 (Cmdr. R.L. Shifley)
                37 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. W.M. Collins)
                33 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.D. Arbes)
                18 TBF Avenger, torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. K.F. Musick)
                4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. Cmdr. E.P. Aurand)
          Wasp (Capt. Clifton Sprague)
             Air Group 14 (Cmdr. W.C. Wingard)
                34 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. E.W. Biros, USNR)
                32 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.D. Blitch)
                18 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. H.S. Roberts, USNR)
                4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. J.H. Boyum)
       2 light carriers
          Cabot (Capt. S.J. Michael)
             Air Group 31 (Lt. Cmdr. R.A. Winston)
                24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Winston)
                9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. E.E. Wood, USNR)
          Monterey (Capt. Stuart H. Ingersoll)
             Air Group 28 (Lt. Cmdr. R.W. Mehle, USNR)
                21 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Mehle)
                8 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. R.P. Gift, USNR)
       1 heavy cruiser
          Minneapolis (Capt. Harry Slocum)
    Cruiser Division 13 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose)
       3 light cruisers
          Santa Fe (Capt. Jerauld Wright)
          Mobile (Capt. Charles J. Wheeler)
          Biloxi (Capt. Daniel M. McGurl)
    Screen
       12 destroyers
          9 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Hickox, Hunt, Lewis Hancock, Marshall, Miller, Owen, Stephen Potter, The Sullivans, Tingey
          3 Farragut-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): Dewey, Hull, MacDonough

### Task Group 58.3

    Carrier Division 2
    Rear Admiral John W. Reeves
       2 fleet carriers
          Enterprise (Capt. Matthias B. Gardner)
             Air Group 10 (Cmdr. W.R. Kane)
                31 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. R.W. Schumann)
                21 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. James D. Ramage)
                14 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. W.I. Martin)
                3 F4U Corsair night fighters (Lt. Cmdr. R.E. Harmer)
          Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch)
             Air Group 16 (Cmdr. E.M. Snowden)
                37 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Ralph Weymouth)
                34 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Weymouth)
                18 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. N.A. Sterrie, USNR)
                4 F6F-xN Hellcat fighters (Lt. W.H. Abercrombie, USNR)
       2 light carriers
          San Jacinto (Capt. Harold M. Martin)
             Air Group 51 (Lt. Cmdr. C.L. Moore)
                24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Moore)
                8 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. D.J. Melvin)
          Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker)
             Air Group 27 (Lt. Cmdr. E.W. Wood – KIA)
                24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Wood)
                9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. S.M. Haley, USNR)
    1 heavy cruiser
       Indianapolis (Capt. E.R. Johnson)
    Cruiser Division 12 (Rear Admiral Robert W. Hayler)
       3 light cruisers
          Montpelier (Capt. H.D. Hoffman)
          Cleveland (Capt. A.G. Shepard)
          Birmingham (Capt. Thomas B. Inglis)
    Screen
       1 anti-aircraft light cruiser
          Reno (Capt. R.C. Alexander)
       13 destroyers
          All Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Anthony, Braine, Caperton, Clarence K. Bronson, Cogswell, Cotten, Dortch, Gatling, Healy, Ingersoll, Knapp, Terry, Wadsworth

### Task Group 58.4

    Carrier Division 12
    Rear Admiral William K. Harrill
       1 fleet carrier
          Essex (Capt. Ralph A. Ofstie)
             Air Group 15 (Cmdr. David McCampbell)
                38 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Brewer -- KIA)
                36 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.H. Mini)
                20 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. V.G. Lambert)
                4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. R.M. Freeman)
       2 light carriers
          Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon)
             Air Group 32 (Lt. Cmdr. E.C. Outlaw)
                23 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Outlaw)
                9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. D.A. Marks)
          Cowpens (Capt. H.W. Taylor)
             Air Group 25 (Lt. Cmdr. R.H. Price)
                23 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Price)
                9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. R.B. Cottingham, USNR)
    Cruiser Division 14 (Rear admiral Wilder D. Baker)
       3 light cruisers
          Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown)
          Houston (Capt. W.W. Behrens)
          Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford)
    Screen
       1 anti-aircraft light cruiser
          San Diego (Capt. L.J. Hudson)
       14 destroyers
          6 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Charles Ausburne, Stanly, Dyson, Converse, Spence, Thatcher
          1 Mahan-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Case
          3 Gleaves-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): Lansdowne, Lardner, McCalla
          4 Benham-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): Lang, Sterett, Wilson, Ellet

### Task Group 58.7

Commander, Battleships, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral Willis Augustus Lee
    Battleship Division 6 (Vice Admiral Lee)
       2 North Carolina class
          North Carolina (Capt. Frank P. Thomas)
          Washington (Capt. Thomas R. Cooley)
    Battleship Division 7 (Rear Admiral Olaf M. Hustvedt)
       2 Iowa class
          Iowa (Capt. John L. McCrea)
          New Jersey (Capt. Carl F. Holden)
    Battleship Division 8 (Rear Admiral Glenn B. Davis)
       1 South Dakota class
          Indiana (Capt. Thomas J. Keliher Jr.)
    Battleship Division 9 (Rear Admiral Edward Hanson)
       2 South Dakota class
          South Dakota (Capt. Ralph S. Riggs)
          Alabama (Capt. Fred D. Kirtland)
    Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Admiral C. Turner Joy)
       3 heavy cruisers
          Wichita (Capt. J.J. Mahoney)
          New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff)
          San Francisco (Capt. Harvey Overesch)
    Screen
       14 destroyers
          1 Porter-class (8 × 5 in. main battery): Selfridge
          9 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Halford, Guest, Bennett, Fullam, Hudson, Yarnall, Twining, Stockham, Monssen
          3 Bagley-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): Bagley, Mugford, Patterson
          1 Mahan-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): Conyngham

### Seventh Fleet Submarines

Rear Admiral Ralph W. Christie (HQ at Fremantle)
    Southeast of Mindanao
       3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Hake, Bashaw, Paddle
    IJN anchorage at Tawi Tawi
       3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Harder, Haddo, Redfin
    Off Luzon
       2 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Bluefish, Jack, Flier

### Task Force 17

Patrol Submarines Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood (HQ at Pearl Harbor)
    At the Bonins
       2 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Archerfish, Plaice
       1 Gar-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Gar
       1 Sargo-class (8 tubes: 4 forward, 4 aft): Swordfish
       1 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft): Plunger
    Southeast of Formosa and eastward
       2 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Pintado, Pilotfish
       1 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Tunny
    East and Southeast of the Marianas
       2 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Albacore, Finback
       1 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Bang
       1 Salmon-class (8 tubes: 4 forward, 4 aft): Stingray
       1 Sargo-class (8 tubes: 4 forward, 4 aft): Seawolf
    Ulithi and the Philippines
       3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Flying Fish, Muskallunge, Cavalla
       2 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Seahorse, Pipefish
    Off Surigao Strait
       1 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Growler