Ships involved in the Midway operation
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).
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 Admiral Gunji Kogure
Nagato - Captain Hideo Yano
Carrier Group:
CVE Hōshō - Captain Kaoru Umetani (8 B4Y1 'Jean' - Lt. Yoshiaki Irikiin)
DD Yūkaze - Lt. Commander Shizuka Kajimoto
Special Force
CVS Chiyoda - Captain Kaku Harada
CVS Nisshin - Captain Katsumi Komazawa
Screening Force
3rd Destroyer Squadron - Rear Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto in Sendai
CL Sendai - Captain Nobue Morishita
11th Destroyer Division - Captain Kichiro Shoji (Fubuki - Lt. Commander Shizuo Yamashita, Shirayuki - Lt. Commander Rokoro Sugawara, Hatsuyuki - Lt. Commander Junnari Kamiura, Murakumo - Lt. Commander Hideo Higashi)
19th Destroyer Division - Captain Ranji Oe (Isonami - Commander Ryokichi Sugama, Uranami - Lt. Commander Tsutomu Hagio, Shikinami - Lt. Commander Akifumi Kawahashi, Ayanami - Commander Eiji Sakuma)
1st Supply Group: Captain Shigeyasu Nishioka in Naruto
AO Naruto - Captain Nishioka
Toei Maru
First Carrier Striking Force (First Air Fleet) - Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
1st Carrier Division: Vice Admiral Nagumo in Akagi
Akagi - Captain Taijiro Aoki
Air Unit: Commander Mitsuo Fuchida (19 A6M2 Type 21 - Lt. Commander Shigeru Itaya, 18 D3A1 - Lt. Commander Takehiko Chihaya, 18 B5N2 - Lt. Commander Shigeharu Murata)
Kaga - Captain Jisaku Okada†.
Air Unit: Lt Commander Tadashi Kusumi† (18 A6M2 Type 21 - Lt. Masao Sato, 18 D3A1 - Lt. Shoichi Ogawa, 27 B5N2 - Lt. Ichiro Kitajima)
2nd Carrier Division: Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi† in Hiryū.
Hiryū - Captain Tomeo Kaku†
Air Unit: Lt Joichi Tomonaga† (18 A6M2 Type 21 - Lt. Shigeru Mori†, 18 D3A1 - Lt. Michio Kobayashi†, 18 B5N2 - Lt. Kikuchi Rokuro†)
Sōryū - Captain Ryusaku Yanagimoto†
Air Unit: Lt Commander Takashige Egusa (18 A6M2 Type 21 - Lt. Masaharu Suganami, 18 D3A1 - Lt. Masahiro Ikeda, 18 B5N2 - Lt. Heijiro Abe, 2 D4Y1)
Support Group
8th Cruiser Division: Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe in Tone
CA Tone - Captain Tametsugu Okada (3 E13A1 Type 0, 2 E8N2 Type 95)
CA Chikuma - Captain Keizo Komura (3 E13A1 Type 0, 2 E8N2 Type 95)
3rd Battleship Division, 2nd Section: Rear Admiral Tamotsu Takama in Haruna
Haruna - Rear Admiral Takama (3 E8N2 Type 95)
Kirishima - Captain Sanji Iwabuchi (3 E8N2 Type 95)
Screening Force
10th Destroyer Squadron - Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura in Nagara
CL Nagara - Captain Toshio Naoi
4th Destroyer Division - Captain Kōsaku Aruga (Nowaki - Commander Magataro Koga, Arashi - Commander Yusumasa Watanabe, Hagikaze - Commander Juichi Iwagami, Maikaze - Commander Seiji Nakasugi)
10th Destroyer Division - Captain Toshio Abe (Kazagumo - Commander Masayoshi Yoshida, Yūgumo - Commander Shigeo Semba, Makigumo - Commander Isamu Fujita)
17th Destroyer Division - Captain Masayuki Kitamura (Urakaze - Commander Nagayoshi Shiraishi, Isokaze - Commander Shunichi Toyoshima, Tanikaze - Commander Motoi Katsumi, Hamakaze - Commander Tsuneo Orita)
Supply Group 1 - Captain Masanao Ota in Kyokuto Maru
DD Akigumo - Commander Shohei Soma
AO Kyokuto Maru - Captain Ota
AO Shinkoku Maru - Captain Tokugyo Ito
AO Tōhō Maru - Captain Kazutaka Niimi
AO Nippon Maru - Captain Hironosuke Ueda
AO Kokuyo Maru - Captain Toraji Hidai
Second Fleet Main Body - Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō in Atago
3rd Battleship Division (less 2nd Section): Rear Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
Kongō - Captain Tomiji Koyanagi
Hiei - Captain Masao Nishida
4th Cruiser Division (less 2nd Section): Vice Admiral Kondo
CA Atago - Captain Baron Matsuji Ijuin
CA Chōkai - Captain Mikio Hayakawa
5th Cruiser Division: Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi
CA Myōkō - Captain Teruhiko Miyoshi
CA Haguro - Captain Tomokazu Mori
Screening Force
4th Destroyer Squadron - Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura in CL Yura
CL Yura - Captain Shiro Sato
3rd Destroyer Division - Captain Ranji Oe (DDs Murasame - Lt. Commander Naoji Suenaga, Samidare - Commander Takisaburo Matsubara, Harusame - Lt. Commander Masao Kamiyama, Yūdachi - Commander Kiyoshi Kamiyama)
9th Destroyer Division - Captain Yasuo Sato (DDs Asagumo - Commander Toru Iwahashi, Minegumo - Lt. Commander Yasuatsu Suzuki, Natsugumo - Lt. Commander Moritaro Tsukamoto)
Carrier Group - Captain Sueo Obayashi
CVL Zuihō - Captain Obayashi.
Air Component: 12 A6M2 Zero Type 21 - Lt. Moriyasu Hidaka, 12 B5N2 - Lt. Kaji Matsuo
DD Mikazuki - Lt. Commander Saneho Maeda
Supply Group: - Captain Jiro Murao in Sata
AO Sata - Captain Murao
AO Tsurumi - Captain Toshizo Fujita
AO Genyo Maru - Captain Shigetaro Ogawa
AO Kenyo Maru - Captain Yoshio Kanemasu
AR Akashi - Captain Tsunekichi Fukuzawa
Midway Occupation Force - Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka
Transports and Patrol Boats carrying about 5000 troops under Captain Minoru Ota IJN and Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki IJA
Kiyosumi Maru - Captain Seiichiro Kito
Keiyo Maru - Captain Masamichi Ikeuchi
Zenyo Maru
Goshu Maru - Captain Hiyoshi Furuya
Toa Maru
Kano Maru - Captain Tomosaburo Miura
Argentina Maru - Commander Takeshi Watanabe
Hokuroku Maru - Captain Hiotaro Tsukagoshi
Brazil Maru - Captain Kyujiro Jintsu
Kirishima Maru - Captain Hiroshi Okubo
Azuma Maru - Captain Nobuyoshi Morikawa
Nankai Maru - Captain Akira Maki
Patrol Boat #1
Patrol Boat #2
Patrol Boat #34
AO Akebono Maru - Captain Miki Otsuka (damaged by torpedo night of June 3–4)
Escort Force - Rear Admiral Tanaka in CL Jintsu
CL Jintsu - Captain Torazo Kozai
15th Destroyer Division - Captain Torajiro Sato (Kuroshio - Commander Tamaki Ugaki, Oyashio - Commander Tokiyoshi Arima)
16th Destroyer Division - Captain Shiro Shibuya (Yukikaze - Commander Kenjiro Tobita, Amatsukaze - Commander Tameichi Hara, Tokitsukaze - Commander Giichiro Nakahara, Hatsukaze - Commander Kameshiro Takahashi)
18th Destroyer Division - Captain Yoshito Miyasaka (Shiranui - Commander Shizuo Akazawa, Kasumi - Commander Kiyoshi Tomura, Arare - Commander Tomoe Ogata, Kagerō - Commander Minoru Yokoi)
Seaplane Tender Group: Rear Admiral Ruitaro Fujita in Chitose
11th Seaplane Tender Division
CVS Chitose - Captain Tamotsu Furukawa (16 A6M2 -N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters, 4 E13A scout aeroplanes)
AV Kamikawa Maru - Captain Tarohachi Shinoda (8 A6M-2N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters, 4 E13A scout aeroplanes)
DD Hayashio - Commander Kiyoshi Kaneda
Patrol boat #35 (carrying troops)
Midway Support Force - Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita in Kumano
7th Cruiser Division - Vice Admiral Kurita.
CA Kumano - Captain Kikumatsu Tanaka
CA Suzuya - Captain Masatomi Kimura
CA Mikuma - Captain Shakao Sakiyama†
CA Mogami - Captain Akira Soji
8th Destroyer Division - Commander Nobuki Ogawa
Asashio - Lt. Commander Goro Yoshii
Arashio - Commander Hideo Kuboki
Attached Oiler
AO Nichiei Maru - Captain Matsushi Yamamoto
Minesweeper Group - Captain Sadatomo Miyamoto
4 Minesweepers
Tama Maru #3 - Lieutenant (j.g.) Atsutoshi Yamaguchi
Tama Maru #5 - Lieutenant Akira Takato
Shonan Maru #7
Shonan Maru #8 - Lieutenant (j.g.) Kiichi Sasaki
3 Subchasers
Subchaser #16 - Lieutenant Yasukichi Suzuki
Subchaser #17 - Lieutenant Shigematsu Yoshioka
Subchaser #18 - Lieutenant Mitsugu Miyoi
1 Supply ship
Soya - Commander Toshi Kubota
2 Cargo ships
Meiyo Maru - Captain Hisao Koizumi
Yamafuku Maru - Captain Torao Honda
Advance (Submarine) Force (Sixth Fleet) - Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu in Katori at Kwajalein
CL Katori - Captain Noboru Owada
3rd Submarine Squadron- Rear Admiral Chimaki Kona in Rio de Janeiro Maru (flagship at Kwajalein)
19th Submarine Division - Captain Ryojiro Ono
I-156 - Lt. Commander Katsuo Ohashi
I-157 - Lt. Commander Sakae Nakajima
I-158 - Lt. Commander Soshichi Kitamura
I-159 - Lt. Commander Tamori Yoshimatsu
13th Submarine Division - Captain Takeji Miyazaki
I-121 - Lt. Commander Yasuo Fujimori
I-122 - Lt. Commander Sadatoshi Norita
I-123 - Lt. Commander Toshitake Ueno
30th Submarine Division - Captain Maseo Teraoka
I-162 - Lt. Commander Takakazu Kinashi
I-165 - Lt. Commander Hakue Jarada
I-166 - Lt. Commander Makio Tanaka
Eleventh Air Fleet - Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara (at Tinian)
Midway Expeditionary Force - Captain Chisato Morita
36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters - Lt. Commander Mitsugu Kofukuda
10 Mitsubishi G4M bombers at Wake Island
6 flying boats at Jaluit
24th Air Flotilla - Rear Admiral Minoru Maeda
Chitose Air Group at Kwajalein - Captain Fujiro Ohashi
36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters
36 Nakajima B5N2 torpedo bombers
1st Air Group at Aur and Wotje - Captain Samaji Inoue
36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters
36 Nakajima B5N2 torpedo bombers
14th Air Group - Captain Daizo Nakajima
36 Kawanishi H6K flying boats at Jaluit and Wotje
Fifth Fleet Main Body - Vice Admiral Boshirō Hosogaya in Nachi
CA Nachi - Captain Takahiko Kiyota
DD Inazuma - Lt. Commander Hajime Takeuchi
DD Ikazuchi - Lt. Commander Shunsaku Kudo
Supply Group
AO Fujisan Maru - Captain Kikuta Maki
AO Nissan Maru - Captain Hachiro Naotsuka
AC Muroto - Captain Masaji Yamagata
AP Akashisan Maru - Captain Yoshio Hosoya
AF Toko Maru No. 2
Second Carrier Striking Force - Rear Admiral Kakuji Kakuta in Ryujo
4th Carrier Division - Rear Admiral Kakuta
CVL Ryūjō - Captain Tadeo Kato
Air Unit - Lt. Masayuki Yamagami (16 A6M2 - Lt. Minoru Kobayashi, 21 B5N2 - Lt. Yamagami)
CV Jun'yō - Captain Shizue Isii
Air Unit - Lt. Yoshio Shiga (24 A6M2 - Lt. Shiga, 15 D3A1 - Lt. Zenji Abe)
4th Cruiser Division, 2d Section - Captain Shunsaku Nabeshima in Maya
CA Takao - Captain Bunji Asakura
CA Maya - Captain Nabeshima
7th Destroyer Division - Captain Kaname Konishi (Akebono - Lt. Commander Minoru Nakagawa, Ushio - Lt. Commander Yoshitake Uesugi, Sazanami - Lt. Commander Hiroshi Uwai)
AO Teiyo Maru - Captain Katasuke Tanaka
Aleutian Support Force - Vice Admiral Shiro Takasu in Hyūga
2nd Battleship Division - Vice Admiral Takasu
Fusō - Captain Chozaemon Obata
Hyūga - Captain Chiaki Matsuda
Ise - Captain Isamu Takeda
Yamashiro - Captain Gunji Kogure
Screening Force - Rear Admiral Fukuji Kishi in Kitakami
9th Cruiser Division - Rear Admiral Kishi
CL Kitakami - Captain Saiji Norimitsu
CL Ōi - Captain Moichi Narita
20th Destroyer Division - Captain Yuji Yamada (Asagiri - Lt. Commander Nisaburo Maekawa, Yūgiri - Commander Masayoshi Motokura, Shirakumo - Commander Toyoji Hitomi, Amagiri - Captain Buichi Ashida)
24th Destroyer Division - Captain Yasuji Hirai (Umikaze - Commander Nagahide Sugitani, Yamakaze - Lt. Commander Shuichi Hamanaka, Kawakaze - Lt. Commander Kazuo Wakabayashi, Suzukaze - Lt. Commander Kazuo Shibayama)
27th Destroyer Division - Captain Matake Yoshimura (Ariake - Lt. Commander Shoichi Yoshida, Yūgure - Lt. Commander Kiyoshi Kamo, Shigure - Commander Noboru Seo, Shiratsuyu - Lt. Commander Kanematsu Hashimoto)
Supply Group - Captain Matsuo Eguchi
AO San Clemente Maru - Captain Eguchi
AO Toa Maru - Captain Yataro Yokohama
Attu Invasion Force - Rear Admiral Sentaro Omori in Abukuma
CL Abukuma - Captain Seiroku Murayama
21st Destroyer Division - Captain Toshio Shimizu (Wakaba - Lt. Commander Masakichi Kuroki, Nenohi - Lt. Commander Saburo Terauchi, Hatsuharu - Lt. Commander Hiroshi Makino, Hatsushimo - Lt. Commander Satoru Kohama)
Magane Maru Minelayer - Captain Hinoemi Sasaki
AP Kinugasa Maru - Captain Naoshi Arima (carrying 1200 army troops under Major Matsutoshi Hozumi)
Kiska Invasion Force - Captain Takeji Ono in Kiso
21st Cruiser Division - Captain Ono
CL Kiso - Captain Ono
CL Tama - Captain Masaharu Kawabata
Asaka Maru (Auxiliary Cruiser) - Captain Jiro Ban
Awata Maru (Auxiliary Cruiser) - Captain Kikuta Maki
Screening Force
6th Destroyer Division - Captain Yusuke Tamada (Hibiki - Lt. Commander Hagumu Ishii, Akatsuki - Lt. Commander Osamu Takasuka, Hakaze - Lt. Commander Tomo Tanaka)
13th Minesweeper Division - Captain Toshio Mitsuka
Hakuho Maru
Kaiho Maru
Shinkotsu Maru
Transports
Hakusan Maru - Captain Hareyoshi Goto (carrying 550 troops under Lt. Commander Hifumi Mukai)
Kumagawa Maru - Captain Shiro Yoshida (carrying 700 labor troops with construction equipment)
Submarine Detachment
1st Submarine Squadron - Rear Admiral Shigeaki Yamakazi
I-9 - Commander Akiyoshi Fujii
2nd Submarine Division- Captain Hiroshi Imazato
I-15 - Commander Nobuo Ishikawa
I-17 - Commander Kozo Nishino
I-19 - Commander Shogo Narahara
4th Submarine Division - Captain Mitsuru Nagai
I-25 - Commander Meiji Tagami
I-26 - Commander Minoru Yokota
Aleutian Seaplane Tender Force - Captain Keiichi Ujuku
AV Kimikawa Maru - Captain Ujuku (air unit 8 3-seat floatplanes)
DD Shiokaze - Lt. Yoji Tanegashima
The US Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas were under the overall command of Admiral Chester Nimitz.
Task Force 17 - Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in Yorktown
Task Group 17.5 (Carrier Group)
USS Yorktown - Captain Elliott Buckmaster
Yorktown Air Group (Including elements of the Air Group from the sidelined USS Saratoga) - Lt. Commander Oscar Pederson:
VF-3 - Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat - Lt. Cmdr. John Thach
VB-3 - Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless - Lt. Cmdr. Max Leslie
VS-5 - Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless - Lt. Wallace Clark Short
VT-3 - Douglas TBD-1 Devastator - Lt. Cmdr. Lance Edward Massey†
Task Group 17.2 (Cruiser Group) - Rear Admiral William W. Smith in Astoria
USS Astoria
USS Portland
Task Group 17.4 (Destroyer Screen) - Captain Gilbert Hoover (COMDESRON 2)
USS Hammann
USS Anderson
USS Gwin
USS Hughes
USS Morris
USS Russell
Task Force 16 - commander: Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in Enterprise
Task Group 16.5 (Carrier Group)USS Enterprise - Captain George D. Murray
Enterprise Air Group - Lt. Cmdr. C. Wade McClusky:
VF-6 - F4F-4 - Lt. James S. Gray
VB-6 - SBD-2/3 - Lt. Richard Halsey Best
VS-6 - SBD-2/3 - Lt. Wilmer Earl Gallaher
VT-6 - TBD-1 - Lt. Cmdr. Eugene E. Lindsey†
USS Hornet - Captain Marc A. Mitscher
Hornet Air Group - Commander Stanhope C. Ring:
VF-8 - F4F-4 - Lt. Cmdr. Samuel G. Mitchell
VB-8 - SBD-3 - Lt. Cmdr. Walter F. Rodee
VS-8 - SBD-3 - Lt. Cmdr. Robert R. Johnson
VT-8 - TBD-1 - Lt. Cmdr. John C. Waldron†
Task Group 16.2 (Cruiser Group) - Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid (COMCRUDIV 6)
USS Atlanta
USS Minneapolis
USS New Orleans
USS Northampton
USS Pensacola
USS Vincennes
Task Group 16.4 (Destroyer Screen) - Captain Alexander R. Early (COMDESRON 1)
USS Phelps
USS Worden
USS Monaghan
USS Aylwin
USS Balch
USS Conyngham
USS Benham
USS Ellet
USS Maury
Oilers Group
USS Cimarron
USS Platte
USS Dewey
USS Monssen
Submarines Operational command under Rear Admiral Robert H. English (Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet) at Pearl Harbor.
Task Group 7.1
USS Cachalot
USS Flying Fish
USS Tambor
USS Trout
USS Grayling
USS Nautilus
USS Grouper
USS Dolphin
USS Gato
USS Cuttlefish
USS Gudgeon
USS Grenadier
Task Group 7.2
USS Narwhal
USS Plunger
USS Trigger
Task Group 7.3
USS Tarpon
USS Finback
USS Pike
USS Growler
Air group
Marine Aircraft Group 22 - Colonel Ira L. Kimes, USMC
VMF-221 Major Floyd B. Parks†, USMC
VMSB-241 Major Lofton R. Henderson†, USMC
Navy Air Units - Captain Cyril T. Simard
Detachments of Patrol Wings 1 and 2 (PBY-5 and PBY-5A Catalinas)
VT-8 Grumman TBF Avenger detachment (from USS Hornet) - Lt. Langdon K. Fieberling†, USN
Detachment of Seventh Air Force - Maj. Gen. Willis Hale
Martin B-26 Marauders Capt. James Collins, USA
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Lt. Col. Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., USA
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
8 PT boats (2 at Kure Atoll)
4 small patrol craft, 2 tenders, and 1 DD (at French Frigate Shoals), 1 Oiler, 1 minesweeper in the area
The military forces at the immediate point of tactical contact (i.e. not including support formations) are described below.
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
27 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)
The Japanese carriers of the Striking Force operated:
Akagi: 60 aircraft (sunk)
24 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
18 Aichi D3A, dive bombers
18 Nakajima B5N, torpedo bombers
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
18 Aichi D3A, dive bombers
18 Nakajima B5N, torpedo bombers
Sōryū: 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)
