Military history

APPENDIX C

American Order of Battle at Midway

(carriers in bold face)

Commander in Chief, Pacific (CincPac), ADM Chester Nimitz, USN

Commander, Carrier Strike Force, RADM Frank Jack Fletcher, USN


Task Force 17 (1 carrier, 2 cruisers, 5 destroyers)


Commander, Task Force 17, RADM Frank Jack Fletcher, USN

USS Yorktown (CV-5), CAPT Elliott Buckmaster, USN

Commander, Yorktown Air Group, LCDR Oscar Pederson, USN

Commander, VF-3, LCDR John S. Thach, USN (from Saratoga)

Commander, VS-5, LT Wallace C. Short, Jr., USN (formerly VB-5)

Commander, VB-3, LCDR Maxwell F. Leslie, USN (from Saratoga)

Commander, VT-3, LCDR Lance E. Massey, USN (from Saratoga)

Commander Task Group 17.2 (Cruiser Force), RADM William W. Smith, USN

USS Astoria (CA-34), CAPT Francis W. Scanland, USN

USS Portland (CA-33), CAPT Laurance T. Du Bose, USN

Commander Task Group 17.4 (Destroyer Screen), CAPT Gilbert C. Hoover, USN

Destroyer Squadron Two

USS Morris (DD-417), CDR H. B. Jarrett, USN

USS Russell (DD-414), LCDR Glenn R. Hartwig, USN

USS Hammann (DD-412), CDR Arnold E. True, USN

USS Anderson (DD-411), LCDR John K. B. Ginder, USN

USS Hughes (DD-410), LCDR Donald J. Ramsey, USN


Task Force 16 (2 carriers, 5 cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 8 destroyers)


Commander, Task Force 16, RADM Raymond Spruance, USN

Chief of Staff, CAPT Miles R. Browning, USN

USS Enterprise (CV-6), CAPT George D. Murray, USN

Commander, Enterprise Air Group, LCDR Clarence Wade McClusky, USN

Commander, VF-6, LT James S. Gray, USN

Commander, VS-6, LT Wilmer E. Gallaher, USN

Commander, VB-6, LT Richard H. Best, USN

Commander, VT-6, LCDR Eugene E. Lindsey, USN

USS Hornet (CV-8), CAPT Marc A. Mitscher, USN

Commander, Hornet Air Group, CDR Stanhope C. Ring, USN

Commander, VF-8, LCDR Samuel G. Mitchell, USN

Commander, VS-8, LCDR Walter F. Rodee, USN

Commander, VB-8, LCDR Robert R. Johnson, USN

Commander, VT-8, LCDR John C. Waldron, USN

Commander, Task Group 16.2 (Cruiser Group), RADM Thomas C. Kinkaid, USN

USS Minneapolis (CA-36), CAPT Frank J. Lowry, USN

USS New Orleans (CA-32) CAPT Howard J. Good, USN

USS Vincennes (CA-44), CAPT Frederick L. Riefkohl, USN

USS Northampton (CA-26), CAPT William D. Chandler, USN

USS Pensacola (CA-24), CAPT Frank L. Lowe, USN

USS Atlanta (CL-51), CAPT Samuel P. Jenkins, USN

Commander Task Group 16.4 (Destroyer Screen), CAPT Alexander R. Early, USN

Destroyer Squadron One, CAPT Early

USS Phelps (DD-360), LCDR Edward L. Beck, USN

USS Aylwin (DD-355), LCDR George R. Phelan, USN

USS Monaghan (DD-354), LCDR William P. Burford, USN

USS Worden (DD-352), LCDR William G. Pogue, USN

Destroyer Squadron Six, CAPT Edward P. Sauer, USN

USS Balch (DD-363), LCDR Harold L. Tiemroth, USN

USS Conyngham (DD-371), LCDR Henry C. Daniel, USN

USS Benham (DD-397), LCDR Joseph M. Worthington, USN

USS Ellet (DD-398), LCDR Francis H. Gardner, USN

USS Maury (DD-401), LCDR Gelzer L. Sims, USN


Fueling Group


USS Cimarron (AO-22), CDR Russell M. Ihrig, USN

USS Platte (AO-24), CAPT Ralph H. Henkle, USN

USS Dewey (DD-349), LCDR Charles F. Chillingworth, USN

USS Monssen (DD-436), CDR Roland N. Smoot, USN

Midway Relief Fueling Unit

USS Guadaloupe (AO-32), CDR Harry R. Thurber, USN

USS Blue (DD-387), CDR Harold N. Williams, USN

USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390), CDR Ralph Earle, Jr., USN


Submarine Force


Commander, Submarine Force (ComSubPac), RADM Robert H. English, USN

Task Force 7

USS Cachalot (SS-170), LCDR George A. Lewis, USN

USS Flying Fish (SS-229), LCDR Glynn R. Donaho, USN

USS Tambor (SS-198), LCDR John W. Murphy, Jr., USN

USS Trout (SS-202), LCDR Frank W. Fenno, USN

USS Grayling (SS-209), LCDR Eliot Olsen, USN

USS Nautilus (SS-168) LCDR William H. Brockman, Jr., USN

USS Grouper (SS-214), LCDR Clarence E. Duke, USN

USS Dolphin (SS-169) LCDR Royal L. Rutter, USN

USS Gato (SS-212), LCDR William G. Myers, USN

USS Cuttlefish (SS-171), LCDR Martin P. Hottel, USN

USS Gudgeon (SS-211), LCDR Hyland B. Lyon, USN

USS Grenadier (SS-210), LCDR Willis A. Lent, USN

Task Force 7.2

USS Narwhal (SS-167), LCDR Charles W. Wilkins, USN

USS Plunger (SS-179), LCDR David C. White, USN

USS Trigger (SS-237), LCDR Jack H. Lewis, USN

Task Force 7.3

USS Tarpon (SS-175), LCDR Lewis Wallace, USN

USS Pike (SS-173), LCDR William A. New, USN

USS Finback (SS-230), LCDR Jesse L. Hull, USN

USS Growler (SS-215), LCDR Howard W. Gilmore, USN


Midway-Based Aircraft


Commander, Midway Naval Air Station, CAPT Cyril T. Simard, USN

  Air Commander for Battle of Midway, CDR Logan C. Ramsey, USN

Commander Patrol Wing Two, RADM Patrick N. Bellinger

  VP-23, VP-24, VP-44, VP-53, and a detachment of VT-8

     (31 PBY Catalinas, and 6 TBF Avengers)

Commander, Marine Aircraft Group 22, LCOL Ira L. Kimes, USMC

  Commander, VMF-221, MAJ Floyd B. Parks, USMC

     (21 F2A-3 Buffaloes, 7 F4F-3 Wildcats)

  Commander, VMSB-241, MAJ Lofton R. Henderson, USMC

     (19 SBD Devastators, 21 SB2U Vindicators)

7th Army Air Corps, Bomber Command, MGEN Willis P. Hale, USA

  431st Bomber Squadron, LCOL Walter C. Sweeny, Jr., USA

     (19 B-17 Flying Fortresses)

  69th Bomber Squadron, CAPT James F. Collins, USA

     (4 B-26 Marauders)

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