Military history

APPENDIX D

Japanese Order of Battle at Midway

(carriers in bold face)

Commander, Japanese Combined Fleet (CinC), ADM Yamamoto Isoroku, IJN


Main Body (3 heavy battleships, 1 small carrier, 1 light cruiser, 9 destroyers)


Commander, Main Body, ADM Yamamoto, IJN

Chief of Staff, RADM Ugaki Matome, IJN

Battleship Division One

BB Yamato (flagship), CAPT Takayanagi Gihachi, IJN

BB Nagato, CAPT Yano Hideo, IJN

BB Mutsu, CAPT Yamazumi Tejiro, IJN

Carrier Group Accompanying Main Body

Light Carrier Hōshō, CAPT Kaoru Umetani, IJN

Commander, Hōshō Air Group, LT Irikiin Yoshiaki, IJN

DD Yukaze, LCDR Kajimoto Shizuka

Commander, Destroyer Squadron 3, RADM Hashimoto Shintarō, IJN

CL Sendai, CAPT Morishita Nobue, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 11, CAPT Shōji Kichirō, IJN

DD Fubuki, CDR Yamashtia Shizuo, IJN

DD Shirayuki, CDR Sugahara Rokorō, IJN

DD Murakumo, CDR Higaashi Hideo, IJN

DD Hatsuyuki, LCDR Kamiura Junnari, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 19, CAPT Oe Ranji, IJN

DD Isonami, CDR Sugama Ryōkichi, IJN

DD Uranami, CDR Hagio Tsutomu, IJN

DD Shikinami, CDR Kawahashi Akifumi, IJN

DD Ayanami, CDR Sakuma Eiji, IJN

Fueling Unit, CAPT Nishioka Shigeyasu, IJN

AO Naruto, CAPT Nishioka

The Main Body also included a “Special Force” of two tenders carrying midget submarines, plus a supply ship.


First Carrier Strike Force (The Kido Butai) (4 carriers, 2 battleships, 2 cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 12 destroyers)


Commander, First Carrier Strike Force, VADM Nagumo Chūichi, IJN

Chief of Staff, RADM Kusaka Ryūnosuke, IJN

Senior Air Officer, CDR Fuchida Mitsuo, IJN

Commander, Carrier Division 1, VADM Nagumo

CV Akagi (flagship), CAPT Aoki Taijirō, IJN

Commander, Akagi Air Group, CDR Fuchida

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Itaya Shigeru, IJN

Commander, Bombing Force (Kanbaku Buntai), LT Chihaya Takehiro, IJN

Commander, Torpedo Planes (Kanko Buntai), LCDR Murata Shigeharu, IJN

Plus 6 fighters intended for Midway garrison

CV Kaga, CAPT Jisaku Okada, IJN

Commander, Kaga Air Group, LCDR Kusumi Tadashi, IJN

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Satō Masao, IJN

Commander, Bombing Force (Kanbaku Buntai), LT Ogawa Shō-ichi, IJN

Commander, Torpedo Planes (Kanko Buntai), LT Kazuraki Masuhiko, IJN

Plus 9 fighters and 2 bombers intended for Midway garrison

Commander, Carrier Division 2, RADM Yamaguchi Tamon, IJN

Air Officer, LCDR Egusa Takashige, IJN

CV Hiryū (flagship), CAPT Kaku Tomoeo, IJN

Commander, Hiryu Air Group, LT Tomanga Joichi, IJN

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Mori Shigeru, IJN

Commander, Bombing Force (Kanbaku Buntai), LT Kobayashi Michio, IJN

Commander, Torpedo Planes (Kanko Buntai), LT Kikuchi Rokurō, IJN

Plus 3 fighters intended for Midway garrison

CV Sōryū, CAPT Yanagimoto Ryusaku, IJN

Commander, Soryu Air Group, LCDR Egusa, IJN

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Suganami Masaji, IJN

Commander, Bombing Force (Kanbaku Buntai), LT Ikeda Masatake, IJN

Commander, Torpedo Planes (Kanko Buntai), LT Abe Heijiro, IJN

Plus one reconnaissance plane and 3 fighters intended for Midway garrison

Commander, Cruiser Division 8, RADM Abe Haroaki, IJN

CA Tone (flagship), CAPT Okada Tametsugu, IJN

CA Chikuma, CAPT Komura Keizō, IJN

Battleship Division 3

BB Haruna, CAPT Koma Tamotsu, IJN

BB Kirishima, CAPT Iwabughi, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Squadron 10, RADM Kimura Susumu, IJN

CL Nagara (flagship), CAPT Naoi Toshio, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 4, CAPT Ariga Kosaku, IJN

DD Nowaki, CDR Yoshida Masayoshi, IJN

DD Arashi, CDR Watanabe Yasumasa, IJN

DD Hagikaze, CDR Iwagami Juichi, IJN

DD Maikaze, CDR Nakasugi Seiji, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 10, CAPT Abe Toshio, IJN

DD Kazagumo, CDR Yoshida Masayoshi, IJN

DD Yugomo, CDR Semba Shigeo, IJN

DD Makigumo, CDR Fujita Isamu, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 17, CAPT Kitamura Masayuki, IJN

DD Urakaze, CDR Shiraishi Nagayoshi, IJN

DD Isokaze, CDR Toshima Shunichi, IJN

DD Tanikaze, CDR Katsumi Motoi, IJN

DD Jamakaze, CDR Orita Tsuneo, IJN

Plus 5 small oilers escorted by DD Akigumo, CDR Soma Shohei


Close Support Group (4 cruisers, 2 destroyers)


Commander, Close Support Group, VADM Kurita Takeo, IJN

Commander, Cruiser Division 7, VADM Kurita

CA Kumano (flagship), CAPT Tanaka Kikumatsu, IJN

CA Suzuya, CAPT Kimura Masatomi, IJN

CA Mikuma, CAPT Sakiyama Shakao, IJN

CA Mogami, CAPT Soji Akira, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 8, CDR Ogawa Nobuki, IJN

DD Asashio, CDR Yoshii Gorō, IJN

DD Arashio, CDR Kuboki Hideo, IJN

Plus an oiler, the Nichiel Maru


Midway Invasion Force (1 small carrier, 2 battleships, 4 cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 8 destroyers)


Commander, Midway Invasion Force, VADM Kondō Nobutake, IJN

Chief of Staff, RADM Shiraishi Kazutaka, IJN

Commander, Battle Division 3, Section 1, RADM Mikawa Gunichi, IJN

BB Kongo (flagship), CAPT Koyanagi Tomiji, IJN

BB Hiei, CAPT Nishida Masao, IJN

Cruiser Division 4, Section 1

CA Atago (invasion force flagship), CAPT Ijuin Matsuji, IJN

CA Chokai, CAPT Hayakawa Mikio, IJN

Commander, Cruiser Division 5, VADM Takagi Takeo, IJN

CA Myoko (flagship), CAPT Miyoshi Teruhiki, IJN

CA Haguro, CAPT Mori Tomoichi, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Squadron 4, RADM Nishimura Shōji, IJN

CL Yura (flagship), CAPT Sato Shirō, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 3, CAPT Tachibana Masao, IJN

DD Murasame, CDR Suenaga Naoji, IJN

DD Samidare, CDR Matsubara Takisaburo, IJN

DD Harusame, CDR Kamiyama, IJN

DD Yudachi, CDR Kikkawa Kiyoshi, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 9, CAPT Satō Yasuo, IJN

DD Asagumo, CDR Iwahashi Tōru, IJN

DD Minegumo, CDR Suzuki Yasuatsu, IJN

DD Natsugumo, CDR Tsukamoto Moritarō, IJN

Commander, Escort Carrier Group, CAPT Obayahi Sueo, IJN

Light Carrier Zuihō, CAPT Obayashi

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Hidaka Moriyasu, IJN

Commander, Torpedo Planes (Kanko Buntai), LT Matsuo Kaji, IJN

DD Mikazuki, LCDR Maeda Saneho, IJN

The Midway Invasion force was accompanied by 4 oilers and a supply ship.


Transport Group (1 light cruiser, 10 destroyers, 13 transports)


Commander, Transport Group, RADM Tanaka Raizō, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Squadron 2, RADM Tanaka

CL Jintsu (flagship), CAPT Kozai Torazō, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 15, CAPT Satō Torajirō, IJN

DD Kuroshio, CDR Ugaki Tamaki, IJN

DD Oyashio, CDR Arima Tokikichi, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 16, CAPT Shibuya Shirō, IJN

DD Yukikaze, CDR Tobita Kenjirō, IJN

DD Amatsukaze, CDR Hara Tameichi, IJN

DD Tokitsukaze, CDR Nakahara Giichirō, IJN

DD Hatsukaze, CDR Takahashi Kameshirō, IJN

 Commander, Destroyer Division 18, CAPT Mikyasaka Yoshito, IJN

DD Shiranuhi, CDR Akasawa Jisuo, IJN

DD Kasumi, CDR Tomura Kiyoshi, IJN

DD Kagero, CDR Yokoi Minoru, IJN

DD Arare, CDR Ogata Tomoe, IJN

Commander, Landing Force, COL Ichiki Kiyonao, IJA

  (5,000 soldiers carried in 13 transport and supply ships)


Submarine Force (15 submarines)


Commander, Submarine Force, VADM Komatsu Teruhishi, IJN

Chief of Staff, RADM Mito Hisashi, IJN

Commander, Submarine Squadron 3, RADM Kono Chirnaki, IJN

Submarine Division 11

I-174, LCDR Kusaka Toshi, IJN

I-175, LCDR Uno Kameo, IJN

Submarine Division 12

I-168, LCDR Tanabe Yahachi, IJN

I-169, LCDR Watanabe Katsuji, IJN

I-171, LCDR Kawasaki Rokuro, IJN

Submarine Division 13 (CAPT Miyazaki Takeharu)

I-121, LCDR Fujimori Yasuo, IJN

I-122, LCDR Norita adatoshi, IJN

I-123, LCDR Ueno Toshitake, IJN

Commander, Submarine Squadron 5, RADM Tadashige Daigo, IJN

Submarine Division 19 (CAPT Ono Ryōjirō)

I-156, LCDR Ohashi Katsuo

I-157, LCDR Nakajima Sakae, IJN

I-158, LCDR Kitamura Soshichi, IJN

I-159, LCDR Yoshimatsu Tamori, IJN

Submarine Division 30 (CAPT Teraoka Masao)

I-162, LCDR Kinashi Takakuzu, IJN

I-165, LCDR Harada Hakue, IJN

I-166, LCDR Tanaka Makio, IJN


The Aleutians Force (5th Fleet) (1 carrier, 1 light carrier, 3 cruisers, 3 destroyers)


Commander, Aleutians Force, VADM Hosogaya Moshirō, IJN

Chief of Staff, CAPT Nakazawa Tasuku, IJN

CANachi (flagship), CAPT Kiyota Takahiko, IJN

DD Inazuma, CDR Takeuchi Hajime, IJN

DD Irazuchi, LCDR Kudo Shunsaku, IJN

Commander, 2nd Carrier Striking Force, RADM Kakuta Kakuji, IJN

Light Carrier Ryūjō (flagship), CAPT Kato Tadao, IJN

Commander, Ryūjō Air Group, LT Kobayashi Minoru, IJN

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Kobayashi

Commander, Torpedo Planes (Kanko Buntai), LT Yamagami Masayuki, IJN

CV Jun’yō, CAPT Ishii Shizue, IJN

Commander Jun’yō Air Group, LT Shiga Yoshio, IJN

Commander, Fighter Planes (Kansen Buntai), LT Shiga

Commander, Bombing Force (Kanbaku Buntai), LT Abe Zenji, IJN

Cruiser Division 4, Section 2

CA Maya, CAPT Nabeshima Shunsaku, IJN

CA Takeo, CAPT Asakura Bunji, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 7, CAPT Konishi Kaname, IJN

DD Akebono, LCDR Nakagawa Minoru, IJN

DD Ushio, CDR Uesugi Yoshitake, IJN

DD Sazanami, LCDR Uwai Hiroshi, IJN


Attu Invasion Force (1 light cruiser, 4 destroyers, plus transports)


Commander, Attu Invasion Force, RADM Ōmori Sentarō

CL Abukuma (flagship), CAPT Murayama Seiroku, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 21, CAPT Shimizu Toshio, IJN

DD Wakaba, LCDR Kuroki Masakichi, IJN

DD Nenohi, LCDR Terauchi Saburō, IJN

DD Hatsuharu, CDR Makino Hiroshi, IJN

DD Hatsushimo, LCDR Migihama Satoru, IJN

Army North Seas Detachment (1,200 soldiers), MAJ Hozumi Matsuoshi, IJA Plus 3 oilers, 3 supply ships, and 2 minelayers


Kiska Invasion Force (2 light cruisers, 3 destroyers, 4 support vessels, 3 minesweepers)


Commander, Kiska Invasion Force, CAPT Ono Takeji, IJN

Cruiser Division 21

CL Kiso, CAPT Ono

CL Tama, CAPT Kawabata Masaharu, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 6, CAPT Yamada Yusuke, IJN

DD Hibiki, LCDR Ishii Hagumu, IJN

DD Atatsuki, CDR Takasuka Osamu, IJN

DD Hokaze, LCDR Tanaka Tomō, IJN

Plus 4 support vessels and 3 minesweepers


Submarines Assigned to Aleutians Group (6 submarines)


Commander, Submarine Squadron 1, RADM Yamazaki Shigenaki, IJN

  I-9 (flagboat), CDR Fujii Akiyoshi, IJN

Submarine Division 2, CAPT Imazato Hiroshi, IJN

I-15, CDR Ishikawa Nobuo, IJN

I-17, CDR Nishino Kozo, IJN

I-19, CDR Narahara Seigo, IJN

Submarine Division 4, CAPT Nagai Mitsuru

I-25, CDR Togami Meiji, IJN

I-26, CDR Yokota Minoru, IJN


Aleutians Guard Force (4 battleships, 2 light cruisers, 12 destroyers)


Commander, Guard Force, VADM Takasu Shirō, IJN

Chief of Staff, RADM Kobayashi Kengō, IJN

Battleship Division 1

BB Hyuga (flagship), CAPT Matsuda Chiaki, IJN

BB Ise, CAPT Takeda Isamu, IJN

BB Fuso, CAPT Kinoshita Mitsuo, IJN

BB Yamashiro, CAPT Kogure Gunji, IJN

Commander, Cruiser Division 9, RADM Kishi Fukuji, IJN

CL Kitakami (flagship), CAPT Norimitsu Saiji, IJN

CL Oi, CAPT Narita Mōichi

Commander, Destroyer Division 20, CAPT Yamada Yuji, IJN

DD Agagiri, CDR Maekawa Nisaburo, IJN

DD Yugiri, CDR Motokura Masayoshi, IJN

DD Shirakumo, CDR Hitomi Toyoji, IJN

DD Amagiri, CAPT Ashida Buichi, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 24, CAPT Hirai Yasji, IJN

DD Umikasa, CDR Sugitani Nagahide, IJN

DD Yamakaze, CDR Hamanaka Shuishi, IJN

DD Kawakase, CDR Wakabayashi Kazuo, IJN

DD Suzukaze, CDR Shibayama Kazuo, IJN

Commander, Destroyer Division 27, CAPT Yoshimura Matake, IJN

DD Ariake, CDR Yoshida Shōichi, IJN

DD Yugure, CDR Kamo Kiyoshi, IJN

DD Shigure, CDR Seo Noboru, IJN

DD Shiratsuyu, LCDR Hashimoto Kimmatsu, IJN

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