Battle of the Bismarck Sea order of battle


The Battle of the Bismarck Sea took place in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. During the course of the battle, aircraft of the U.S. 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force attacked a Japanese convoy that was carrying troops to Lae, New Guinea. Most of the task force was destroyed, and Japanese troop losses were heavy.

Japanese forces

;Rear Admiral Masatomi Kimura

Destroyers

;Rear Admiral Masatomi Kimura
DestroyerCommanderFateSource
Commander Hideo Kubokisunk
Commander Goro Yoshiisunk
Commander Toru Iwahashisurvived
Lieutenant Commander Akifumi Kawahashisurvived
Commander Rokuro Sugawarasunk
Commander Masayoshi Motokurasunk
Lieutenant Commander Chikara Hagiosurvived
Commander Ryokichi Sugamasurvived

Transports

Kamataro Matsumoto
TransporttonsFateSource
Aiyo Maru2,7167,686Sunk, 323 killed
Kembu Maru9502,688Sunk, 20 killed
5,49315,545Sunk, 486 killed
Oigawa Maru6,49418,378Sunk, 1,229 killed
3,79310,734Sunk, 63+ killed
2,8838,159Sunk, 200 killed
6,87019,442Sunk, 1,915 killed
8,12522,994Sunk, 400 killed

Embarked units

Air units

Allied forces

Allied air forces

;Commander, Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area/US Fifth Air Force: Lieutenant General George C. Kenney
;Advanced Echelon, Allied Air Forces: Major General Ennis C. Whitehead
;No. 9 Operational Group RAAF
Air Commodore J. E. Hewitt
WingSquadronCommanderAircraftBaseSource
No. 73 Wing RAAFWing Commander Blake Pelly
No. 6 Squadron RAAFWing Commander A. A. BarlowLockheed HudsonTurnbull Field
No. 22 Squadron RAAFWing Commander Keith HampshireA-20 BostonWards Airfield
No. 30 Squadron RAAFWing Commander B. R. WalkerBristol BeaufighterWards Airfield
No. 71 Wing RAAFWing Commander Ian McLachlan
No. 75 Squadron RAAFSquadron Leader W. S. ArthurP-40 KittyhawkGurney Airfield
No. 100 Squadron RAAFSquadron Leader J. A. Smilbert Bristol BeaufortGurney Airfield

GroupSquadronCommanderAircraftAirfieldSource
35th Fighter GroupColonel Richard A. Legg
39th Fighter SquadronCaptain T. J. LynchP-38 LightningSchwimmer Airfield
40th Fighter SquadronCaptain Malcolm A. MooreP-39 AiracobraRogers Airfield
49th Fighter GroupLieutenant Colonel R. L. Morrissey
7th Fighter SquadronMajor William P. MartinP-40 WarhawkDurand Airfield
8th Fighter SquadronMajor Mitchell E. SimsP-40 WarhawkKila Airfield
9th Fighter SquadronCaptain Jesse C. PeasleeP-38 LightningSchwimmer Airfield
3rd Attack GroupLieutenant Colonel R. F. Strickland
13th Attack SquadronMajor Harold V. MaullB-25 MitchellSchwimmer Airfield
89th Attack SquadronMajor Glen W. ClarkA-20 HavocKila Airfield
90th Attack SquadronMajor Edward L. LarnerB-25 MitchellDurand Airfield
38th Bombardment GroupColonel Fay R. Upthegrove
71st Bombardment SquadronMajor Eugene P. MussettB-25 MitchellDurand Airfield
405th Bombardment SquadronLieutenant Colonel Millard LewisB-25 MitchellDurand Airfield
43rd Bombardment GroupColonel Roger M. Ramey
63rd Bombardment SquadronMajor Edward W. ScottB-17 Flying FortressJacksons Airfield
64th Bombardment SquadronMajor Kenneth D. McCullarB-17 Flying FortressJacksons Airfield
65th Bombardment SquadronMajor Harray J. HawthorneB-17 Flying FortressJacksons Airfield
403rd Bombardment SquadronMajor Jay P. ReusekB-17 Flying FortressMareeba Airfield
90th Bombardment GroupColonel Ralph E. Koon
319th Bombardment SquadronCaptain Charles E. JonesB-24 LiberatorJacksons Airfield
320th Bombardment SquadronMajor Roy L. TaylorB-24 LiberatorJacksons Airfield
321st Bombardment SquadronMajor Cecil L. FaulknerB-24 LiberatorJacksons Airfield
400th Bombardment SquadronMajor Harry J. BullisB-24 LiberatorJacksons Airfield
8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron1st Lieutenant F. S. SavageF-4 Lightning, F-5 LightningKila Airfield

Motor Torpedo Boat Striking Force

BoatSkipperSource
PT-66Lieutenant William C. Quinby
PT-67Ensign James W. Emmons
PT-68Lieutenant Robert L. Childs
PT-121Ensign Edward R. Bergin
PT-128Ensign James W. Herring
PT-143Lieutenant John S. Bayliss
PT-149Lieutenant William J. Flittie
PT-150Lieutenant Russell E. Hamacheck