Borneo campaign (1945) order of battle



This is the complete order of battle of Allied and Japanese forces during the Borneo campaign of 1945. As the campaign was fought in three geographically separate areas and the same air and naval units supported more than one of these battles the order of battle is split into the three areas.

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Allied forces
General Headquarters South West Pacific Area General Douglas MacArthur
 * Ground Forces
 * Australian I Corps (Lieutenant-Gen Leslie Morshead)
 * Australian 7th Division (Major-Gen Edward Milford)
 * Australian 9th Division (Major-Gen George Wootten)
 * Air Forces
 * Advanced RAAF Command
 * Australian First Tactical Air Force
 * United States Thirteenth Air Force
 * Naval Forces
 * US Seventh Fleet (Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid)
 * Amphibious Force (Vice Admiral Daniel E. Barbey)

Japanese forces
Southern Expeditionary Army Group (HQ at Saigon) Count Hisaichi Terauchi


 * Seventh Area Army
 * Thirty-Seventh Army
 * Lieutenant General Masao Baba
 * North
 * Army-Navy Headquarters Tarakan
 * 56th Independent Mixed Brigade (Brunei)
 * 25th Independent Mixed Regiment (North Borneo)
 * 553rd Independent Infantry Battalion (Miri)
 * 554th Independent Infantry Battalion (Sandakan)
 * 774th Independent Infantry Battalion (Tenom)
 * South
 * 71st Independent Mixed Brigade (Kuching)
 * 455th Independent Infantry Battalion (Balikpapan)
 * 22nd Special Naval Base Force (Balikpapan)
 * Third Air Army (Singapore)
 * Japanese 10th Independent Flying Brigade
 * 83rd Flying Regiment

Ground forces

 * 26th Brigade Group
 * Brigadier David Whitehead
 * Approx. 18,100 troops
 * 2/23rd Infantry Battalion
 * 2/24th Infantry Battalion
 * 2/48th Infantry Battalion
 * 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion (fought as infantry)
 * 2/4th Cavalry Commando Squadron
 * C Squadron, 2/9th Armoured Regiment (Matilda II tanks)
 * D Company, 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion
 * 2/7th Field Regiment (25 pounder guns)
 * 53rd Composite Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * 2/13th Field Company
 * 2nd Field Company
 * 2/12th Field Ambulance
 * 2 Beach Group
 * 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion
 * Other units
 * 2/11th Field Company
 * 2 Beach Workshop
 * 'B' Royal Australian Navy Commando
 * 2nd Australian Army Medical Corps Company

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
 * 2nd Company, 1st Battalion Netherlands East Indies Army

United States Army
 * Composite Company, 727th Amphibian Tractor Battalion
 * Company, 593rd Engineer Boat and Shore Battalion

Air units
Royal Australian Air Force
 * No. 77 (Attack) Wing Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
 * No. 76 Squadron RAAF (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk) (from 15 May)
 * No. 22 Squadron RAAF (Bristol Beaufighter) (from 4 June)
 * No. 30 Squadron RAAF (Bristol Beaufighter) (from 4 June)
 * No. 31 Squadron RAAF (Bristol Beaufighter)
 * No. 78 (Fighter) Wing RAAF
 * No. 75 Squadron RAAF (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk)
 * No. 78 Squadron RAAF (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk)
 * No. 80 Squadron RAAF (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk)
 * No. 452 Squadron RAAF (Supermarine Spitfire)
 * No. 82 (Bomber) Wing RAAF
 * No. 21 Squadron RAAF (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * No. 23 Squadron RAAF (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * No. 24 Squadron RAAF (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * RAAF ground units on Tarakan during the campaign
 * No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight (4 Auster light aircraft)
 * No. 61 Operational Base Unit
 * No. 61 Airfield Construction Wing
 * No. 1 Airfield Construction Squadron
 * No. 8 Airfield Construction Squadron
 * No. 2 Aerodrome Security Squadron
 * No. 114 Mobile Fighter Control Unit

United States Army Air Forces
 * 18th Fighter Group USAAF (Mindoro Island, Zamboanga from 4 May)
 * 12th Fighter Squadron (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 44th Fighter Squadron (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 70th Fighter Squadron (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 347th Fighter Group USAAF (Palawan Island)
 * 67th Fighter Squadron (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 68th Fighter Squadron (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 339th Fighter Squadron (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 42d Bombardment Group USAAF (Palawan Island)
 * 69th Bombardment Squadron (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 70th Bombardment Squadron (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 75th Bombardment Squadron (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 100th Bombardment Squadron (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 390th Bombardment Squadron (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 5th Bombardment Group USAAF (Samar Island)
 * 23d Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 31st Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 72d Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 394th Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 307th Bombardment Group USAAF (Morotai Island)
 * 370th Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 371st Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 372nd Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 424th Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 868th Bombardment Squadron USAAF (LA Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * Fleet Air Wing 17 US Navy (Palawan Island)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 128 (VPB-128) (PV-1 Ventura)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 106 (VPB-106) (PB4Y-2 Privateer) (from 3 May)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 111 (VPB-111) (PB4Y-2 Privateer)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 109 (VPB-109) (PB4Y-2 Privateer with Bat Bombs) (until 6 May)

Naval units
Rear Admiral Forrest B. Royal, USN
 * Covering Group 74.3
 * 3 light cruisers
 * 2 Brooklyn-class (15 × 6-in. main battery): USS Phoenix (CL-46), USS Boise (CL-47)
 * 1 Leander-class (8 × 6-in. main battery): 🇦🇺 HMAS Hobart
 * 6 destroyers
 * 5 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Jenkins (DD-447), USS Nicholas (DD-449), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Taylor (DD-468)
 * 1 Tribal-class (3 × 4.7-in. main battery): 🇦🇺 HMAS Warramunga
 * Attack Group 78.1


 * 1 amphibious command ship: USS Rocky Mount
 * 2 LSI: 🇦🇺 HMAS Manoora, 🇦🇺 HMAS Westralia
 * 1 attack cargo: USS Titania (AKA-13)
 * 1 LSD: USS Rushmore (LSD-14)
 * 21 LST, 12 LCI, 4 LSM, 12 LCT
 * Support
 * 6 LCS, 4 LCI(R), 2 LCI(M), 2 LCI(D) with four demolition units
 * Screen
 * 7 destroyers
 * 2 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Waller (DD-466), USS Philip (DD-498)
 * 2 Mahan-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Drayton (DD-366), USS Smith (DD-378)
 * 3 Benson-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Bailey (DD-492), USS Bancroft (DD-598), USS Caldwell (DD-605)
 * 2 John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts (2 × 5-in. main battery): USS Formoe (DE-509), USS Charles E. Brannon (DE-446)
 * 3 frigates
 * 🇦🇺 HMAS Burdekin, 🇦🇺 HMAS Barcoo, 🇦🇺 HMAS Hawkesbury
 * 1 motor torpedo boat (MTB) tender: USS Wachapreague (AGP-8), 21 MTBs
 * Landing craft control unit: 1 PC, 1 LCI(L), 2 LCS
 * Minesweeping unit: 1 APD, 11 YMS
 * Service unit: 1 AGS, 1 AN, 1 ATR, 1 ATO, 4 LCI(L) equipped for fire fighting and salvage

Japanese units

 * Army-Navy Headquarters
 * 455th Independent Infantry Battalion
 * 1 Company
 * 2 Company
 * 3 Company
 * 4 Company
 * Machine Gun Company
 * 2nd Naval Guard Force
 * 1 Company
 * 2 Company
 * Air Defence Unit

Ground forces

 * Australian 7th Division
 * Major General Edward Milford
 * Approx 33,000 troops
 * Divisional Units
 * 2/7 Cavalry (Commando) Regiment
 * 2/1 Pioneer Battalion
 * 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion
 * B Company 2/1 Guard Regiment (4 platoons)
 * Divisional Artillery
 * 2/4 Field Regiment (Ordnance QF 25 pounder gun-howitzers)
 * 2/5 Field Regiment (25 pounder guns)
 * 2/6 Field Regiment (25 pounder guns)
 * 2/2 Tank Attack Regiment
 * Divisional Engineers
 * 2/4 Field Company
 * 2/5 Field Company
 * 2/6 Field Company
 * 2/9 Field Company
 * 2/25 Field Park Company
 * 18 Infantry Brigade
 * 2/9 Battalion
 * 2/10 Battalion
 * 2/12 Battalion
 * 21 Infantry Brigade
 * 2/14 Battalion
 * 2/16th Battalion
 * 2/27 Battalion
 * 25 Infantry Brigade
 * 2/25 Battalion
 * 2/31 Battalion
 * 2/33 Battalion
 * I Australian Corps units
 * 1st Armoured Regiment (Matilda II tanks)
 * Armoured Squadron (Special Equipment) (Matilda tank specialist variant)
 * 2/1 Composite Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * 2 Beach Group
 * 2/2 Pioneer Battalion
 * 2/11 Field Company
 * 12 Aust. Light Wireless Section
 * Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
 * 1 Company, 1 NEI Battalion
 * United States Army
 * 727th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (less one company)
 * One company, 672nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion
 * One boat company, Boat Battalion, 593rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment

Air units
Royal Australian Air Force
 * 79 (General Reconnaissance – Bomber) Wing Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
 * No. 2 Squadron RAAF (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 78 (Fighter) Wing RAAF (from June 30)
 * No. 75 Squadron (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk)
 * No. 78 Squadron (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk)
 * No. 80 Squadron (Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk)
 * No. 452 Squadron (Supermarine Spitfire)
 * 82 (Bomber) Wing RAAF
 * No. 21 Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * No. 23 Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * No. 24 Squadron (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * Detachment, 83 (Army Co-Operation) Wing
 * Detachment, No. 4 Squadron (CAC Boomerang)
 * Detachment, No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight
 * Detachment, No. 9 Local Air Supply Unit RAAF
 * No. 54 Squadron RAF (Supermarine Spitfire)

United States Army Air Forces
 * 13th Air Force
 * 42nd Bombardment Group (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 69, 70, 75, 100, 390 Bombardment Squadrons (Palawan Island)
 * 5th Bombardment Group (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 23, 31, 72, 394 Bombardment Squadrons (Samar Island)
 * 307th Bombardment Group (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 370, 371, 372, 424 Bombardment Squadrons (Morotai Island)
 * 868th Bombardment Squadron (Consolidated SB-24 Liberator, LAB: Low Altitude radar Bomb.) flew maritime surveillance patrols
 * 18th Fighter Group (Lockheed P-38 Lightning)
 * 67, 68, 339 Fighter Squadrons (Palawan Island)
 * 419th Night Fighter Squadron (Northrop P-61 Black Widow) (Zamboanga and Palawan)
 * 4 Reconnaissance Group (Lockheed F-5 Lightning and North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron Det. (Palawan Island)
 * 5th Air Force
 * 22nd Bombardment Group (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 38th Bombardment Group (North American B-25 Mitchell)
 * Attached to 42nd Bombardment Group
 * 90th Bombardment Group (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)
 * 380th Bombardment Group (Consolidated B-24 Liberator)

United States Marine Corps
 * VMB-611 (North American PBJ Mitchell) flying from Zamboanga
 * Marine Air Group 2 (flying from the USN escort carriers)
 * Marine Escort Carrier Group 1 (MCVEG-1) on USS Block Island (CVE-106)
 * VMF-511 (Goodyear FG-1D Corsair & Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat)
 * VMTB-233 (Grumman TBM-3 Avenger)
 * Marine Escort Carrier Group 2 (MCVEG-2) on carrier USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107)
 * VMF-512 (Goodyear FG-1D Corsair)
 * VMTB-143 (Grumman TBM-3 Avenger)

United States Navy
 * Fleet Air Wing 17 (Palawan Island)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 128 (VPB-128) (Lockheed PV-1 Ventura)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 106 (VPB-106) (Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 111 (VPB-111) (Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer)
 * Navy Escort Carrier Group 40 (CVEG-40) on carrier USS Suwannee (CVE-27)
 * Fighter Squadron 40 (VF-40) (Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat)
 * Torpedo Squadron 40 (VT-40) (Grumman TBM-3 Avenger)

Naval forces
Rear Admiral Albert G. Noble, USN
 * Attack Group (Task Group 78.2)


 * Transports
 * 1 amphibious command ship: USS Wasatch
 * 1 Coast Guard cutter
 * 3 LSI: 🇦🇺 HMAS Manoora, 🇦🇺 HMAS Westralia, 🇦🇺 HMAS Kanimbla
 * 1 attack cargo: USS Titania (AKA-13)
 * 1 LSD: USS Carter Hall (LSD-3)
 * 5 APD: USS Newman (DE-205), USS Liddle (DE-206), USS Kephart (DE-207), USS Lloyd (DE-209), USS Diachenko (APD-123)
 * Landing craft: 1 LCF(F), 22 LSM, 35 LST, 16 LCI(L),19 LCT
 * 5 submarine chasers: 2 PC, 3 SC
 * Close Support
 * 10 LCS(L): Nos. 8, 27, 28, 29, 30, 41, 43, 44, 48, 50
 * 8 LCI(R): Nos. 31, 34, 73, 226, 230, 331, 337, 338
 * 6 LCI(G): Nos. 21, 22, 24, 61, 66, 67
 * 3 LCI(M)
 * Screen
 * 10 destroyers
 * 4 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Saufley (DD-465), USS Waller (DD-466), USS Philip (DD-498), USS Robinson (DD-562)
 * 4 Mahan-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Drayton (DD-366), USS Flusser (DD-368), USS Conyngham (DD-371), USS Smith (DD-378)
 * 2 Benson-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Bailey (DD-492), USS Frazier (DD-607)
 * 5 destroyer escorts
 * 4 John C. Butler-class (2 × 5-in. main battery): USS Leland E. Thomas (DE-420), USS Edwin A. Howard (DE-346), USS Jesse Rutherford (DE-347), USS Key (DE-348)
 * 1 Rudderow-class (2 × 5-in. main battery): USS Chaffee (DE-230)
 * 1 frigate: 🇦🇺 HMAS Gascoyne
 * Minesweeping Group
 * 1 high-speed transport: USS Cofer (DE-208)
 * 3 Admirable-class minesweepers: USS Sentry (AM-299), USS Scout (AM-296), USS Scuffle (AM-298)
 * 39 YMS
 * 1 LSM
 * Service, salvage and miscellaneous units
 * 3 tugs: USS Cable (ARS-19), ATR-61, USS Pinto (AT-90)
 * 4 oilers: USS Chepachet (AO-78), USS Sakatonchee (AOG-19), USS Gualala (AOG-28), Banshee
 * 1 cargo: USS Poinsett (AK-205)
 * 1 repair ship: USS Creon (ARL-11)


 * Covering Force (Task Force 74)
 * Covering Group 74.1
 * 1 heavy cruiser: 🇦🇺 HMAS Shropshire (from 27 June)
 * 1 light cruiser: 🇦🇺 HMAS Hobart (from 27 June)
 * 2 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Hart (DD-594), USS Metcalf (DD-595)
 * Covering Group 74.2
 * 5 light cruisers
 * 4 Cleveland-class (12 × 6-in. main battery): USS Montpelier (CL-57) (from 15 June), USS Denver (CL-58) (from 15 June), USS Columbia (CL-56) (from 23 June), USS Cleveland (CL-55) (30 June – 1? July)
 * 1 Tromp-class (6 × 5.9-in. main battery): 🇳🇱 HNLMS Tromp (from 19 June)
 * 7 destroyers
 * 6 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Stevens (DD-479), USS Conway (DD-507), USS Cony (DD-508), USS Eaton (DD-510), USS Killen (DD-593), USS Albert W. Grant (DD-649)
 * 1 Tribal-class (3 × 4.7-in. main battery): 🇦🇺 HMAS Arunta
 * Covering Group 74.3
 * 2 Brooklyn-class light cruisers (15 × 6-in. main battery): USS Phoenix (CL-46) (4–6 July), USS Nashville (CL-43) (4–6 July)
 * 4 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Charrette (DD-581), USS Conner (DD-582), USS Bell (DD-587), USS Burns (DD-588)
 * Destroyers: 4 from 15 June, 7 from 27 June.
 * 2 high speed transports: USS Schmitt (DE-676), USS Kline (APD-120) (from 23 June)
 * Escort Carrier Group (Task Group 78.4): (from 1 to 3 July)
 * 3 escort carriers
 * 1 Sangamon-class (25-32 aircraft): USS Suwannee (CVE-27)
 * 2 Commencement Bay-class (34 aircraft): USS Block Island (CVE-106), USS Gilbert Islands
 * 1 Bagley-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Helm (DD-388)
 * 5 destroyer escorts
 * 3 Evarts-class (3 × 3-in. main battery): USS Mitchell (DE-43), USS Donaldson (DE-44), USS Cloues (DE-265)
 * 2 Cannon-class (3 × 3-in. main battery): USS Lamons (DE-743), USS Kyne (DE-744)
 * 8 USN PT boats arrived with the tender USS Mobjack (AGP-7) on 27 June, and this force was expanded to two PT boat squadrons (10 and 27) on 6 July.

Japanese units

 * IJA Thirty-Seventh Army
 * 432nd, 454th, 455th, 553rd, 554th, 774th Independent Infantry Battalions
 * 20th, 22nd Independent Machine Gun Battalions
 * 64th Independent AA Gun Company
 * 307th, 332nd Independent Motorcar Company
 * 103rd Field Road Unit
 * 75th Construction Duty Unit
 * 147th Line-of-Communication Hospital
 * 37th Army MP
 * 4th Signal Unit
 * IJN 22nd Special Base Force
 * 2nd Guard Unit
 * 995th Air Unit
 * 103rd Air Unit
 * 6th Shinyo Unit
 * 2nd Harbor Duty Unit

Print

 * ‘Japanese Monograph Number 26: Borneo Operations. 1941–1945’ in War in Asia and the Pacific. Volume 6. The Southern Area (Part I).

Web

 * Australian Official Histories of World War II
 * Gavin Long (1963), The Final Campaigns. Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
 * G. Hermon Gill (1968), Royal Australian Navy 1942–45. Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
 * George Odgers (1968), Air War Against Japan, 1943–45. Australian War Memorial, Canberra.