Midway order of battle

This is the order of battle for the Battle of Midway, a major engagement of the Pacific Theatre of World War II, fought 4–7 June 1942 by naval and air forces of Imperial Japan and the United States in the waters around Midway Atoll in the far northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The Japanese had two purposes for the campaign: to occupy Midway for use as a base for long-range search planes (for which the Americans were already using it), and to draw the US Pacific Fleet out of its base at Pearl Harbor for a decisive showdown battle.

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet (comprising all combat vessels) and mastermind of the Pearl Harbor Attack, was tasked with drawing up the operational plan. The Japanese Naval General Staff, responsible for strategic planning, required him to include a diversionary move as part of his detailed battle plan; they told him to include a side operation that would result in the capture of two islands in the Aleutians chain, believing that the occupation of even a tiny portion of a US possession would be sufficient to draw out the bulk of the Pacific Fleet.

US Navy code-breaking, breathtaking Japanese overconfidence and the courage of American carrier fliers combined to create both a strategic and a tactical defeat for the Japanese: they failed to capture Midway and they suffered much greater losses in ships and planes than did the Americans (the loss of experienced naval pilots would prove to be particularly costly as the war dragged on). Midway put an end to Japanese expansion in the Pacific.

Because the Japanese assumed the tactical initiative, their forces are listed first.

Overview
Ships involved in the Midway operation Losses indicated by *, counts in parentheses

Japan
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Commander, Combined Fleet

The only significant combat, both offensive and defensive, was experienced by Nagumo's First Striking Force. Kurita's transports were bombed with limited success by B-17s of the US Army Air Corps, but the vast majority Japanese ships saw no action during the entire Midway campaign.

First Fleet Main Force
Admiral Yamamoto in Yamato
 * 1st Battleship Division
 * 1 Yamato-class battleship (9 × 18-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Yamato (Rear Adm. Gihachi Takayanagi)
 * 2 Nagato-class battleships (8 × 16-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Mutsu (Rear Adm. Gunji Kogure)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Nagato (Captain Hideo Yano)
 * Carrier Group:
 * CVL JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hōshō (Capt. Kaoru Umetani)
 * Air Unit: 8 Yokosuka B4Y1 'Jean' biplane torpedo bombers (Lieutenant Yoshiaki Irikiin)
 * 1 Minekaze-class destroyer (4 × 4.7-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūkaze (Lt. Cmdr. Shizuka Kajimoto)
 * Special Force
 * CVS JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chiyoda (Capt. Kaku Harada)
 * CVS JAPANESE SEAPLANE CARRIER Nisshin (Capt. Katsumi Komazawa)
 * Screening Force
 * 3rd Destroyer Squadron
 * Rear Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto in Sendai
 * 1 Sendai-class cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Sendai (Capt. Nobue Morishita)
 * 11th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kichiro Shoji)
 * 4 Fubuki-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Fubuki (Lt. Cmdr. Shizuo Yamashita)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shirayuki (Lt. Cmdr. Rokoro Sugawara)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsuyuki (Lt. Cmdr. Junnari Kamiura)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Murakumo (Lt. Cmdr. Hideo Higashi)
 * 19th Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe)
 * 4 Fubuki-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Isonami (Cmdr. Ryokichi Sugama)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Uranami (Lt. Cmdr. Tsutomu Hagio)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shikinami (Lt. Cmdr. Akifumi Kawahashi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Ayanami (Cmdr. Eiji Sakuma)
 * 1st Supply Group
 * Captain Shigeyasu Nishioka in Naruto
 * AO Naruto (Capt. Nishioka)
 * AO Toei Maru

First Carrier Striking Force / First Air Fleet
Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in Akagi
 * 1st Carrier Division
 * Vice Admiral Nagumo
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Akagi (scuttled 5 June) (Capt. Taijiro Aoki)
 * Air Unit (Commander Mitsuo Fuchida)
 * 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Shigeru Itaya)
 * 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Takehiko Chihaya)
 * 18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Shigeharu Murata)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kaga (sunk 4 June) (Capt. Jisaku Okada†)
 * Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kusumi†):
 * 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Masao Sato)
 * 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Shoichi Ogawa†)
 * 27 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Ichiro Kitajima)
 * 2nd Carrier Division
 * Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi† in Hiryū
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiryū (scuttled 5 June) (Capt. Tomeo Kaku†)
 * Air Unit (Lt. Joichi Tomonaga†)
 * 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Shigeru Mori†)
 * 18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Michio Kobayashi†)
 * 18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Rokuro Kikuchi†)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Sōryū (scuttled 4 June) (Capt. Ryusaku Yanagimoto†)
 * Air Unit (Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa)
 * 18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Masaji Suganami)
 * 16 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Masai Ikeda)
 * 18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Heijiro Abe)
 * 2 Yokosuka D4Y1 'Judy' dive bombers
 * Support Group
 * 8th Cruiser Division
 * Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe in Tone
 * 2 Tone-class cruiser heavy cruisers (8 × 7.9-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Tone (Capt. Tametsugu Okada)
 * Air Unit: 3 Aichi E13A1 Type 0 'Jake' float planes, 2 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Chikuma (Capt. Keizo Komura)
 * Air Unit: 3 Aichi E13A1 Type 0 'Jake' float planes, 2 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
 * 3rd Battleship Division, 2nd Section
 * Rear Admiral Tamotsu Takama in Haruna
 * 2 Kongo-class battleship fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Haruna (Rear Adm. Takama)
 * Air unit: 3 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Kirishima (Capt. Sanji Iwabuchi)
 * Air unit: 3 Nakajima E8N2 Type 95 'Dave' float planes
 * Screening Force
 * 10th Destroyer Squadron
 * Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura in Nagara
 * 1 Nagara-class cruiser light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Nagara (Capt. Toshio Naoi)
 * 4th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kōsaku Aruga)
 * 4 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Nowaki (Cmdr. Magataro Koga)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Arashi (Cmdr. Yusumasa Watanabe)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hagikaze (Cmdr. Juichi Iwagami)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Maikaze (Cmdr. Seiji Nakasugi)
 * 10th Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Abe)
 * 3 Yugumo-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Kazagumo (Cmdr. Masayoshi Yoshida)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūgumo (Cmdr. Shigeo Semba)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Makigumo (Cmdr. Isamu Fujita)
 * 17th Destroyer Division (Capt. Masayuki Kitamura)
 * 4 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Urakaze (Cmdr. Nagayoshi Shiraishi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Isokaze (Cmdr. Shunichi Toyoshima)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Tanikaze (Cmdr. Motoi Katsumi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hamakaze (Cmdr. Tsuneo Orita)
 * Supply Group 1
 * Captain Masanao Ota in Kyokuto Maru
 * 1 Kagero-class destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Akigumo (Cmdr. Shohei Soma)
 * AO Kyokuto Maru (Capt. Ota)
 * AO Shinkoku Maru (Capt. Tokugyo Ito)
 * AO JAPANESE OILER Tōhō Maru (Capt. Kazutaka Niimi)
 * AO Nippon Maru (Capt. Hironosuke Ueda)
 * AO Kokuyo Maru (Capt. Toraji Hidai)

Second Fleet Main Body
Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō in Atago
 * 3rd Battleship Division less 2nd Section
 * Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
 * 2 Kongo-class battleship fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Kongō (Capt. Tomiji Koyanagi)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Hiei (Capt. Masao Nishida)
 * 4th Cruiser Division less 2nd Section
 * Vice Admiral Kondo
 * 2 Takao-class cruiser heavy cruisers (10 × 7.9-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Atago (Capt. Baron Matsuji Ijuin)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Chōkai (Capt. Mikio Hayakawa)
 * 5th Cruiser Division
 * Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi
 * 2 Myōkō-class cruiser heavy cruisers (10 × 7.9-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Myōkō (Capt. Teruhiko Miyoshi)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Haguro (Capt. Tomokazu Mori)
 * Screening Force
 * 4th Destroyer Squadron
 * Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura in Yura
 * 1 Nagara-class cruiser light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Yura (Capt. Shiro Sato)
 * 3rd Destroyer Division (Capt. Ranji Oe)
 * 4 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Murasame (Lt. Cmdr. Naoji Suenaga)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Samidare (Cmdr. Takisaburo Matsubara)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Harusame (Lt. Cmdr. Masao Kamiyama)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūdachi (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamiyama)
 * 9th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuo Sato)
 * 3 Asashio-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Asagumo (Cmdr. Toru Iwahashi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Minegumo (Lt. Cmdr. Yasuatsu Suzuki)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Natsugumo (Lt. Cmdr. Moritaro Tsukamoto)
 * Carrier Group
 * Captain Sueo Obayashi
 * CVL JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuihō (Capt. Obayashi)
 * 12 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Saneyasu Hidaka)
 * 12 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Kaji Matsuo)
 * 1 Mutsuki-class destroyer (4 × 4.7-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Mikazuki (Lt. Cmdr. Saneho Maeda)
 * Supply Group
 * Captain Jiro Murao in Sata
 * AO Sata (Capt. Murao)
 * AO Tsurumi (Capt. Toshizo Fujita)
 * AO Genyo Maru (Capt. Shigetaro Ogawa)
 * AO Kenyo Maru (Capt. Yoshio Kanemasu)
 * AR Akashi (Capt. Tsunekichi Fukuzawa)

Midway Occupation Force
Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka in Jintsu
 * Transport Group carrying about 5000 troops under Captain Minoru Ōta, IJN and Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki, IJA
 * Transports
 * Kiyosumi Maru (Capt. Seiichiro Kito)
 * Keiyo Maru (Capt. Masamichi Ikeuchi)
 * Zenyo Maru
 * Goshu Maru (Capt. Hiyoshi Furuya)
 * Toa Maru No. 2 Go
 * Kano Maru (Capt. Tomosaburo Miura)
 * Argentina Maru (Cmdr. Takeshi Watanabe)
 * Hokuroku Maru (Capt. Hiotaro Tsukagoshi)
 * Brazil Maru (Capt. Kyujiro Jintsu)
 * Kirishima Maru (Capt. Hiroshi Okubo)
 * Azuma Maru (Capt. Nobuyoshi Morikawa)
 * Nankai Maru (Capt. Akira Maki)
 * Patrol Boats
 * Patrol Boat #1
 * Patrol Boat #2
 * Patrol Boat #34 also carrying SNLF detachment
 * AO Akebono Maru (damaged by torpedo night of June 3–4) (Capt. Miki Otsuka)
 * Escort Force
 * Rear Admiral Tanaka
 * 1 Sendai-class cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
 * CL JAPANESE CRUISER Jintsu (Capt. Torazo Kozai)
 * 15th Destroyer Division (Capt. Torajiro Sato)
 * 2 Kagero-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Kuroshio (Cmdr. Tamaki Ugaki)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Oyashio (Cmdr. Tokiyoshi Arima)
 * 16th Destroyer Division (Capt. Shiro Shibuya)
 * 4 Kagero-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yukikaze (Cmdr. Kenjiro Tobita)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Amatsukaze (Cmdr. Tameichi Hara)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Tokitsukaze (Cmdr. Giichiro Nakahara)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsukaze (Cmdr. Kameshiro Takahashi)
 * 18th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yoshito Miyasaka)
 * 2 Kagero-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shiranui (Cmdr. Shizuo Akazawa)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Kagerō (Cmdr. Minoru Yokoi)
 * 2 Asashio-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Kasumi (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Tomura)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Arare (Cmdr. Tomoe Ogata)
 * Seaplane Tender Group
 * Rear Admiral Ruitaro Fujita in Chitose
 * 11th Seaplane Tender Division
 * CVS JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chitose (Capt. Tamotsu Furukawa)
 * 16 Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters
 * 4 Aichi E13A 'Jake' scout floatplanes
 * AV JAPANESE SEAPLANE TENDER Kamikawa Maru (Capt. Tarohachi Shinoda)
 * 8 Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighters
 * 4 Aichi E13A 'Jake' scout floatplanes
 * 1 Kagero-class destroyer
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hayashio (Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kaneda)
 * Patrol Boat #35 (carrying troops)

Midway Support Force
Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita in Kumano
 * 7th Cruiser Division (Vice Adm. Kurita)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Kumano (Capt. Kikumatsu Tanaka)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Suzuya (Capt. Masatomi Kimura)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Mikuma (scuttled x June) (Capt. Shakao Sakiyama†)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Mogami (Capt. Akira Soji)
 * 8th Destroyer Division (Cmdr. Nobuki Ogawa)
 * 2 Asashio-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Asashio (Lt. Cmdr. Goro Yoshii)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Arashio (Cmdr. Hideo Kuboki)
 * Attached Oiler
 * AO Nichiei Maru (Capt. Matsushi Yamamoto)
 * Minesweeper Group
 * Captain Sadatomo Miyamoto
 * 4 auxiliary minesweepers
 * Tama Maru #3 (Lt. (j.g.) Atsutoshi Yamaguchi)
 * Tama Maru #5 (Lt. Akira Takato)
 * Showa Maru #7 (Lt. Teruhisa Takahashi)
 * Showa Maru #8 (Lt. (j.g.) Kiichi Sasaki)
 * 3 subchasers
 * Subchaser #16 (Lt. Yasukichi Suzuki)
 * Subchaser #17 (Lt. Shigematsu Yoshioka)
 * Subchaser #18 (Lt. Mitsugu Miyoi)
 * 1 supply ship
 * Soya (Cmdr. Toshi Kubota)
 * 2 cargo ships
 * Meiyo Maru (Capt. Hisao Koizumi)
 * Yamafuku Maru (Capt. Torao Honda)

Advance (Submarine) Force (Sixth Fleet)
Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu in JAPANESE CRUISER Katori at Kwajalein
 * 1 Katori-class cruiser (4 × 5.5-in. main battery)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Katori (Capt. Noboru Owada)
 * 3rd Submarine Squadron
 * Rear Admiral Chimaki Kona in Rio de Janeiro Maru at Kwajalein
 * 19th Submarine Division (Capt. Ryojiro Ono)
 * JSUB I-156 (Lt. Cmdr. Katsuo Ohashi)
 * JSUB I-157 (Lt. Cmdr. Sakae Nakajima)
 * JSUB I-158 (Lt. Cmdr. Soshichi Kitamura)
 * JSUB I-159 (Lt. Cmdr. Tamori Yoshimatsu)
 * 13th Submarine Division (Capt. Takeji Miyazaki)
 * JSUB I-121 (Lt. Cmdr. Yasuo Fujimori)
 * JSUB I-122 (Lt. Cmdr. Sadatoshi Norita)
 * JSUB I-123 (Lt. Cmdr. Toshitake Ueno)
 * 30th Submarine Division (Capt. Maseo Teraoka)
 * JSUB I-162 (Lt. Cmdr. Takakazu Kinashi)
 * JSUB I-165 (Lt. Cmdr. Hakue Jarada)
 * JSUB I-166 (Lt. Cmdr. Makio Tanaka)

Shore-based Air Force
Eleventh Air Fleet Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara at Tinian
 * Midway Expeditionary Force (Capt. Chisato Morita)
 * 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters (Lt. Tadashi Kaneko)
 * 10 Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty' level bombers at Wake Island
 * 6 flying boats at Jaluit
 * 24th Air Flotilla (Rear Adm. Minoru Maeda)
 * Chitose Air Group at Kwajalein (Capt. Fujiro Ohashi)
 * 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters
 * 36 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers
 * 1st Air Group at Aur and Wotje (Capt. Samaji Inoue)
 * 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters
 * 36 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers
 * 14th Air Group (Capt. Daizo Nakajima)
 * 36 Kawanishi H6K 'Mavis' flying boats at Jaluit and Wotje

Fifth Fleet Main Body
Vice Admiral Boshirō Hosogaya in Nachi


 * 1 Myoko-class cruiser heavy cruiser
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Nachi (Capt. Takahiko Kiyota)
 * 2 Akatsuki-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Inazuma (Lt. Cmdr. Hajime Takeuchi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Ikazuchi (Lt. Cmdr. Shunsaku Kudo)
 * Supply Group:
 * AO Fujisan Maru (Capt. Kikuta Maki)
 * AO Nissan Maru (Capt. Hachiro Naotsuka)
 * AC Muroto (Capt. Masaji Yamagata)
 * AP Akashisan Maru (Capt. Yoshio Hosoya)
 * AF Tōkō Maru No. 2 Go

Second Carrier Striking Force
 Rear Admiral Kakuji Kakuta in Ryujo
 * 4th Carrier Division (Rear Adm. Kakuta)
 * CVL JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ryūjō (Capt. Tadeo Kato)
 * Air Unit (Lt. Masayuki Yamagami)
 * 16 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Minoru Kobayashi)
 * 21 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers (Lt. Yamagami)
 * CV JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Jun'yō (Capt. Shizue Isii)
 * Air Unit (Lt. Yoshio Shiga)
 * 24 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Type 21 'Zeke' fighters (Lt. Shiga)
 * 15 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers (Lt. Zenji Abe)
 * 4th Cruiser Division, 2nd Section (Capt. Shunsaku Nabeshima in Maya)
 * 2 Takao-class cruiser heavy cruisers
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Takao (Capt. Bunji Asakura)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Maya (Capt. Nabeshima)
 * 7th Destroyer Division (Capt. Kaname Konishi)
 * 3 Fubuki-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Akebono (Lt. Cmdr. Minoru Nakagawa)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Ushio (Lt. Cmdr. Yoshitake Uesugi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Sazanami (Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Uwai)
 * AO Teiyo Maru (Capt. Katasuke Tanaka)

Aleutian Support Force
Vice Admiral Shiro Takasu in Hyūga
 * 2nd Battleship Division (Vice Adm. Takasu)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Fusō (Capt. Chozaemon Obata)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Hyūga (Capt. Chiaki Matsuda)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Ise (Capt. Isamu Takeda)
 * JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Yamashiro (Capt. Gunji Kogure)
 * Screening Force (Rear Adm. Fukuji Kishi] in Kitakami)
 * 9th Cruiser Division (Rear Adm. Kishi)
 * CL JAPANESE CRUISER Kitakami (Capt. Saiji Norimitsu)
 * CL JAPANESE CRUISER Ōi (Capt. Moichi Narita)
 * 20th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yuji Yamada)
 * 4 Fubuki-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Asagiri (Lt. Cmdr. Nisaburo Maekawa)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūgiri (Cmdr. Masayoshi Motokura)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shirakumo (Cmdr. Toyoji Hitomi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Amagiri (Capt. Buichi Ashida)
 * 24th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yasuji Hirai)
 * 4 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Umikaze (Cmdr. Nagahide Sugitani)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yamakaze (Lt. Cmdr. Shuichi Hamanaka)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Kawakaze (Lt. Cmdr. Kazuo Wakabayashi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Suzukaze (Lt. Cmdr. Kazuo Shibayama)
 * 27th Destroyer Division (Capt. Matake Yoshimura)
 * 2 Hatsuharu-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Ariake (Lt. Cmdr. Shoichi Yoshida)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūgure (Lt. Cmdr. Kiyoshi Kamo)
 * 2 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shigure (Cmdr. Noboru Seo)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shiratsuyu (Lt. Cmdr. Kanematsu Hashimoto)
 * Supply Group (Capt. Matsuo Eguchi)
 * AO San Clemente Maru (Capt. Eguchi)
 * AO Toa Maru (Capt. Yataro Yokohama)

Attu Invasion Force
Rear Admiral Sentarō Ōmori in Abukuma
 * CL JAPANESE CRUISER Abukuma (Capt. Seiroku Murayama)
 * 21st Destroyer Division (Capt. Toshio Shimizu)
 * 4 Hatsuharu-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Wakaba (Lt. Cmdr. Masakichi Kuroki)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Nenohi (Lt. Cmdr. Saburo Terauchi)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsuharu (Lt. Cmdr. Hiroshi Makino)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsushimo (Lt. Cmdr. Satoru Kohama)
 * ML Magane Maru (Capt. Heiji Sasaki)
 * AP Kinugasa Maru (Capt. Naoshi Arima) carrying 1,200 army troops under Major Matsutoshi Hozumi

Kiska Invasion Force
Captain Takeji Ono in Kiso
 * 21st Cruiser Division (Capt. Ono)
 * 2 Kuma-class cruisers
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Kiso (Capt. Ono)
 * JAPANESE CRUISER Tama (Capt. Masaharu Kawabata)
 * 2 auxiliary cruisers
 * Asaka Maru (Capt. Jiro Ban)
 * Awata Maru (Capt. Kikuta Maki)
 * Screening Force
 * 6th Destroyer Division (Capt. Yusuke Tamada)
 * 2 Akatsuki-class destroyers
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hibiki (Lt. Cmdr. Hagumu Ishii)
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Akatsuki (Lt. Cmdr. Osamu Takasuka)
 * 1 Minekaze-class destroyer
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Hakaze (Lt. Cmdr. Tomo Tanaka)
 * 13th Minesweeper Division (Capt. Toshio Mitsuka)
 * Hakuhō Maru
 * Kaihō Maru
 * Shunkotsu Maru
 * Transports
 * Hakusan Maru (Capt. Hareyoshi Goto) carrying 550 troops under Lt. Cmdr. Hifumi Mukai
 * Kumagawa Maru (Capt. Shiro Yoshida) carrying 700 labor troops with construction equipment


 * Submarine Detachment
 * 1st Submarine Squadron (Rear Adm. Shigeaki Yamakazi)
 * JSUB I-9 (Cmdr. Akiyoshi Fujii)
 * 2nd Submarine Division (Capt. Hiroshi Imazato)
 * JSUB I-15 (Cmdr. Nobuo Ishikawa)
 * JSUB I-17 (Cmdr. Kozo Nishino)
 * JSUB I-19 (Cmdr. Shogo Narahara)
 * 4th Submarine Division (Capt. Mitsuru Nagai)
 * JSUB I-25 (Cmdr. Akiji Tagami)
 * JSUB I-26 (Cmdr. Minoru Yokota)
 * Aleutian Seaplane Tender Force (Capt. Keiichi Ujuku)
 * AV Kimikawa Maru (Capt. Ujuku)
 * Air Unit: 8 3-seat floatplanes
 * 1 Minekaze-class destroyer
 * JAPANESE DESTROYER Shiokaze (Lt. Yoji Tanegashima)

United States
The US Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas were under the overall command of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

Task Force 17
Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in Yorktown
 * Task Group 17.5 (Carrier Group)
 * USS Yorktown (CV-5) (sunk by I-168 7 June) (Captain Elliott Buckmaster)
 * Yorktown Air Group (Lieutenant Commander Oscar Pederson)
 * 25 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters (VF-3 – Lt. Cmdr. John S. Thach)
 * 18 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers (VB-3 – Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell F. Leslie)
 * 19 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers (VS-5 – Lt. Wallace C. Short, Jr.)
 * 13 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers (VT-3 – Lt. Cmdr. Lance E. Massey†)
 * Task Group 17.2 (Cruiser Group)
 * Rear Admiral William W. Smith in Astoria
 * 1 New Orleans-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS Astoria (CA-34) (Capt. Francis W. Scanland)
 * 1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS Portland (CA-33) (Capt. Laurance T. DuBose)
 * Task Group 17.4 (Destroyer Screen)
 * Captain Gilbert Hoover, COMDESRON 2
 * 5 Sims-class destroyers (4 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Hammann (DD-412) (sunk by I-168 7 June) (Commander Arnold E. True)
 * USS Anderson (DD-411) (Lt. Cmdr. William M. Hobby, Jr.)
 * USS Hughes (DD-410) (Lt. Cmdr. Donald J. Ramsey)
 * USS Morris (DD-417) (Cmdr. Harry B. Jarrett)
 * USS Russell (DD-414) (Lt. Cmdr. J. C. Pollock)
 * 1 Gleaves-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Gwin (DD-433) (Lt. Cmdr. John M. Higgins)

Task Force 16


Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in Enterprise
 * Task Group 16.5 (Carrier Group):
 * USS Enterprise (CV-6) (Capt. George D. Murray)
 * Enterprise Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. C. Wade McClusky)
 * 27 F4F-4 fighters (VF-6 – Lt. James S. Gray)
 * 19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers (VB-6 – Lt. Richard H. Best)
 * 19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers (VS-6 – Lt. Wilmer E. Gallaher)
 * 14 TBD-1 torpedo bombers (VT-6 – Lt. Cmdr. Eugene E. Lindsey†)
 * USS Hornet (CV-8) (Capt. Marc A. Mitscher, promoted to Rear Adm en route)
 * Hornet Air Group (Cmdr. Stanhope C. Ring)
 * 27 F4F-4 fighters (VF-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Samuel G. Mitchell)
 * 19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers (VB-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Robert R. Johnson)
 * 18 SBD-1/2/3 dive bombers (VS-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Walter F. Rodee)
 * 15 TBD-1 torpedo bombers (VT-8 – Lt. Cmdr. John C. Waldron†)


 * Task Group 16.2 (Cruiser Group)
 * Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, COMCRUDIV 6
 * 1 Pensacola-class heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS Pensacola (CA-24) (Capt. Frank L. Lowe)
 * 1 Northampton-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS Northampton (CA-26) (Capt. William D. Chandler Jr.)
 * 3 New Orleans-class heavy cruisers (9 × 8-in. main battery)
 * USS New Orleans (CA-32) (Capt. Howard H. Good)
 * USS Minneapolis (CA-36) (Capt. Frank J. Lowry)
 * USS Vincennes (CA-44) (Capt. Frederick L. Riefkohl)
 * 1 anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Atlanta (CL-51) (Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)


 * Task Group 16.4 (Destroyer Screen)
 * Captain Alexander R. Early, COMDESRON 1
 * Destroyer Squadron 1
 * 1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Phelps (DD-360) (Lt. Cmdr. Edward L. Beck)
 * 3 Farragut-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Worden (DD-352) (Lt. Cmdr. William G. Pogue)
 * USS Monaghan (DD-354) (Lt. Cmdr. William P. Burford)
 * USS Aylwin (DD-355) (Lt. Cmdr. George R. Phelan)
 * Destroyer Squadron 6
 * 1 Gridley-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Maury (DD-401) (Lt. Cmdr. Gelzer L. Sims)
 * 2 Benham-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Benham (DD-397) (Lt. Cmdr. Joseph M. Worthington)
 * USS Ellet (DD-398) (Lt. Cmdr. Francis H. Gardner)
 * 1 Mahan-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Conyngham (DD-371) (Lt. Cmdr. Henry C. Daniel)
 * 1 Porter-class destroyer (8 × 5-in. main battery)
 * USS Balch (DD-363) (Lt. Cmdr. Harold H. Thiemroth)


 * Oilers Group
 * AO USS Cimarron (AO-22) (Cmdr. Russell H. Ihrig)
 * AO USS Platte (AO-24) (Capt. Ralph H. Henkle)
 * DD USS Dewey (DD-349) (Lt. Cmdr. C.F. Chillingworth, Jr.)
 * DD USS Monssen (DD-436) (Cmdr. Roland N. Smoot)

Submarines
Rear Admiral Robert H. English Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, HQ at Pearl Harbor


 * Task Group 7.1 (Midway Patrol Group)
 * 3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
 * USS Gato (SS-212) (Lt. Cmdr. W.G. Myers)
 * USS Grouper (SS-214) (Lt. Cmdr. C.E. Duke)
 * USS Flying Fish (SS-229) (Lt. Cmdr. Glynn R. Donaho)
 * 5 Tambor-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
 * USS Tambor (SS-198) (Lt. Cmdr. J.W. Murphy)
 * USS Trout (SS-202) (Lt. Cmdr. F.W. Fenno)
 * USS Grayling (SS-209) (Lt. Cmdr. E. Olsen)
 * USS Grenadier (SS-210) (Lt. Cmdr. Willis A. Lent)
 * USS Gudgeon (SS-211) (Lt. Cmdr. H.B. Lyon)
 * 4 Narhwhal-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
 * USS Nautilus (SS-168) (Lt. Cmdr. William H. Brockman Jr.)
 * USS Dolphin (SS-169) (Lt. Cmdr. R.L. Rutter)
 * USS Cachalot (SS-170) (Lt. Cmdr. G.A. Lewis)
 * USS Cuttlefish (SS-171) (Lt. Cmdr. Martin P. Hottel)


 * Task Group 7.2 ("Roving Short-Stops")
 * 1 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
 * USS Trigger (SS-237) (Lt. Cmdr. J.H. Lewis)
 * 1 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
 * USS Plunger (SS-179) (Lt. Cmdr. D.C. White)
 * 1 Narhwhal-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
 * USS Narwhal (SS-167) (Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Wilkins)


 * Task Group 7.3 (North of Oahu Patrol)
 * 2 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft):
 * USS Growler (SS-215) (Lt. Cmdr. Howard W. Gilmore)
 * USS Finback (SS-230) (Lt. Cmdr. J.L. Hull)
 * 2 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft):
 * USS Pike (SS-173) (Lt. Cmdr. W.A. New)
 * USS Tarpon (SS-175) (Lt. Cmdr. Lewis Wallace)

Midway Garrison

 * Air group
 * Marine Aircraft Group 22
 * Colonel Ira L. Kimes, USMC
 * 21 Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo (VMF-221, Major Floyd B. Parks†, USMC)
 * 7 Grumman F4F-3A Wildcat (VMF-221, Captain John F. Carey, USMC)
 * 19 Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless (VMSB-241 Major Lofton R. Henderson†, USMC)
 * 17 Chance-Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator (VMSB-241, Major Benjamin W. Norris†, USMC)
 * Navy Air Units
 * Captain Cyril T. Simard
 * 31 PBY-5 and PBY-5A Catalinas (Detachments from Patrol Wings 1 and 2, USN)
 * 6 Grumman TBF Avenger (Detachment from VT-8, USS Hornet - Lt. Langdon K. Fieberling†, USN)
 * Detachment of Seventh Air Force
 * Major General Willis Hale
 * 4 Martin B-26 Marauder (Detachments from the 18th Reconnaissance and 69th Bombardment Squadrons - Capt. James Collins, USAAF)
 * 17 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Detachments from the 26th, 31st, 72nd, and 431st Bombardment Squadrons - Lt.Col. Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., USAAF)


 * 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
 * 11 PT boats (9 at Midway Island and 2 at Kure Atoll)

Deployed along lesser reefs and islands of the Hawaiian Group

 * French Frigate Shoals
 * seaplane tenders USS Thornton (DD-270) and USS Ballard (AVD-10)
 * gasoline tanker USS Kaloli (AOG-13)
 * destroyer USS Clark (DD-361)
 * Pearl and Hermes Reef
 * patrol boat USS Crystal (PY-25)
 * fleet tug USS Vireo (AM-52)


 * Lisianski Island
 * patrol boat YP-284


 * Gardner Pinnacles
 * patrol boat YP-345


 * Laysan Island
 * patrol boat YP-290


 * Necker Island
 * patrol boat YP-350

Midway Refueling Unit

 * Cmdr. Harry R. Thurber, USN
 * AO USS Guadalupe (AO-32)
 * DD USS Blue (DD-387) and USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390)

The military forces at the immediate point of tactical contact (i.e. not including support formations) are described below.

American Forces
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
 * 19 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:

USS Yorktown (CV-5): 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:

USS Enterprise (CV-6): 78 aircraft
 * 27 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, fighters
 * 37 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, dive bombers
 * 14 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, torpedo bombers (10 lost)

USS Hornet (CV-8): 77 aircraft
 * 27 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, fighters
 * 35 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, dive bombers
 * 15 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, torpedo bombers (all lost)

Japanese Forces
The Japanese carriers of the Striking Force operated:

JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Akagi: 60 aircraft (sunk) JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kaga: 74 aircraft (sunk) JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiryū: 57 aircraft (sunk) JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Sōryū: 57 aircraft (sunk)
 * 24 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
 * 18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
 * 18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers
 * 27 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
 * 18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
 * 27 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers
 * 2 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers (as cargo, likely non-operational)
 * 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
 * 18 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
 * 18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" torpedo bombers
 * 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero, fighters
 * 16 Aichi D3A,"Val" dive bombers
 * 18 Nakajima B5N,"Kate" 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)