Philippine Sea order of battle

The Battle of the Philippine Sea was fought 19–20 June 1944 in the waters west of the Mariana Islands by elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet and of the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet. The battle resulted from the Japanese reaction to the American invasion of the island of Saipan. Instead of attacking the troop transports off Saipan, Admiral Toyoda chose to engage the American carrier forces in what he intended to be the long-awaited “decisive battle” that would crush U.S. naval power.

The outcome was a disaster for the Japanese Navy. The battle exacted a terrible toll from the Japanese naval air arm, costing them most of their few remaining experienced pilots. The Combined Fleet was no longer capable of serious offensive operations after this engagement. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison characterized it this way:

''This was the greatest carrier battle of the war. The forces engaged were three to four times those in preceding actions like Midway, and victory was so complete that the Japanese could never again engage on such a scale. ... above all the skill, initiative, and intrepid courage of the young aviators made this day one of the high points in the history of the American spirit.''

Since the Japanese assumed the tactical offensive, their forces are listed first.

Forces deployed
Losses in parentheses

Japanese order of battle
Mobile Fleet Vice Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa in Taihō

"A" Force
Sortied 13 June from Tawi Tawi anchorage off NE Borneo Vice Admiral Ozawa
 * Carrier Division 1 (Vice Adm. Ozawa)
 * 3 fleet carriers
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Taihō (sunk by submarine 19 June)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku (sunk by submarine 19 June)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuikaku
 * Air Unit
 * 79 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters
 * 70 Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bombers
 * 7 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers
 * 51 Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers
 * Cruiser Division 5 (Rear Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto)
 * 2 heavy cruisers: JAPANESE CRUISER Myōkō, JAPANESE CRUISER Haguro
 * Screen (Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura in Yahagi)
 * 1 light cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Yahagi
 * 9 destroyers
 * 1 Asashio-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Asagumo
 * 3 Kagerō-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Isokaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Tanikaze (sunk by submarine 9 June), JAPANESE DESTROYER Urakaze
 * 4 Akizuki-class (8 × 3.9 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Akizuki, JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsuzuki, JAPANESE DESTROYER Wakatsuki, JAPANESE DESTROYER Shimotsuki
 * 1 Mutsuki-class (4 × 4.7 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Minazuki (sunk by submarine 6 June)

"B" Force
Sortied 13 June from Tawi Tawi anchorage off NE Borneo Vice Admiral Kakuji Kakuta in Jun'yo
 * Carrier Division 2 (Vice Admiral Kakuta)
 * 2 converted carriers
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Jun'yō
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiyō (sunk by air attack 19 June)
 * 1 light carrier
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ryūhō
 * Air Unit
 * 81 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters
 * 27 Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bombers
 * 9 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers
 * 18 Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers
 * 1 old battleship: JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Nagato
 * 1 heavy cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Mogami
 * Screen
 * 10 destroyers
 * 2 Asashio-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Michishio, JAPANESE DESTROYER Yamagumo
 * 2 Kagerō-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Nowaki, JAPANESE DESTROYER Hamakaze
 * 2 Yūgumo-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Hayashimo, JAPANESE DESTROYER Akishimo
 * 4 Shiratsuyu-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Shiratsuyu (sunk following collision with Seiyo Maru 14 June), JAPANESE DESTROYER Shigure, JAPANESE DESTROYER Samidare, JAPANESE DESTROYER Harusame (sunk by air attack 8 June)

Van Force
Sortied 12 June from Batjan anchorage off SW Halmahera Island Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita in heavy cruiser Atago
 * Carrier Division 3 (Rear Adm. Sueo Obayashi)
 * 3 light carriers
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chitose
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chiyoda
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuihō
 * Air Unit
 * 62 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters
 * 17 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers
 * 9 Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers
 * Battleship Division 1 (Vice Adm. Matome Ugaki)
 * 2 super battleships: JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Yamato, JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Musashi
 * Battleship Division 3 (Vice Adm. Yoshio Suzuki)
 * 2 old battleships: JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Kongō, JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Haruna
 * Cruiser Division 4 (Vice Adm. Kurita)
 * 4 heavy cruisers: JAPANESE CRUISER Atago, JAPANESE CRUISER Chōkai, JAPANESE CRUISER Maya, JAPANESE CRUISER Takao
 * Cruiser Division 7(Vice Adm.Kazutaka Shiraishi)
 * 4 heavy cruisers: JAPANESE CRUISER Kumano, JAPANESE CRUISER Suzuya, JAPANESE CRUISER Chikuma, JAPANESE CRUISER Tone
 * Screen (Rear Adm.l Mikio Hayakawa in Noshiro)
 * 1 light cruiser: JAPANESE CRUISER Noshiro
 * 1 super destroyer (41 knots, 15 torpedo tubes): JAPANESE DESTROYER Shimakaze
 * 8 destroyers:
 * 7 Yūgumo-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Kishinami, JAPANESE DESTROYER Okinami, JAPANESE DESTROYER Naganami, JAPANESE DESTROYER Asashimo, JAPANESE DESTROYER Tamanami, JAPANESE DESTROYER Hayanami (sunk by submarine 7 June), JAPANESE DESTROYER Fujinami

Supply Forces
Sortied with Ozawa's carrier forces 13 June from Tawi Tawi anchorage off NE Borneo
 * 1st Supply Force
 * 4 oilers
 * Hayasui, Nichiei Maru, Kokuyo Maru, Seiyo Maru (sunk 20 June)
 * 4 destroyers
 * 1 Fubuki-class destroyer (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Hibiki
 * 1 Hatsuharu-class destroyer (5 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsushimo
 * 1 Kamikaze-class destroyer (4 × 4.7 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Yūnagi
 * 1 Momi-class destroyer (3 × 4.7 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Tsuga
 * 2nd Supply Force
 * 2 oilers
 * Genyo Maru (sunk 20 June), Azusa Maru
 * 2 destroyers
 * 1 Kagerō-class (6 × 5 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Yukikaze
 * 1 Mutsuki-class (4 × 4.7 in. main battery): JAPANESE DESTROYER Uzuki

Submarine Forces
Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi at Saipan
 * 7 1st-class submarines
 * JSUB I-5 (sunk by depth charges 19 July), JSUB I-10 (sunk by depth charges 4 July), JSUB I-38, JSUB I-41, JSUB I-53 (1942), JSUB I-184 (sunk by aircraft 19 June), JSUB I-185 (sunk by depth charges 22 June)
 * Deployed in two parallel rows SW to NE north of the Admiralties and Bismarcks
 * 17 2nd-class submarines
 * JSUB Ro-36 (sunk by depth charges 13 June), JSUB Ro-41, JSUB Ro-42 (sunk by depth charges 10 June), JSUB Ro-43, JSUB Ro-44 (sunk by depth charges 16 June), JSUB Ro-47, JSUB Ro-68, JSUB Ro-104 (sunk by depth charges 23 May), JSUB Ro-105 (sunk by depth charges 31 May), JSUB Ro-106 (sunk by depth charges 22 May), JSUB Ro-108 (sunk by depth charges 26 May), JSUB Ro-112, JSUB Ro-113, JSUB Ro-114 (sunk by depth charges 17 June), JSUB Ro-115, JSUB Ro-116 (sunk by depth charges 23 May), JSUB Ro-117 (sunk by depth charges 17 June)

American order of battle
US Fifth Fleet Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35)

Task Force 58 – Fast Carrier Forces Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher in fleet carrier USS Lexington (CV-16)

Task Group 58.1



 * Carrier Division 13
 * Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark
 * 2 fleet carriers
 * USS Hornet (CV-12) (Capt. William D. Sample)
 * Air Group 2 (Cmdr. Jackson D. Arnold)
 * 36 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. W.A. Dean)
 * 33 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. G.B. Campbell)
 * 18 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. L.M.D. Ford)
 * 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. R.L. Reiserer)
 * USS Yorktown (CV-10) (Capt. Ralph E. Jennings)
 * Air Group 1 (Cmdr. J.M. Peters)
 * 41 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. B.M. Strean)
 * 40 SB2C Helldiver,4 SBD-5 Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.W. Runyan, USNR)
 * 17 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. W.F. Henry)
 * 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. A.C. Benjes)
 * 2 light carriers
 * USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) (Capt. John Perry)
 * Air Group 24 (Cmdr. E.M. Link)
 * 26 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Link)
 * 9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. R.M. Swensson)
 * USS Bataan (CVL-29) (Capt. Valentine H. Schaeffer)
 * Air Group 50 (Lt. Cmdr. J.C. Strange, USNR)
 * 24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Strange)
 * 9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. L.V. Swanson)
 * Cruiser Division 10 (Rear Admiral Leo H. Thebaud)
 * 3 heavy cruisers
 * USS Baltimore (CA-68) (Capt. W.C. Calhoun)
 * USS Boston (CA-69) (Capt. E.E. Herrmann)
 * USS Canberra (CA-70) (Capt. A.R. Early)
 * Screen
 * 2 anti-aircraft light cruisers (Rear Admiral Thebaud)
 * USS San Juan (CL-54) (Capt. Guy W. Clark)
 * USS Oakland (CL-95) (Capt. William K. Phillips)
 * 14 destroyers (Capt. Clark)
 * 9 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Bell (DD-587), USS Boyd (DD-544), USS Bradford (DD-545), USS Brown (DD-546), USS Burns (DD-588), USS Charrette (DD-581), USS Conner (DD-582), USS Cowell (DD-547), USS Izard (DD-589)
 * 4 Gridley-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): USS Craven (DD-382), USS Gridley (DD-380), USS Maury (DD-401), USS McCall (DD-400)
 * 1 Bagley-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): USS Helm (DD-388)

Task Group 58.2

 * Carrier Division 3
 * Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery
 * 2 fleet carriers
 * USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) (Capt. T.P. Jeter)
 * Air Group 8 (Cmdr. R.L. Shifley)
 * 37 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. W.M. Collins)
 * 33 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.D. Arbes)
 * 18 TBF Avenger, torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. K.F. Musick)
 * 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. Cmdr. E.P. Aurand)
 * USS Wasp (CV-18) (Capt. Clifton Sprague)
 * Air Group 14 (Cmdr. W.C. Wingard)
 * 34 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. E.W. Biros, USNR)
 * 32 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.D. Blitch)
 * 18 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. H.S. Roberts, USNR)
 * 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. J.H. Boyum)
 * 2 light carriers
 * USS Cabot (CVL-28) (Capt. S.J. Michael)
 * Air Group 31 (Lt. Cmdr. R.A. Winston)
 * 24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Winston)
 * 9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. E.E. Wood, USNR)
 * USS Monterey (CVL-26) (Capt. Stuart H. Ingersoll)
 * Air Group 28 (Lt. Cmdr. R.W. Mehle, USNR)
 * 21 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Mehle)
 * 8 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. R.P. Gift, USNR)
 * 1 heavy cruiser
 * USS Minneapolis (CA-36) (Capt. Harry Slocum)
 * Cruiser Division 13 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose)
 * 3 light cruisers
 * USS Santa Fe (CL-60) (Capt. Jerauld Wright)
 * USS Mobile (CL-63) (Capt. Charles J. Wheeler)
 * USS Biloxi (Capt. Daniel M. McGurl)
 * Screen
 * 12 destroyers
 * 9 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Hickox (DD-673), USS Hunt (DD-674), USS Lewis Hancock (DD-675), USS Marshall (DD-676), USS Miller (DD-535), USS Owen (DD-536), USS Stephen Potter (DD-538), USS The Sullivans (DD-537), USS Tingey (DD-539)
 * 3 Farragut-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): USS Dewey (DD-349), USS Hull (DD-350), USS MacDonough (DD-351)

Task Group 58.3



 * Carrier Division 2
 * Rear Admiral John W. Reeves
 * 2 fleet carriers
 * USS Enterprise (CV-6) (Capt. Matthias B. Gardner)
 * Air Group 10 (Cmdr. W.R. Kane)
 * 31 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. R.W. Schumann)
 * 21 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. James D. Ramage)
 * 14 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. W.I. Martin)
 * 3 F4U Corsair night fighters (Lt. Cmdr. R.E. Harmer)
 * USS Lexington (CV-16) (Capt. E.W. Litch)
 * Air Group 16 (Cmdr. E.M. Snowden)
 * 37 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Ralph Weymouth)
 * 34 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Weymouth)
 * 18 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. N.A. Sterrie, USNR)
 * 4 F6F-xN Hellcat fighters (Lt. W.H. Abercrombie, USNR)
 * 2 light carriers
 * USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) (Capt. Harold M. Martin)
 * Air Group 51 (Lt. Cmdr. C.L. Moore)
 * 24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Moore)
 * 8 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. D.J. Melvin)
 * USS Princeton (CVL-23) (Capt. W.H. Buracker)
 * Air Group 27 (Lt. Cmdr. E.W. Wood – KIA)
 * 24 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Wood)
 * 9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. S.M. Haley, USNR)
 * 1 heavy cruiser
 * USS Indianapolis (CA-35) (Capt. E.R. Johnson)
 * Cruiser Division 12 (Rear Admiral Robert W. Hayler)
 * 3 light cruisers
 * USS Montpelier (CL-57) (Capt. H.D. Hoffman)
 * USS Cleveland (CL-55) (Capt. A.G. Shepard)
 * USS Birmingham (CL-62) (Capt. Thomas B. Inglis)
 * Screen
 * 1 anti-aircraft light cruiser
 * USS Reno (CL-96) (Capt. R.C. Alexander)
 * 13 destroyers
 * All Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Anthony (DD-515), USS Braine (DD-630), USS Caperton (DD-650), USS Clarence K. Bronson, USS Cogswell (DD-651), USS Cotten, USS Dortch, USS Gatling, USS Healy (DD-672), USS Ingersoll (DD-652), USS Knapp (DD-653), USS Terry (DD-513), USS Wadsworth (DD-516)

Task Group 58.4

 * Carrier Division 12
 * Rear Admiral William K. Harrill
 * 1 fleet carrier
 * USS Essex (CV-9) (Capt. Ralph A. Ofstie)
 * Air Group 15 (Cmdr. David McCampbell)
 * 38 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Brewer -- KIA)
 * 36 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. J.H. Mini)
 * 20 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. V.G. Lambert)
 * 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters (Lt. R.M. Freeman)
 * 2 light carriers
 * USS Langley (CVL-27) (Capt. W.M. Dillon)
 * Air Group 32 (Lt. Cmdr. E.C. Outlaw)
 * 23 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Outlaw)
 * 9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. D.A. Marks)
 * USS Cowpens (CVL-25) (Capt. H.W. Taylor)
 * Air Group 25 (Lt. Cmdr. R.H. Price)
 * 23 F6F Hellcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Price)
 * 9 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. R.B. Cottingham, USNR)
 * Cruiser Division 14 (Rear admiral Wilder D. Baker)
 * 3 light cruisers
 * USS Vincennes (CL-64) (Capt. A.D. Brown)
 * USS Houston (CL-81) (Capt. W.W. Behrens)
 * USS Miami (CL-89) (Capt. J.G. Crawford)
 * Screen
 * 1 anti-aircraft light cruiser
 * USS San Diego (CL-53) (Capt. L.J. Hudson)
 * 14 destroyers
 * 6 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570), USS Stanly (DD-478), USS Dyson, USS Converse (DD-509), USS Spence (DD-512), USS Thatcher (DD-514)
 * 1 Mahan-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Case (DD-370)
 * 3 Gleaves-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): USS Lansdowne (DD-486), USS Lardner (DD-487), USS McCalla (DD-488)
 * 4 Benham-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): USS Lang (DD-399), USS Sterett (DD-407), USS Wilson (DD-408), USS Ellet

Task Group 58.7


Commander, Battleships, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral Willis Augustus Lee
 * Battleship Division 6 (Vice Admiral Lee)
 * 2 North Carolina-class battleship
 * USS North Carolina (BB-55) (Capt. Frank P. Thomas)
 * USS Washington (BB-56) (Capt. Thomas R. Cooley)
 * Battleship Division 7 (Rear Admiral Olaf M. Hustvedt)
 * 2 Iowa-class battleship
 * USS Iowa (BB-61) (Capt. John L. McCrea)
 * USS New Jersey (BB-62) (Capt. Carl F. Holden)
 * Battleship Division 8 (Rear Admiral Glenn B. Davis)
 * 1 South Dakota-class battleship
 * USS Indiana (BB-58) (Capt. Thomas J. Keliher Jr.)
 * Battleship Division 9 (Rear Admiral Edward Hanson)
 * 2 South Dakota-class battleship
 * USS South Dakota (BB-57) (Capt. Ralph S. Riggs)
 * USS Alabama (BB-60) (Capt. Fred D. Kirtland)
 * Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Admiral C. Turner Joy)
 * 3 heavy cruisers
 * USS Wichita (CA-45) (Capt. J.J. Mahoney)
 * USS New Orleans (CA-32) (Capt. J.E. Hurff)
 * USS San Francisco (CA-38) (Capt. Harvey Overesch)
 * Screen
 * 14 destroyers
 * 1 Porter-class (8 × 5 in. main battery): USS Selfridge (DD-357)
 * 9 Fletcher-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Halford (DD-480), USS Guest (DD-472), USS Bennett, USS Fullam (DD-474), USS Hudson (DD-475), USS Yarnall (DD-541), USS Twining (DD-540), USS Stockham (DD-683), USS Monssen (DD-798)
 * 3 Bagley-class (4 × 5 in. main battery): USS Bagley (DD-386), USS Mugford (DD-389), USS Patterson (DD-392)
 * 1 Mahan-class (5 × 5 in. main battery): USS Conyngham (DD-371)

Seventh Fleet Submarines
Rear Admiral Ralph W. Christie (HQ at Fremantle)
 * Southeast of Mindanao
 * 3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Hake, Bashaw, Paddle
 * IJN anchorage at Tawi Tawi
 * 3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Harder, Haddo, Redfin
 * Off Luzon
 * 2 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Bluefish, Jack, Flier

Task Force 17
Patrol Submarines Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood (HQ at Pearl Harbor)
 * At the Bonins
 * 2 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Archerfish, Plaice
 * 1 Gar-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Gar
 * 1 Sargo-class (8 tubes: 4 forward, 4 aft): Swordfish
 * 1 Porpoise-class (6 tubes: 4 forward, 2 aft): Plunger
 * Southeast of Formosa and eastward
 * 2 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Pintado, Pilotfish
 * 1 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Tunny
 * East and Southeast of the Marianas
 * 2 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Albacore, Finback
 * 1 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Bang
 * 1 Salmon-class (8 tubes: 4 forward, 4 aft): Stingray
 * 1 Sargo-class (8 tubes: 4 forward, 4 aft): Seawolf
 * Ulithi and the Philippines
 * 3 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Flying Fish, Muskallunge, Cavalla
 * 2 Balao-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Seahorse, Pipefish
 * Off Surigao Strait
 * 1 Gato-class (10 tubes: 6 forward, 4 aft): Growler