American Forces

Task Force 61

  • VAdm Frank Jack Fletcher

Task Force 11

  • VAdm Fletcher
Aircraft Carrier
  • Saratoga (fleet flagship)(fleet flagship)
    Commanding officer: Capt DeWitt C. Ramsey
    • Air Group 3
      Commanding officer: Cdr Harry D. Felt
      • VF-5
        Commanding officer: LCdr Leroy C. Simpler
        Notes: 27 x F4F-4
      • VB-3
        Commanding officer: LCdr DeWitt C. Shumway
        Notes: 17 (15 operational) x SBD-3
      • VS-3
        Commanding officer: LCdr Louis J. Kirn
        Notes: 15 x SBD-3
      • VT-8
        Commanding officer: Lt Harold H. Larsen
        Notes: 13 x TBF-1
      • 1 x Dauntless
      • 1 x photo recon F4F-7
Screen
  • RAdm Carleton H. Wright
  • Minneapolis (flagship)(flagship)
    Commanding officer: Capt Frank J. Lowry
  • New Orleans
    Commanding officer: Capt Walter S. DeLaney
Destroyer Squadron 1
  • Capt Samuel B. Brewer
  • Phelps
    Commanding officer: LCdr Edward L. Beck
Destroyer Division 2
  • Cdr Francis X. McInerney
  • Farragut
    Commanding officer: Cdr George P. Hunter
  • Worden
    Commanding officer: LCdr William G. Pogue
  • MacDonough
    Commanding officer: LCdr Eric V. Dennet
  • Dale
    Commanding officer: LCdr Anthony L. Rorschach

Task Force 16

  • RAdm Thomas C. Kinkaid
Aircraft Carrier
  • Enterprise (force flagship)(force flagship)
    Commanding officer: Capt Arthur C. Davis
    • Air Group 6
      Commanding officer: LCdr Maxwell F. Leslie
      • VF-6
        Commanding officer: Lt Louis H. Bauer
        Notes: 28 (27 operational) x F4F-4
      • VB-6
        Commanding officer: Lt Ray Davis
        Notes: 17 x SBD-3
      • VS-5
        Commanding officer: Lt Turner F. Caldwell
        Notes: 18 (16 operational) x SBD-3
      • VT-3
        Commanding officer: LCdr Charles M. Jett
        Notes: 15 (14 operational) x TBF-1
      • 1 x Avenger
      • 1 x F4F-7
Screen
  • RAdm Mahlon S. Tisdale
  • North Carolina
    Commanding officer: Capt George H. Fort
  • Portland (flagship)(flagship)
  • Atlanta
    Commanding officer: Capt Samuel P. Jenkins
Destroyer Squadron 6
  • Capt Edward P. Sauer
  • Balch
    Commanding officer: LCdr Harold H. Tiemroth
  • Maur
    Commanding officer: LCdr Gelzer E. Sims
  • Ellett
    Commanding officer: LCdr Francis H. Gardner
  • Benham
    Commanding officer: LCdr Joseph M. Worthington
Destroyer Division 22
  • Cdr Harold R. Holcomb
  • Grayson
    Commanding officer: LCdr Frederick J. Bell
  • Monssen
    Commanding officer: Cdr Roland N. Smoot

Task Force 18

  • RAdm Leigh Noyes
Aircraft Carrier
  • Wasp (force flagship)(force flagship)
    Commanding officer: Capt Forrest P. Sherman
    • Air Group 7
      Commanding officer: LCdr Wallace M. Beakley
      • VF-71
        Commanding officer: LCdr Courtney M. Shands
        Notes: 25 x F4F-4
      • VS-71
        Commanding officer: LCdr John Eldridge, Jr.
        Notes: 13 x SBD-3
      • VS-72
        Commanding officer: LCdr Ernest M. Snowden
        Notes: 13 x SBD-3
      • VT-7
        Commanding officer: Lt Harry A. Romberg
        Notes: 9 x TBF-1
      • 1 x TBF
        Notes: From VT-8.
      • 1 x Dauntless
      • 1 x J2F
Screen
  • RAdm Norman Scott
  • San Francisco (flagship)(flagship)
    Commanding officer: Capt Charles H. McMorris
  • San Juan
    Commanding officer: Capt James E. Maher
  • Salt Lake
    Commanding officer: City Capt Ernest G. Small
Destroyer Squadron 12
  • Capt Robert G. Tobin
  • Farenholt
    Commanding officer: LCdr Eugene T. Seaward
  • Aaron Ward
    Commanding officer: LCdr Orville F. Gregor
  • Buchanan
    Commanding officer: Cdr Ralph E. Wilson
Destroyer Division 14
  • Capt William W. Warlick
  • Lang
    Commanding officer: LCdr John Wilfong
  • Stack
    Commanding officer: LCdr Alvord J. Greenacre
  • Sterett
    Commanding officer: Cdr Jesse G. Coward
Destroyer Squadron 4
  • Capt Cornelius W. Flynn
  • Selfridge
    Commanding officer: Cdr Carroll D. Reynolds

Land-Based Aircraft

Task Force 63

  • RAdm John S. McCain
  • Marine Air Group 23
    Commanding officer: Col William J. Wallace
    Notes: At Guadalcanal.
    • Commanding officer: Capt John L. Smith
      Notes: 13 x F4F-4.
    • VMSB-232
      Commanding officer: Maj Richard C. Mangrum
      Notes: 11 x SBD-3.

Other Naval Aircraft

At Espiritu Santo.
  • VP-11 (elements)
    Notes: 16 x PBY-5A.
  • VP-14 (elements)
    Notes: 2 x PBY-5A.
  • VP-23 (elements)
    Notes: 12 x PBY-5A.
  • VP-72 (elements)
    Notes: 3 x PBY-5.

United States Army Air Force

  • 11th Heavy Bombardment Group
    Commanding officer: Col La Verne Saunders
    Notes: 25 x B-17E/F. At Espiritu Santo.
  • 67th Pursuit Squadron
    Commanding officer: Capt Dale D. Brannon
    Notes: 5 x P-400 (export version of P-39.) At Guadalcanal.

Japanese Forces

Combined Fleet
  • Adm Isoroku Yamamoto

Support Force Main Body

At Truk
  • Yamato (fleet flagship)(fleet flagship)
  • Taiyo
  • Destroyer Division 7
    Commanding officer: Capt. Kaname Konishi
    • Akebono
      Commanding officer: LtCdr Minoru Nakagawa
    • Ushio
      Commanding officer: Cdr. Yoshitake Uesugi

Advance Force, 2nd Fleet

  • VAdm Nobutake Kondo

Cruiser Division 4

  • VAdm Kondo
  • Atago
    Commanding officer: Capt. Matsuji Ijuin
  • Maya
    Commanding officer: Capt. Shunsaku Nabeshima
  • Takao
    Commanding officer: Capt. Bunji Asakura

Cruiser Division 5

  • Adm. Takagi
  • Myoko
    Commanding officer: Capt. Teruhiko Miyoshi
  • Haguro
    Commanding officer: Capt. Tomoichi Mori

Destroyer Squadron 4

  • RAdm Tomatsu Takama
  • Yura
    Commanding officer: Capt. Shiro Sato
Destroyer Division 15
  • Capt. Torajiro Sato
  • Kuroshio
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Tamaki Ugaki
  • Oyashio
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Tokikichi Arima
  • Hayashio
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Kiyoshi Kaneda
Destroyer Division 9
  • Capt. Yasuo Sato
  • Minegumo
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Yasuatsu Suzuki
  • Natsugumo
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Moritaro Tsukamoto
  • Asagumo

Seaplane Carrier

Detached from Carrier Division 11
  • Chitose
    Commanding officer: Capt. Seigo Sasaki
    • 7 Jakes
    • 15 Petes

Standby Force

Not at sea.
  • Junyo
    Commanding officer: Capt. Shizue Ishii
  • Mutsu
    Commanding officer: Capt. Teijiro Yamazumi
  • Destroyer Division 2
    Commanding officer: Capt. Masao Tachibana
    • Harusame
      Commanding officer: Cdr. Masao Kamiyama
    • Samidare
      Commanding officer: Cdr. Takisaburo Matsubara
    • Murasame
      Commanding officer: Cdr. Naoji Suenaga

3rd Fleet, Carrier Striking Force

  • VAdm Chuichi Nagumo

Carrier Division 1

  • VAdm Nagumo
Aircraft Carriers
  • Shokaku
    Commanding officer: Capt. Masafumi Arima
    Crew: LtCdr. Mamoru Seki (Position: Strike Group Commander)
    • 27 (26 operational) x A6M2
      Commanding officer: Lt. Hideki Shingo
    • 27 x D3A1
      Commanding officer: LtCdr Seki
    • 18 x B5N2
      Commanding officer: LtCdr. Shigeharu Murata
  • Zuikaku
    Commanding officer: Capt. Tameteru Notomo
    Crew: Lt. Sadamu Takahashi (Position: Strike Group Commander)
    • 27 (25 operational) x A6M2
      Commanding officer: Lt. Ayao Shirane
    • 27 x D3A1
      Commanding officer: Lt Takahashi
    • 18 x B5N2
      Commanding officer: Lt. Jiichiro Imajuku
Destroyers
Drawn from Destroyer Squadron 10
Destroyer Division 10
  • Capt. Toshio Abe
  • Kazagumo
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Masayoshi Yoshida
  • Yugumo
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Shigeo Semba
  • Makigumo
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Isamu Fujita
  • Akigumo
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Shohei Soma
Other
  • Hatsukaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Kameshiro Takahashi
    Notes: Detached from Destroyer Division 16.
  • Akizuki
    Notes: Unattached.

Vanguard Force

  • RAdm Hiroaki Abe

Battleship Division 11

  • RAdm Abe
  • Hiei
    Commanding officer: Capt. Masao Nishida
  • Kirishima
    Commanding officer: Capt. Sanji Iwabuchi

Cruiser Division 7

  • RAdm. Shoji Nishimura
  • Kumano
    Commanding officer: Capt. Kikumatsu Tanaka
  • Suzuya
    Commanding officer: Capt. Masatomi Kimura

Detached from Cruiser Division 8

  • Chikuma
    Commanding officer: Capt. Keizo Komura

Destroyer Squadron 11

  • RAdm. Satsuma Kimura
  • Nagara
    Commanding officer: Capt. Toshio Naoi
Destroyer Division 4
  • Capt. Kosaku Ariga
  • Nowaki
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Magotaro Koga
  • Maikaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Seiji Nakasugi
Detached from Destroyer Division 17
  • Tanikaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Motoi Katsumi

Mobile Force

  • RAdm Chuichi Hara

Aircraft Carrier

  • Ryujo
    Commanding officer: Capt. Tadao Kato
    Crew: Lt. Kenjiro Notomi (Position: Strike Group Commander)
    • 24 (23 operational) x A6M2
      Commanding officer: Lt Notomi
    • 6 x B5N2
      Commanding officer: Lt. Binichi Murakami

Cruiser Division 8

  • RAdm Hara
  • Tone
    Commanding officer: Capt. Yuji Anibe

Destroyer Division 16

  • Capt. Kiichiro Sato
  • Amatsukaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Tameichi Hara
  • Tokitsukaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Giichiro Nakahara

8th Fleet, Outer South Seas Force

  • VAdm Gunichi Mikawa

Destroyer Squadron 2

  • RAdm Raizo Tanaka
  • Jintsu
    Commanding officer: Capt. Torazo Kozai
Destroyer Division 24
  • Capt. Yasuji Hirai
  • Suzukaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Kazuo Shibayama
  • Kawakaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Kazuo Wakabayashi
  • Umikaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Nagahide Sugitani
From Destroyer Division 15
  • Kagero
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Minoru Yokoi
From Destroyer Division 17
  • Isokaze
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Shunichi Toshima
Destroyer Division 30
  • Capt. Shiro Yasutake
  • Mutsuki
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Hatano
  • Yayoi
  • Uzuki
Transport Force
1500 troops
  • Kinryu Maru
  • Boston Maru
  • Daifuku Maru
  • Patrol Boat No.1
  • Patrol Boat No.2
  • Patrol Boat No.34
  • Patrol Boat No.35
Covering Force
  • Adm Mikawa
  • Chokai
    Commanding officer: Capt. Mikio Kayakama
Cruiser Division 6
  • RAdm. Aritomo Goto
  • Kinugasa
    Commanding officer: Capt. Masao Sawa
  • Aoba
    Commanding officer: Capt. Yonejiro Hisamune
  • Furutaka
    Commanding officer: Capt. Araki Tsutau

6th Fleet

  • VAdm. Teruhisa Komatsu

Submarine Squadron 1

At Truk; operating at sea in the Solomons area
  • RAdm. Shigeaki Yamazaki
  • I-9 (flagship)(flagship)
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Akiyoshi Fujii
    Notes: At Truk.
Submarine Division 2
  • Capt. Hiroshi Imazato
  • I-15
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Nobuo Ishikawa
  • I-17
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Kozo Nishino
  • I-19
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Takaichi Kinashi
Submarine Division 5
  • I-26
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Minoru Yokota
Submarine Division 15
  • I-31
  • I-33

Submarine Squadron 7

At Rabaul; operating at sea in the Solomons area
  • RAdm. Setsuzo Yoshitomi
  • Jingei (flagship)(flagship)
    Notes: At Rabaul.
Submarine Division 13
  • Capt. Takeharu Miyazaki
  • I-121
    Commanding officer: LtCdr. Yasuo Fujimori
  • I-122
    Commanding officer: LtCdr. Sadatoshi Norita
  • I-123
    Commanding officer: LtCdr. Makota Nakai
Submarine Division 21
  • Cdr. Tsutau Fujimoto
  • RO-34
    Commanding officer: LtCdr. Masahiko Morinaga

Submarine Squadron 3

Operating at sea in the Solomons area
  • Capt. Hanmazu Sasaki
  • I-11
    Commanding officer: Cdr. Tsuneo Shichiji
Submarine Division 11
  • I-174
  • I-175

11th Air Fleet

At Rabaul
  • VAdm Nishizo Tsukahara

25th Air Flotilla, 5th Air Attack Force

  • RAdm. Sadayoshi Yamada
  • Tainan Air Group
  • 2nd Air Group
  • 4th Air Group
  • Yokohama Air Group
  • 14th Air Group detached

26th Air Flotilla, 6th Air Attack Force

  • VAdm. Seizo Yamagata
  • 6th Air Group detached
  • Misawa Air Group
  • Kisarazu Air Group

Total

Approximate strength 24 August
Type Number
Zeroes 51
Bettys 41
Vals 9
Irvings 2
Mavises 8
Emilys 3
Total 114

Sources

Information drawn mainly from:

  • Guadalcanal: The Carrier Battles by Eric Hammel, Crown Publishers, 1987
  • Original research by Mark Horan