Battle of the Bismarck Sea order of battle
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea (2–4 March 1943) took place in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II. During the course of the battle, aircraft of the U.S. 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 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
Transports
Captain Kamataro Matsumoto
Transport |
tons |
(m3) |
Fate |
Source |
Aiyo Maru |
2,716 |
7,686 |
Sunk, 323 killed |
[2] |
Kembu Maru |
950 |
2,688 |
Sunk, 20 killed |
[2] |
Kyokusei Maru |
5,493 |
15,545 |
Sunk, 486 killed |
[2] |
Oigawa Maru |
6,494 |
18,378 |
Sunk, 1,229 killed |
[2] |
Sin-ai Maru |
3,793 |
10,734 |
Sunk, 63+ killed |
[2] |
Taimei Maru |
2,883 |
8,159 |
Sunk, 200 killed |
[2] |
Teiyo Maru |
6,870 |
19,442 |
Sunk, 1,915 killed |
[2] |
Nojima Maru |
8,125 |
22,994 |
Sunk, 400 killed |
[2] |
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
Motor Torpedo Boat Striking Force
Lieutenant Commander Barry K. Atkins
Boat |
Skipper |
Source |
PT-66 |
Lieutenant (jg) William C. Quinby |
[19] |
PT-67 |
Ensign James W. Emmons |
[19] |
PT-68 |
Lieutenant (jg) Robert L. Childs |
[19] |
PT-121 |
Ensign Edward R. Bergin |
[19] |
PT-128 |
Ensign James W. Herring |
[19] |
PT-143 |
Lieutenant (jg) John S. Bayliss |
[19] |
PT-149 |
Lieutenant William J. Flittie |
[19] |
PT-150 |
Lieutenant (jg) Russell E. Hamacheck |
[19] |
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McAulay 1991, pp. 181–184
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McAulay 1991, pp. 177–180
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 McAulay 1991, p. 187
- 1 2 3 McAulay 1991, p. 180
- 1 2 3 4 Hata, Izawa & Shores 2011, p. 49
- 1 2 Hata, Izawa & Shores 2012, pp. 38–39
- ↑ "Group Captain Blake Raymond Pelly". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Morison 1950, pp. 64–65
- ↑ RAAF Historical Section 1995a, p. 16
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 McAulay 1991, pp. 173–174
- ↑ RAAF Historical Section 1995a, p. 64
- ↑ "Air Vice Marshal Ian Dougald McLachlan". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ↑ RAAF Historical Section 1995b, p. 41
- ↑ "90 Fighter Squadron (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Agency. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ↑ "319 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Agency. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ↑ "320 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Agency. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ↑ "321 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Agency. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ↑ "8 Flying Training Squadron". Air Force Historical Agency. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Morison 1950, p. 61
References
- Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2011). Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces 1932–1945. London: Grub Street. ISBN 9781906502843.
- Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2012). Japanese Army Fighter Aces 1931–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-1076-3.
- McAulay, Lex (1991). Battle of the Bismarck Sea. New York, New York: St Martins Press. ISBN 0-312-05820-9. OCLC 23082610.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1950). Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Boston, Massachusetts: Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0-7858-1307-1. OCLC 10310299.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995a). Volume 2 Fighter Units. Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42795-7.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995b). Volume 3 Bomber Units. Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42795-7.