U.S. FORCES
Note: The number of carrier aircraft available is shown as a total with the number of planes actually operational in parentheses both as of 0000 25 October 1942 and as of 0000 26 October 1942.
Task Force 61
RAdm Thomas C. Kinkaid
Task Force 16
RAdm Thomas C. Kinkaid
Enterprise (FF)—Capt Osborne B. Hardison
Air Group 10—Cdr Richard
K. Gaines
CEAG: 1 x TBF-1 (1)//1 x
TBF-1 (1)
VF-10—LCdr James H. Flatley,
Jr.
36 x F4F-4 (33)//31 x F4F-4 (31) [fitted for drop tanks, tanks available]
VB-10—LCdr
James A. Thomas
22 x SBD-3 (17)//18 x SBD-3 (13)
VS-10—LCdr
James R. Lee
22 x SBD-3 (16)//16 x SBD-3 (10)
VT-10—LCdr
John A. Collett
14 x TBF-1 (14)//9 x TBF-1 (9)
TF 16 Screen
RAdm Mahlon S. Tisdale
South Dakota—Capt Thomas L. Gatch
Cruiser Division 4
RAdm Mahlon S. Tisdale
Portland (F)—Capt Laurance T. DuBose
San Juan—Capt James E. Maher
Destroyer Squadron 5
Capt Charles L. Cecil
Porter—LCdr David G. Roberts
Mahan—LCdr Roger W. Simpson
Destroyer Division 10
Cdr Thomas M. Stokes
Cushing—LCdr Edward N. Parker
Preston—LCdr Max C. Stormes
Smith—LCdr Hunter Wood, Jr.
Maury—LCdr Gelzer E. Sims
Conyngham—LCdr Henry C. Daniel
Shaw—LCdr Wilbur G. Jones
Task Force 17
RAdm George D. Murray
Hornet (F) —Capt Charles P. Mason
Air Group 8 —Cdr Walter F.
Rodee
CHAG: 1
x TBF-1 (1)//1 x TBF-1 (1)
VF-72—LCdr
Henry G. Sanchez
37 x F4F-4 (32)//37 x F4F-4 (32) [fitted for drop tanks, tanks available]
VB-8 —Lt
James W. Vose
14 x SBD-3 (10)//14 x SBD-3 (9)
VS-8 —LCdr
William J. Widhelm
16 x SBD-3 (11)//16 x SBD-3 (15)
VT-6—Lt
Edwin B. Parker, Jr.
14 x TBF-1 (13)//14 x TBF-1 (13)
VT-10
[NA]//2 x TBF-1 (2)
TF 17 Screen
RAdm Howard H. Good
Cruiser Division 5
RAdm Howard H. Good
Northampton (F)—Capt Willard A. Kitts,
III
Pensacola—Capt Frank L. Lowe
San Diego—Capt Benjamin F. Perry
Juneau—Capt Lyman K. Swenson
Destroyer Squadron 2
Cdr Arnold E. True
Morris —LCdr Randolph B. Boyer
Anderson—LCdr Richard A. Guthrie
Hughes—LCdr Donald J. Ramsey
Mustin—LCdr Wallis F. Peterson
Russell—LCdr Glenn R. Hartwig
Barton—LCdr Douglas H. Fox
Land-Based Aircraft
Henderson Field: [various units]
16 x F4F-4
20 x SBD-3
2 x TBF-1
6 x P-39
6 x P-400
Espiritu Santo/Efate:
24 x F4F
39 x B-17E
32 x PBY-5A
5 x OS2U
New Caledonia:
15 x P-38
46 x P-39
16 x B26
13 x Hudson
Task Force 63
RAdm Aubery W. Fitch
JAPANESE FORCES
Combined Fleet
Adm Isoroku Yamamoto (at
Truk)
Guadalcanal Support Force
VAdm Nobutake Kondo (CinC
2nd Fleet)
Advance Force
VAdm Nobutake Kondo
Main Body
Cruiser Division 4
Atago (FF)
Takao
Cruiser Division 5
RAdm Sentaro Omori
Myoko (F)
Maya
Destroyer Squadron 2
RAdm Raizo Tanaka
Isuzu (F)
Makinami
Kawakaze
Suzukaze
Naganami
Umikaze
Takanami
Air Group
RAdm Kakuji Kakuta
Carrier Division 2
Junyo (F)
Kuroshio
Hayashio
Support Group
VAdm Takeo Kurita
Battleship Division 3
Kongo (F)
Haruna
Oyashio
Kagero
Carrier Striking Force
VAdm Chuichi Nagumo (CinC 3rd Fleet)
Carrier Group
Carrier Division 1
Shokaku (F)
20 x A6M2
21 x D3A1
24 x B5N2
1 x D4Y1
Zuikaku
20 x A6M2
23 x D3A1
20 x B5N2
Zuiho
20 x A6M2
9 x B5N2
Screen
Kumano
Hatsukaze
Yukikaze
Maikaze
Hamakaze
Amatsukaze
Tokitsukaze
Arashi
Teruzuki
Vanguard Group
RAdm Hiroake Abe
Battleship Division 11
Hiei (F)
Kirishima
Cruiser Division 8
RAdm Chuichi Hara
Tone (F)
Chikuma
Cruiser Division 7
RAdm Shoji Nishimura
Suzuya
Destroyer Squadron 10
RAdm Susumu Kimura
Nagara (F)
Makigumo
Akigumo
Urakaze
Kazagumo
Fugumo
Tanikaze
Isokaze
Supply Group
Nowaki
Toho Maru
Kyokuto Maru
Kokuyo Maru
Toei Maru
Outer Seas Force
VAdm Gunichi Mikawa (CinC
8th Fleet, at Shortland Islands)
Assault Unit
Akatsuki
Ikazuchi
Shiratsuya
Bombardment Unit
RAdm Tomatsu Takama
Destroyer Squadron 4
Yura (F)
Akizuki
Harusame
Yudachi
Murasame
Samidare
Advance Expeditionary Force
VAdm Teruhisa Komatsu (CinC
6th Fleet, at Truk)
Submarine Force
I-4
I-5
I-7
I-9
I-15
I-21
I-22
I-24
I-174
I-175
I-176
Primary Source
Guadalcanal: The Carrier Battles by Eric
Hammel, Crown Publishers, 1987.
Original research by Mark Horan