South Seas Force

South Seas Force

The South Seas Force, also known as the Japanese Fourth Fleet, was the Empire of Japan's combined sea, land and air formation, first used in December 1941, during the invasions of Wake Island, Guam and the Gilbert Islands, during the opening stages of the Pacific theatre of World War II. Although dominated by naval units and personnel, the force included the Imperial Japanese Army's South Seas Detachment. The force was commanded by Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inouye.

During 1942, the force was used in the Battle of Rabaul and then during the New Guinea campaign, in the Kokoda Track Campaign and the Battle of Buna-Gona.

tructure

In early December 1941, the force was organised in three sub-groups:
*Wake Invasion Group
**Air unit of land based bombers
**Bombardment unit of four destroyers and three cruisers
**Invasion unit of gunboats and a Special Naval Landing Force
**Submarine unit (three submarines)
*Gilberts Invasion Group
**Air Unit
**Tarawa invasion unit
**Makin invasion unit
**Makin base construction unit
**Submarine unit
*Guam Invasion Group
**Air unit
**Cruiser unit with four heavy cruisers
**Support unit with four destroyers
**Invasion unit
**Transport unit
**Submarine unit

After the failure of the initial Wake invasion on December 11, 1941, the Wake group was reinforced with:

* Carrier unit of two aircraft carriers, two cruisers and two destroyers,
* Support unit of four heavy cruisers, three destroyers and four submarines, one of the other submarines having been sunk.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • South Seas Detachment — The South Seas Detachment of the Imperial Japanese Army was a brigade size force formed in 1941 to be the army unit used in the Japanese seizure of the South Pacific island groups of Wake, Guam and the Gilberts. As part of the South Seas Force,… …   Wikipedia

  • South-East Asian theatre of World War II — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=South East Asian Theatre partof=World War II and Pacific War place=British India, Thailand, French Indochina, British Malaya, SingaporeThe South East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the… …   Wikipedia

  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands — South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands …   Wikipedia

  • South America — South American. a continent in the S part of the Western Hemisphere. 271,000,000; ab. 6,900,000 sq. mi. (17,871,000 sq. km). * * * Continent, Western Hemisphere. The world s fourth largest continent, it is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the… …   Universalium

  • South China Sea — Not to be confused with East China Sea. South China Sea A map of t …   Wikipedia

  • South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation — The South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO)IntroductionPredating the Independence of Namibia in 1990, the International Commission for South East Atlantic Fisheries (ICSEAF) was responsible for the management of the fisheries in the… …   Wikipedia

  • South Slavs — The South Slavs are a southern branch of the Slavic peoples that live in the Balkans mainly throughout the former Yugoslavia (meaning Land of the South Slavs ) and Bulgaria. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the southern Pannonian… …   Wikipedia

  • Structure of the Imperial Japanese forces in the South Pacific Mandate — Structure of the Japanese Forces in South Pacific MandateJapanese garrisons on the by passed Pacific Islands 1944 ndash;1945, included South Pacific Mandate Force and nearest islands in period.South Pacific Mandate DetachmentCommander in chief of …   Wikipedia

  • Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force — (JMSDF) 海上自衛隊 (Kaijō Jieitai) Rising Sun Flag Founded …   Wikipedia

  • 1997–98 South Pacific cyclone season — Season summary map First storm formed: October 8, 1997 Last storm dissipated: May 3, 1998 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”