Admiralty Islands campaign order of battle explained

This is the order of battle of Allied and Japanese forces during the Admiralty Islands campaign of 1944.

Allied forces

The Allied Task Force BREWER for the occupation of the Admiralty Islands consisted of:^[1]

Ground Forces

All US Army unless otherwise noted

• 1st Cavalry Division (less 603rd Tank Company)
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade
    • 5th Cavalry Regiment
    • 12th Cavalry Regiment
  • 2nd Cavalry Brigade
    • 7th Cavalry Regiment
    • 8th Cavalry Regiment
  • 1st Cavalry Division Artillery
    • 61st Field Artillery Battalion
    • 82nd Field Artillery Battalion
    • 99th Field Artillery Battalion
  • 8th Engineer Squadron
  • 1st Medical Squadron
  • 16th Quartermaster Squadron
  • 1st Antitank Troop
  • 1st Signal Troop
  • 27th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company
• Alamo Scouts^[2]
• 2nd Battalion, 50th Coast Artillery Regiment
• 168th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (Gun)
• HQ and HQ Battery, 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group
• Battery C, 237th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (Searchlight)
• 211th Coast Artillery Battalion (Anti-Aircraft) (Automatic Weapons)
• Shore Battalion and Company A, Boat Battalion, 592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment
• 1 Platoon, 453rd Engineer Depot Company
• Detachment, 267th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company (Anti-Aircraft)
• 287th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company
• 27th Portable Surgical Hospital
• 30th Portable Surgical Hospital
• 603rd Medical Clearing Company
• 58th Evacuation Hospital
• 28th Malaria Survey Unit
• 52nd Malaria Control Unit
• 3526th Quartermaster Truck Company (less 2 platoons)
• 695th Quartermaster Truck Company
• 2nd Platoon, 1998th Quartermaster Truck Company
• 1 Platoon, 3818th Gas Supply Company
• Detachment, 493rd Quartermaster Depot Supply Company
• Company C, 267th Quartermaster Service Battalion (less 1 platoon)
• HQ and 2nd Platoon, 123rd Quartermaster Bakery Company
• Provisional Bakery Platoon (2nd Platoon, 352nd Quartermaster Bakery Company)
• 1 Section, 286th Quartermaster Refrigeration Company
• 294th Port Company
• 167th Port Company (less 1 Platoon and 1 Section)
• 466th Amphibious Truck Company (less 1 platoon)
• Detachment, 94th Chemical Composite Company
• Section, 1st Platoon, 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company
• Detachment, Company A, 60th Signal Battalion
• 611th Ordnance Ammunition Company
• 17th and 19th Radio Station Sections, 832nd Signal Service Company
• ANGAU Detachment

Naval Forces

All USN unless otherwise noted

• Naval Shore Detachment, 7th Fleet
• No. 9 Naval Advance Unit (less Advance Detachment)
• 17th Naval Construction Regiment
• No. 40 Communications Unit
• Hydrographic Survey Unit
• Advance Echelon LION 4
  • 6 Construction Battalions
  • 3 ACORNs (less CBs)
  • 1 Construction Battalion (Special)
  • No. 15 PT Overhaul and Operating Base

Air Forces

All RAAF unless otherwise noted

• No. 73 Wing
  • No. 76 Squadron (P-40 Kittyhawk)
  • No. 77 Squadron (P-40 Kittyhawk)
  • No. 79 Squadron (Supermarine Spitfire)
• No. 114 Mobile Fighter Sector HQ
• No. 152, 340, 345, 346 and 347 Radar Stations
• No. 73 Wing Signals Station
• No. 49 Operational Base Unit
• No. 12 Repair and Salvage Unit
• No 3 section, 1 Malaria Control Unit
• No. 77 Medical Clearing Station
• 12th Air Liaison Party (USAAF)
• Detachment 7, Transportation and Movements Office
• Detachment 4, Replenishing Centre
• Detachment, 16 Store Unit
• Detachment, 7 Coastal Unit
• Canteen Unit

Japanese forces

The Japanese garrison of the Admiralty Islands was expanded in the months prior to the Allied landings. On 2 February 1944 it consisted of:^[3]

• 1st Battalion, 229th Infantry Regiment
• 2nd Battalion, 1st Independent Mixed Regiment
• 51st Transport Regiment
• Elements, 14th Naval Base Force

Notes and References

1. Krueger, Walter, Report on BREWER Operation, 2 August 1944, AWM54 519/1/12
2. Book: Rottman, Gordon. Duncan Anderson (consultant editor). US Special Warfare Units in the Pacific Theater 1941–1945. limited. Osprey. Botley. 2005. Battle Orders 12. 45. 1-84176-707-7.
3. Book: Miller, John. Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul. Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Department of the Army. Washington D.C.. 1959. 319.