Battle of Buna–Gona – Allied forces order of battle

This is an order of battle listing the Allied forces involved in the Battle of Buna–Gona from 16 November 1942 – 22 January 1943.

Order of battle
This list of Allied forces is for units directly engage in combat operations. American forces deployed included service units but were largely bereft of supporting arms units. Sources consulted do not give a clear picture of the support units deployed with the American infantry. On the other hand, sources are available which list Australian support units in detail. These details have been omitted in deference to their American counterparts. Sources give strengths and losses for units at various stages throughout the battle. Figures have been reported here where sources give a clear indication of a unit's strength upon entering the battle and losses incurred over the course of its engagement in the battle.

Australian units were well below establishment, especially those that had come directly from fighting along the Kokoda Track. Most other Australian units deployed to the beachheads had already been engaged in fighting in New Guinea. The 36th and 49th Militia battalions, which had not seen previous active service at all, were significantly under strength before being deployed forward. The 49th Bn arrived with a strength of 505 all ranks. The establishment strength of an Australian battalion at this time was 910 troops including all ranks. The American forces were deployed to New Guinea at something close to their full strength and, notwithstanding sickness, arrived on the battlefield with a force much closer to their establishment than the Australian forces. The Americans deployed at total of 13,645 troops to the combat zone. It is estimated that the Australians deployed in excess of 7,000 troops. The Papuan Infantry Battalion patrolled in the vicinity for Japanese stragglers from the Kokoda Track Campaign but was not engaged directly in the battle. The contribution of Papuans engaged as labourers or porters was a significant part of the Allied logistic effort. More than 3,000 Papuans worked to support the Allies during the battle.

US units


Headquarters, US I Corps Commanding General (CG) Lt Gen Robert Eichelberger

Infantry
32nd Division
 * 126th Infantry Regimental Combat Team
 * III/126th Battalion detached to 7th Division at Sanananda Track
 * Strength on 21 November: 56 officers and 1268 other ranks.
 * Returned to command 9 January with a strength of 165 all ranks.
 * 128th Infantry Regimental Combat Team
 * 127th Infantry Regimental Combat Team
 * Arrived from 4 December (advance elements)
 * III/127th Bn Arrived 9 December
 * II/127th Bn Arrived by 17 December
 * I/127th Bn Arriving from 17 December



41st Division
 * 163rd Infantry Regimental Combat Team
 * Arrived 30 December

Artillery
Battery 'A', 129th Field Artillery Battalion: One 105-mm howitzer
 * Arrived about 29 November

Australian units
Headquarters 7th Division
 * General Officer Commanding (GOC) Maj Gen G. A. Vasey



2/7th Cavalry Regiment (Cav Regt)
 * Trained and employed as infantry.
 * Arrived 16 December. Strength – 350 All ranks.

2/6th Armoured Regiment
 * A composite squadron of 19 M3 Stuart tanks

Infantry
25th Brigade AIF
 * The brigade had been committed to fighting along the Kokoda Track since 13 September.
 * Withdrawn to Port Moresby on 4 December.




 * 2/25th Infantry Battalion.
 * Strength on withdrawal: 15 officers and 248 other ranks.


 * 2/31st Infantry Battalion
 * Strength on withdrawal: 9 officers and 197 other ranks.


 * 2/33rd Infantry Battalion
 * Strength on withdrawal: 8 officers and 170 other ranks.


 * 3rd Infantry Battalion AMF (attached)
 * Returned to Fighting on Kokoda Track on 3 November
 * 20 November – Strength 179 all ranks




 * Chaforce (attached)
 * A composite force initially formed in September from the fitter men of the 21st Brigade and initially numbering about 400.
 * Initial strength of each company by parent battalion at the start of the battle:
 * 2/14 Bn – 6 officers and 103 other ranks.
 * 2/16 Bn – 6 officers and 103 other ranks.
 * 2/27 Bn – 6 officers and 105 other ranks.

16th Brigade AIF
 * The brigade had been committed to fighting on the Kokoda Track since 20 October


 * 2/1st Infantry Battalion
 * 18 November – Strength 320 all ranks.
 * Withdrawn to Port Moresby 17 December. Strength: 105 all ranks.




 * 2/2nd Infantry Battalion


 * 2/3rd Infantry Battalion

18th Brigade AIF
 * Initially attached to 32nd Division at Buna


 * 2/9th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 16 December. Strength: 26 officers and 638 other ranks.


 * 2/10th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 19 December. Strength: 34 officers and 648 other ranks.




 * 2/12th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 30 December. Strength – 33 officers and 582 other ranks.

21st Brigade AIF


 * 2/14th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 25 November – 350 all ranks


 * 2/16th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 29 November. Strength – 22 officers and 251 other ranks.
 * 2/27th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived from 25 November. Strength – 21 officers and 353 other ranks.



30th Brigade AMF


 * 36th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived from 15 December.


 * 49th Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 4 December. Strength – 24 officers and 481 other ranks


 * 55/53rd Infantry Battalion
 * Arrived 5 December

14th Brigade AMF
 * Headquarters arrived 31 December. The allocation of battalions to the two AMF brigades had been blurred.  The 36th Bn and 55/53rd Bn were more properly part of this brigade and returned to its command.



2/6th Independent Company
 * Attached to 32nd Division, Warren Force.
 * Flew to Wanigela in mid October and then marched to Pongani to link up with the advance of 32nd Division.
 * Strength when bought forward on 20 November – 9 officers and 109 other ranks.
 * Withdrawn to Port Moresby 11 December

39th Infantry Battalion AMF
 * Arrived 2 December.

Artillery
One troop 2/5th Field Regiment (Fd Regt): four 25-pounders

One battery 2/1st Field Regiment (Attached): twelve 25-pounders

One troop 13th Field Regiment (Attached): four 4.5 in howitzers

1st Mountain Battery (Attached): five 3.7 in mountain howitzers
 * See artillery section for details of deployment.

Air
No. 4 Squadron RAAF (two detached flights)