Borneo Campaign (1945) order of battle



This is the complete order of battle of Allied and Japanese forces during the Borneo Campaign of 1945. As the campaign was fought in three geographically separate areas and the same air and naval units supported more than one of these battles the order of battle is split into the three areas.

Allied forces

 * General Headquarters South West Pacific Area
 * Allied Land Forces
 * Australian I Corps
 * Australian 7th Division
 * Australian 9th Division
 * Allied Air Forces
 * Advanced RAAF Command
 * Australian First Tactical Air Force
 * United States Thirteenth Air Force
 * Allied Naval Forces
 * Seventh Amphibious Force
 * Amphibious Group Six

Japanese forces

 * Southern Expeditionary Army Group (Saigon)
 * Japanese Seventh Area Army
 * Japanese 37th Army
 * 56th Independent Mixed Brigade (Brunei)
 * 71st Independent Mixed Brigade (Kuching)
 * 25th Independent Mixed Regiment (North Borneo)
 * 455th Independent Infantry Battalion (Balikpapan)
 * 553rd Independent Infantry Battalion (Miri)
 * 554th Independent Infantry Battalion (Sandakan)
 * 774th Independent Infantry Battalion (Tenom)
 * Army-Navy Headquarters Tarakan
 * 22nd Special Naval Base Force (Balikpapan)
 * Japanese 3rd Air Army (Singapore)
 * Japanese 10th Independent Flying Brigade
 * 83rd Flying Regiment

Ground forces

 * 26th Brigade Group (detached from Australian 9th Division)
 * 2/23rd Infantry Battalion
 * 2/24th Infantry Battalion
 * 2/48th Infantry Battalion
 * 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion (fought as infantry)
 * 2/4th Cavalry Commando Squadron
 * C Squadron, 2/9th Armoured Regiment (Matilda II tanks)
 * D Company, 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion
 * 2/7th Field Regiment (25 pounder guns)
 * 53rd Composite Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * 2/13th Field Company
 * 2nd Field Company
 * 2/12th Field Ambulance


 * 2 Beach Group
 * 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion
 * Other units:
 * 2/11th Field Company
 * 2 Beach Workshop
 * 'B' Royal Australian Navy Commando
 * 2nd Australian Army Medical Corps Company

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
 * 2nd Company, 1st Battalion Netherlands East Indies Army

United States Army
 * Composite Company, 727th Amphibian Tractor Battalion
 * Company, 593rd Engineer Boat and Shore Battalion

Air units

 * No. 77 (Attack) Wing Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
 * No. 76 Squadron RAAF (Kittyhawk) (from 15 May)
 * No. 22 Squadron RAAF (Beaufighter) (from 4 June)
 * No. 30 Squadron RAAF (Beaufighter) (from 4 June)
 * No. 31 Squadron RAAF (Beaufighter)


 * No. 78 (Fighter) Wing RAAF
 * No. 75 Squadron RAAF (Kittyhawk)
 * No. 78 Squadron RAAF (Kittyhawk)
 * No. 80 Squadron RAAF (Kittyhawk)
 * No. 452 Squadron RAAF (Spitfire)


 * No. 82 (Bomber) Wing RAAF
 * No. 21 Squadron RAAF (B-24 Liberator)
 * No. 23 Squadron RAAF (B-24)
 * No. 24 Squadron RAAF (B-24)


 * 18th Fighter Group USAAF (Mindoro Is., Zamboanga from 4 May)
 * 12th Fighter Squadron (P-38)
 * 44th Fighter Squadron (P-38)
 * 70th Fighter Squadron (P-38)


 * 347th Fighter Group USAAF (Palawan Is.)
 * 67th Fighter Squadron (P-38)
 * 68th Fighter Squadron (P-38)
 * 339th Fighter Squadron (P-38)


 * 42d Bombardment Group USAAF (Palawan Is.)
 * 69th Bombardment Squadron (B-25)
 * 70th Bombardment Squadron (B-25)
 * 75th Bombardment Squadron (B-25)
 * 100th Bombardment Squadron (B-25)
 * 390th Bombardment Squadron (B-25)


 * 5th Bombardment Group USAAF (Samar Is.)
 * 23d Bombardment Squadron (B-24)
 * 31st Bombardment Squadron (B-24)
 * 72d Bombardment Squadron (B-24)
 * 394th Bombardment Squadron (B-24)


 * 307th Bombardment Group USAAF (Morotai Is.)
 * 370th Bombardment Squadron (B-24)
 * 371st Bombardment Squadron (B-24)
 * 372nd Bombardment Squadron (B-24)
 * 424th Bombardment Squadron (B-24)


 * 868th Bombardment Squadron USAAF (LAB-24)


 * Fleet Air Wing 17 US Navy (Palawan Is.)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 128 (VPB-128) (PV-1 Ventura)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 106 (VPB-106) (PB4Y-2 Privateer) (from 3 May)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 111 (VPB-111) (PB4Y-2 Privateer)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 109 (VPB-109) (PB4Y-2 Privateer with Bat Bombs) (until 6 May)


 * RAAF ground units on Tarakan during the campaign
 * No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight (4 Auster light aircraft)
 * No. 61 Operational Base Unit
 * No. 61 Airfield Construction Wing
 * No. 1 Airfield Construction Squadron
 * No. 8 Airfield Construction Squadron
 * No. 2 Aerodrome Security Squadron
 * No. 114 Mobile Fighter Control Unit

Naval units

 * Covering Group 74.3
 * Light cruisers: USS Phoenix, USS Boise, HMAS Hobart
 * Destroyers: USS Taylor, USS Nicholas, USS O’Bannon, USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Jenkins (DD-447), HMAS Warramunga


 * Attack Group 78.1:
 * Flagship: USS Rocky Mount
 * Landing ships: 2 LSI (HMAS Manoora and HMAS Westralia), 1 AKA (USS Titania), 1 LSD (USS Rushmore), 21 LST, 12 LCI, 4 LSM, 12 LCT
 * Support: 6 LCS, 4 LCI(R), 2 LCI(M), 2 LCI(D) with four demolition units
 * Screen: Destroyers: US Ships Waller, Bailey, Bancroft, Philip, Drayton, Smith, Caldwell; Frigates: HMAS Burdekin, Barcoo, Hawkesbury; Destroyer escorts: USS Formoe, Charles E. Brannon; 1 Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) tender (USS Wachapreague), 21 MTBs
 * Landing craft control unit: 1 PC, 1 LCI(L), 2 LCS
 * Minesweeping unit: 1 APD, 11 YMS
 * Service unit: 1 AGS, 1 AN, 1 ATR, 1 ATO, 4 LCI(L) equipped for fire fighting and salvage

Japanese units

 * Army-Navy Headquarters
 * 455th Independent Infantry Battalion
 * 1 Company
 * 2 Company
 * 3 Company
 * 4 Company
 * Machine Gun Company
 * 2nd Naval Guard Force
 * 1 Company
 * 2 Company
 * Air Defence Unit

Ground forces

 * Australian 7th Division
 * 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment
 * 2/1st Pioneer Battalion
 * 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion
 * B Company, 2/1st Guard Regiment (4 platoons)
 * Artillery
 * 2/4 Field Regiment
 * 2/5 Field Regiment
 * 2/6 Field Regiment
 * 2/2 Tank Attack Regiment
 * Engineers
 * 2/4 Field Company
 * 2/5 Field Company
 * 2/6 Field Company
 * 2/9 Field Company
 * 2/25 Field Park Company
 * 18th Infantry Brigade
 * 2/9 Battalion
 * 2/10 Battalion
 * 2/12 Battalion
 * 21st Infantry Brigade
 * 2/14 Battalion
 * 2/16 Battalion
 * 2/27 Battalion
 * 25th Infantry Brigade
 * 2/25 Battalion
 * 2/31 Battalion
 * 2/33 Battalion
 * I Australian Corps units allocated to the 7th Australian Division:
 * 1st Armoured Regiment
 * 2/1st Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron (-)
 * 2/1st Composite AA Regiment
 * 2 Beach Group
 * 2/2 Pioneer Battalion
 * 2/11 Field Company

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
 * 1 Company, 1st NEI Battalion

United States Army
 * 727th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (less one company)
 * Company, 672nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion
 * Boat company, Boat Battalion, 593rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment

Air units
Royal Australian Air Force
 * No. 19 Wing
 * No. 2 Squadron (B-25)
 * No. 18 (NEI) Squadron (B-25)
 * No. 78 Wing (from June 30)
 * No. 75 Squadron (P-40)
 * No. 78 Squadron (P-40)
 * No. 80 Squadron (P-50)
 * No. 452 Squadron (Spitfire)
 * No. 82 Wing
 * No. 21 Squadron (B-24)
 * No. 23 Squadron (B-24)
 * No. 24 Squadron (B-24)
 * Detachment, 83 (Army Co-Operation) Wing
 * Detachment, No. 4 (Tactical Reconnaissance) Squadron (Wirraway and Boomerang
 * Detachment, No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight
 * Detachment, 9 Local Air Supply Unit
 * No. 54 Squadron RAF (Spitfire)

United States Army Air Forces
 * 13th Air Force
 * 42nd Bombardment Group (Medium) (B-25)
 * 69, 70, 75, 100, 390 Bombardment Squadrons (Palawan Island)
 * 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24)
 * 23, 31, 72, 394 Bombardment Squadrons (Samar Island)
 * 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24)
 * 370, 371, 372, 424 Bombardment Squadrons (Morotai Island)
 * 868 Bombardment Squadron (SB-24, LAB: Low Altitude radar Bomb.) flew maritime surveillance patrols
 * 18th Fighter Group (P-38)
 * 12, 44, 70 Fighter Squadrons (Zamboanga)
 * 347th Fighter Group (P-38)
 * 67, 68, 339 Fighter Squadrons (Palawan Island)
 * 419 Night Fighter Squadron (P-61) (Zamboanga and Palawan)
 * 4th Reconnaissance Group (F-5 and B-25)
 * 17 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron Det. (Palawan Island)
 * 5th Air Force
 * 22nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24)
 * 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) (B-25)
 * 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24)
 * 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24)

United States Marine Corps
 * Marine Aircraft Group 2 (flying from the USN escort carriers)
 * VMF-512 (FG-1D)
 * VMTB-143 (TBM-3)

United States Navy
 * Fleet Air Wing 17 (Palawan Island)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 128 (VPB-128) (PV-1)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 106 (VPB-106) (PB4Y-2)
 * Patrol Bombing Squadron 111 (VPB-111) (PB4Y-2)
 * Navy Escort Carrier Group 40 (CVEG-40) on carrier Suwannee
 * Fighting Squadron 40 (VF-40) (F6F-5)
 * Torpedo Squadron 40 (VT-40) (TBM-3)

Naval forces

 * Attack Group 78.2
 * Transports: 	1 AGC USS Wasatch, 1 CGC, 3 LSI (HMAS Manoora, HMAS Westralia, HMAS Kanimbla), 1 AKA (USS Titania), 1 LSD (USS Carter Hall), 5 APD, 1 LCF(F), 22 LSM, 35 LST, 16 LCI(L), 2 PC, 3 SC
 * Close Support: 10 LCS(L), 8 LCI(R), 6 LCI(R), 3 LCI(M)
 * Screen: 10 Destroyers (USS Robinson, Saufley, Waller, Philip, Bailey, Frazier, Flusser, Drayton, Conyngham, Smith), 5 Destroyer Escorts (USS Chaffee, L.E. Thomas, E.A.Howard, J. Rutherford, Key), 1 Frigate (HMAS Gascoyne)
 * Minesweeping Group: 1 APD, 5 AM, 12 YMS, 1 LSM
 * Service, Salvage and miscellaneous units


 * Covering Group 74.2
 * Heavy Cruiser: HMAS Shropshire (from 27 June)
 * Light Cruisers: US Ships Montpelier (from 15 June), Denver (from 15 June), Columbia (from 23 June), Cleveland (30 June - 1st? July), Phoenix (4–6 July), Nashville  (4–6 July), HMAS Hobart  (from 27 June), HNLMS Tromp (From 19 June)
 * Destroyers: 4 from 15 June, 7 from 27 June.
 * High Speed transport: USS Schmidt (from 23 June)


 * United States Navy Escort Carrier Group 78.4: (from 1–3 July)
 * Escort Carriers: US Ships Suwannee, Block Island, Gilbert Islands
 * Destroyers: USS Helm
 * Destroyer escorts: USS Mitchell, Donaldson, Cloues, Lamons and Kyne


 * 8 USN PT boats arrived with the tender USS Mobjack on 27 June, and this force was expanded to two PT boat squadrons (10 and 27) on 6 July.

Japanese Units

 * 22nd Base Force
 * 455th Independent Infantry Bn