South Seas Force

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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.

[edit] Structure

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.