| CinC, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Operation Plan No. 29-42. | May 27, 1942 | |
| Cincpac file A16-3/(16) Serial 0114 W. S E C R E T |
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET, PEARL HARBOR, T. H., 1800, 27 May 1942. REG. NO. |
Operation Plan
No. 29-42
TASK ORGANIZATION
(a) Striking Forces - Senior striking force commander in MIDWAY
Area.
Task Force SIXTEEN - Rear Admiral Spruance
ENTERPRISE, HORNET 2 CV
NORTHAMPTON, VINCENNES, PENSACOLA,
MINNEAPOLIS, NEW ORLEANS 5 CA
ATLANTA 1 CL
Desron One, less HULL, McDONOUGH,
FARRAGUT, DALE plus CONYNGHAM 1 DL, 5 DD
Desron Six, less CRAVEN, GRIDLEY, McCALL
DUNLAP, FUNNING plus GWIN, MONSSEN 1 DL, 5 DD
Task Force SEVENTEEN - Rear Admiral Fletcher
YORKTOWN 1 CV
ASTORIA, PORTLAND 2 CA
Desron Two, less O'BRIEN, WALKE 6 DD
Task Force ELEVEN - Rear Admiral Fitch
SARATOGA 1 CV
CHESTER 1 CA
SAN DIEGO 1 CL
DALE, FANNING, AARON WARD, DUNLAP, CRAVEN, LAFFEY 6 DD
Oilers
PLATTE, CIMARRON 2 AO
(b) Submarine Force, Task Force SEVEN - Captain English
Midway Patrol
DOLPHIN, GATO, CATTLEFISH, GRENADIER, TAMBOR,
TROUT, GRAYLING, NAUTILUS, GROUPER, GUDGEON,
CACHALOT, FLYING FISH 12 SS
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(b) (Continued)
Support Patrol
Submarines to be designated about 4 SS
(c) Patrol Wings, Task Force NINE - Rear Admiral Bellinger
Patrol planes and tenders in readiness to be
despatched to MIDWAY defense.
(d) Hawaiian Sea Frontier, Task Force FOUR - Rear Admiral Bagley
MIDWAY Local Defenses, Captain Simard
Patrol craft 4 YP, 11 PT
Sixth Marine Defense Battalion reenforced.
Marine Air Group plus aircraft reenforcements
from Patrol Wings and Hawaiian Air Force.
Naval Air Station.
JOHNSTON ISLAND
Patrol planes made available for support for MIDWAY.
ISLANDS PATROLS
YPs with aviation gasoline, food and water stationed
along island chain at following positions: YP 284
at LISIANSKI; YP 290 at LAYSAN; YP 345 at GARDNER'S
PINNACLES; YP 350 at NECKER ISLAND.
(e) Hawaiian Department - Lieutenant General Emmons
Aircraft in readiness to be despatched to MIDWAY defense.
1. Information
(a) The enemy is expected to attempt the capture of
MIDWAY in the near future. For this purpose it is
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Operation Plan
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believed that the enemy will employ approximately the
following: 2-4 fast BB; 4-5 CV; 8-9 CA; 16-24 DD; 8-12
SS; a landing force with seaplane tenders. The attack
on MIDWAY may be preceded or followed by an attack on
OAHU. A special intelligence annex is being supplied to
Task Force Commanders only. The Commander-in-Chief, U.S.
Pacific Fleet will keep Task Force Commanders informed of
all pertinent information before and during the operations,
including complete weather broadcast.
(b) It is estimated that enemy action against MIDWAY with
comprise a full scale attack for its capture and its quick
occupation and use against the Hawaiian Area. Operations
beginning probably as soon as thirty May, are visualized
as follows:
(1) Preliminary reconnaissance by submarines.
(2) Possibly diversionary bombing of positions
including OAHU by patrol planes fueled by
submarines.
(3) High speed approach by carriers.
(4) Preliminary attacks by carrier aircraft begin-
ning at daylight or during moonlight and con-
tinuing for about two days or until defending
air forces have been eliminated. It is thought
that one or more carriers may take up close in
daylight positions for this purpose. It is
estimated a northwesterly bearing will be favored.
The attack would be designed to be so incessant as
to prevent refueling and rearming MIDWAY aircraft.
This attempt may be continued by means of bombard-
ment at night.
(5) Covering of attacking carriers against our surface
forces by additional carrier groups, and fast
battleships.
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(6) Landing attack, probably at night, featured by
usual attempts at infiltration and extreme reso-
lution on the part of the individual enemy soldier.
(7) Employment of incendiary bombs and possibly gas.
(8) If landing attack is successful, immediate
occupation of the island with full base equipment,
aircraft, KTBs, etc.
(9) Covering with concentrations of submarines designed
to intercept our supporting surface forces both in
the MIDWAY area and on some such line as about two
hundred miles west of OAHU.
(10) It is probable that if our carriers are sighted
early in the operations, they will become the
primary object of the enemy carriers.
(c) Task Force ELEVEN will be ready to depart from West
Coast ports on five June, and will be directed to arrive
in the Hawaiian Area as soon as possible. The availability
of Task Force SEVENTEEN as a unit is dependent of the con-
dition of the YORKTOWN. If YORKTOWN is not available, in-
structions will be issued as to employment of remainder of
force. GWIN and MUSTIN are now engaged in escorting between
PEARL and MIDWAY and will join their Task Forces when
released.
(d) Task Force EIGHT composed of 2 CA, 3 CL, 4 DD from the
Fleet plus certain forces normally under the Commander North-western Sea Frontier and certain Army ALASKAN Air Forces are operating in the North Pacific Area against an expected
attack in the ALEUTIANS.
(d) The defenses at MIDWAY have recently been reenforced
to the totals indicated:
Reenforcement Total
16 VP; 7 VF; 18 VSB 16 VP; 27 VF; 36 VSB
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Reenforcement Total
4 - 60mm Mortar; 8 - 60mm Mortar
8 - 37mm AA; 8 - 37mm AA
12 - 3" AA; 24 - 3" AA
4 - 3", 4 - 7", 6 - 5".
Reenforcement of 670 men bringing the total, including
air personnel, to:
Officers Enlisted
6th Defense Battalion 52 1357
3d Defense Battalion 13 379
Raider Companies 9 269
Marine Air Squadron 45 470
Naval Air Squadron 22 372
Net Depot 12
Cable Station 25
Pan American Air 2
Total 141 2886
(f) Additional communication and air operations personnel
are being made available to the Commanding Officer, MIDWAY.
(g) Some of the initial dispositions such as that of the
submarines have been directed by separate directives but are
being repeated herein in order to make this plan of operations
complete
(h) This Plan deals primarily with the expected attack on
MIDWAY - but the deployment herein made is also believed to
promote the security of OAHU.
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2. These forces will hold MIDWAY and will inflict maximum
damage on the enemy by strong attrition tactics.
3. (a) Striking Forces.
(1) Inflict maximum damage on enemy by employing
strong attrition tactics. Do not accept such
decisive action as would be likely to incur
heavy losses in our carriers and cruisers. A
letter of instructions is being furnished separately to striking force commanders.
(2) Operate with Task Forces available initially
to the northeast of MIDWAY commencing thirty May,
in order to seize opportunity to obtain initial
advantage against carriers which are employing
their air groups against MIDWAY.
(3) Initially establish air search in the northwest
sector from MIDWAY to eastward of bearing twenty
degrees true from that place.
(4) Task Force SIXTEEN depart PEARL on twenty-eight
May; other forces join Task Force SIXTEEN as
directed by Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific
Fleet.
(5) Oilers depart in company with Task Force SIXTEEN
and operate as directed by Senior Striking Force
Commander in area of operations.
(b) Submarine Force.
(1) Inflict maximum damage to enemy. Priority of
targets - carriers, battleships, transports,
cruisers, auxiliaries.
MIDWAY Patrol
(2) As soon as available, submarines take stations as
shown on diagram in Annex "A".
(3) When information is received proceed to attack
objectives without regard for area assignment.
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Operation Plan
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(4) Transmit such information as does not interfere
with primary task of attack.
Support Patrol
(5) Take stations on patrol line 045°-225° with center
at Latitude 30-00 N, Long. 169-30 W, distance
thirty miles.
(6) Support striking forces which may be forced to
retire over patrol line.
(c) Patrol Wings.
(1) Despatch patrol planes to MIDWAY and JOHNSTON
as may be directed; to operate under Commanding
Officers of Air Stations of those places.
(2) Station patrol tender at FRENCH FRIGATE SHOAL.
(d) Hawaiian Sea Frontier.
MIDWAY Local Defenses.
(1) Hold MIDWAY.
(2) Aircraft obtain and report early information of
enemy advance by searches to maximum practicable
radius from MIDWAY covering daily the greatest arc
possible whit a number of planes available between
true bearing from MIDWAY clockwise two hundred
degrees dash twenty degrees. Inflict maximum
damage on enemy, particularly carriers, battleships
and transports.
(3) Take every precaution against being destroyed on
the ground or water. Long range aircraft retire
to OAHU when necessary to avoid such destruction.
Patrol planes fuel from AVD at FRENCH FRIGATE SHOAL
if
necessary.
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(4) Patrol craft patrol approaches; exploit favorable
opportunities to attack carriers, battleships,
transports and auxiliaries. Observe KURE and
PEARL and HERMES REEF. Give prompt warning of
approaching enemy forces.
(5) Keep Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and
Commander Hawaiian Sea Frontier fully informed of
of air searches and other air operations; also of
weather encountered by search planes.
Johnston Island
Maintain daily searches with patrol planes in sector
with median 295°.
Island Patrols
Supply gasoline and other assistance to aircraft as
may be required.
(c) Hawaiian Department.
(1) Provide, as directed, a striking force of long
range bombers and torpedo carrying aircraft to
operate under Commanding Officer, MIDWAY.
(2) Hold special long range bombers in readiness at
OAHU-KAUAI Area to strike enemy forces attacking
MIDWAY.
(x)(1) Enemy submarines are not important objectives
and their identification must be positive before
they are attacked. Do not attack submarines in
the areas shown in Annex "A".
(2) Recognition of own forces is vital. As one precau- tion against attack on our striking forces by own
air forces, Commander-in-Chief,
U.S. Pacific Fleet
will inform Task Force Commanders of all air
attacks ordered for shore-based aircraft.
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Operation Plan
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(3) Insure that contact reports are accurate, complete
and prompt.
(4) This Operation Plan effective 1830 GCT twenty-
eight May.
4. Gasoline for aircraft and limited fuel for CAs and smaller
vessels available at MIDWAY. One AVD at FRENCH FRIGATE
SHOAL. Fuel oil at PEARL and in attached oilers.
3. (a) Communications according to PAC SEVENTY except as
follows:
Radio Frequency Plans
Task Forces ELEVEN, SIXTEEN, and SEVENTEEN use radio
frequency plan four.
Oilers guard 4205 Kcs. series.
Task Forces SEVEN and Patrol Planes based MIDWAY and
JOHNSTON guard 4265 kcs. from 0730 to 1830 GCT; 12795
kcs. 1830 to 0730 GCT, primary; 4385 kcs 0730 to 1830
GCT; and 13155 kcs. 1830 to 0730 GCT, secondary.
Army aircraft assigned defense MIDWAY use 4265 primary,
4385 secondary without shift to higher harmonics.
Naval Air Station MIDWAY must guard this.
MIDWAY local defense as assigned by Commander.
All Units: In view of known Japanese practice of
jamming radio frequencies calibrate transmitters
and receivers for secondary frequencies. The use
of NPM primary Fox is available for relay through
NPM or Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, who
guards 4205 kcs. series primary and 4295 ksc. series
secondary.
Authentication
The Japanese are adopt at the practice of deception.
Have authenticators ready for use when needed. Small
craft and aircraft except patrol planes use two alter-
nate letters from the expression:
"Farmer in the dell"
EXAMPLE: RE or EL or NH
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Use of CABLE to MIDWAY
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Radio NPM,
MIDWAY are connected by cable. Use of plain
language over the cable is authorized when speed
is essential. Commandant, Fourteenth Naval District
and Naval Air Station MIDWAY place U.S. Naval
personnel at terminals to supervise operation, and
at MIDWAY to communicate with Naval Air Station
operational center.
Cryptographic Aids.
Naval Air Station MIDWAY, JOHNSTON, and PALMYRA hold
following crypto-channels: 104, 105, 106, 107, 135,
135, 143, 144, 145, 171, 176, 180, and 184.
(b) Use chart 4000-Y extended westward to Longitude
column 01.
(c) Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet at Submarine
Base, PEARL HARBOR, will coordinate operations of
forces assigned in this Plan for the defense of
MIDWAY.
Annexes:
A - Diagram of MIDWAY Submarine Positions.
B - Special Intelligence Annex.
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DISTRIBUTION
Method Address No. Reg. Nos.
(a) Cominch 4 1,2,3,4
(a) Opnav 2 5,6
(b) Comtaskfor 16 for distribution 22 7-28 incl.
(b) Comtaskfor 17 for distribution 11 29-39 incl.
(a) Comtaskfor 11 for distribution 11 40-50 incl.
(b) PLATTE 1 51
(b) CIMARRON 1 52
(b) Comtaskfor 7 2 53,54
(b) Comtaskfor 9 (plus 30 copies
Annex "A") 2 55,56
(b) Comtaskfor 4, (2 for delivery to
MIDWAY Local De-
fenses) 4 57-60 incl.
(b) ComGen. Haw.Dept (plus 30 copies
Annex "A") 2 61,62
File 3 63,64,65
Reserve 20 66-85 incl.
(a) CO JOHNSTON 1 86
(a) Clipper lock box air mail.
(b) Officer messenger.
NOTE: Annex "B" furnished Task Force Commanders only,
i.e., with copies nos.7, 29, 40, 53, 55, 57 & 61.
P. C. CROSLEY,
Flag Secretary.
S E C R E T
ANNEX "A" TO SINCPAC OPERATION PLAN NO. 29-42.
Initial Submarine Patrol Areas.
Note #1. Submarines underlined in red are on station from
daylight May 26, 1942. Other stations will be
taken as soon as the submarines become available.
Note #2. In the area outlined in blue aircraft approach
and bombing of submarines is forbidden. (See
Operation Plan No. 29-42, para. 3(b)).
APPENDIX "1", TO SINCPAC OPERATION PLAN No. 29-42
SECRET
PLAN FOR OILERS
1. CIMARRON and PLATTE are accompanying Task Force Sixteen.
On completion of fueling northeast of MIDWAY about 31 May they
will be released. They will then retire with their destroyer
escorts to the southeast and carry out the following plan:
(a) Pass through Point A in company at 0300 GCT two June.
(b) (1) CIMARRON proceed through points B, C, D, B in that
order, arriving at B at 2000 GCT two June, four June and every
second day thereafter.
(2) PLATTE proceed along the line AD and join Task Force
SEVENTEEN as may be directed by Commander Task Force SEVENTEEN.
If no randezvous is made, proceed ariund the same circuit DBC
arriving at B at 2000 GCT on add days of the month. If PLATTE
is utilized by Task Force SEVENTEEN, proceed thereafter to the
BCD area and adjust position and speed to proceed around the
circuit, arriving at B at 2000 GCT on odd days of the month.
2. Points: A - 31° N, 167° W.
B - 28° N, 167° W.
C - 26° N, 163° W.
D - 29° N, 163° W.
DISTRIBUTION:
Comtaskfor 17
Comtaskfor 11
Comtaskfor 7 (12)
Comtaskfor 9 (5)
P. C. CROSLEY,
Flag Secretary.
| Cincpac File No. |
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET U. S. S. PENNSYLVANIA, Flagship FLAGSHIP OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF |
SECRET
APPENDIX "2" TO SINCPAC OPERATION PLAN 29-42
INITIAL AREAS FOR STRIKING FORCES
1. Task Force SIXTEEN initially operate north of
latitude 32° and west of longitude 173° W.
2. Task Force SEVENTEEN initially operate north of
latitude 32° and east of longitude 173° W.
3. Both task forces during each local forenoon
approach Point "Luck" (Lat. 32 N, Long. 173 W) and
exchange communications by plane if desired.
4. The above is not intended to restrict the opera-
tion of either force in any manner but to avoid having
embarrassing or premature contact made with own forces.
DISTRIBUTION:
Comtaskfor 17 (1)
Comtaskfor 11 (1)
Comtaskfor 7 (1)
Comtaskfor 9 (1)
Comtaskfor 16 (by despatch)
P. C. CROSLEY,
Flag Secretary.
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