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South West Pacific Area (SWPA) was the name given to the Allied
Allies of World War II

The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers of World War II during the World War II. Within the ranks of the Allies powers, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America were known as "The Big Three"....
 supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II
South West Pacific theatre of World War II

The South West Pacific was one of two Theater s of World War II in the Pacific region, between 1942 and 1945. The South West Pacific theatre included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies , Borneo, Australia, the Australian Territory of New Guinea , the western part of the Solomon Islands and some neighbouring territories....
. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres
Pacific War

The Pacific War was the part of World War II?and preceding conflicts?that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, between July 7, 1937 and August 14, 1945....
 of World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, during 1942-45
1945

Year 1945 was a common year starting on Monday . It is most widely known for being the year in which World War II ended. It is also known as the beginning of the Information Age....
. SWPA included the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
, the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies

The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, was the Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II.It was formed from the nationalised colony of the former Dutch East India Company that came under the administration of the Netherlands in 1800....
 (excluding Sumatra
Sumatra

Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the list of islands by area in the world ....
), Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, the Territory of New Guinea
New Guinea

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the List of islands by area, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the last glacial period....
 (including the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago

The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and part of Papua New Guinea....
), the western part of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands

For the group of islands rather than the nation, see Solomon Islands .The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands....
 and some neighbouring territories.






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Pacific Theater Areas;map1
South West Pacific Area (SWPA) was the name given to the Allied
Allies of World War II

The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers of World War II during the World War II. Within the ranks of the Allies powers, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America were known as "The Big Three"....
 supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II
South West Pacific theatre of World War II

The South West Pacific was one of two Theater s of World War II in the Pacific region, between 1942 and 1945. The South West Pacific theatre included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies , Borneo, Australia, the Australian Territory of New Guinea , the western part of the Solomon Islands and some neighbouring territories....
. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres
Pacific War

The Pacific War was the part of World War II?and preceding conflicts?that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, between July 7, 1937 and August 14, 1945....
 of World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, during 1942-45
1945

Year 1945 was a common year starting on Monday . It is most widely known for being the year in which World War II ended. It is also known as the beginning of the Information Age....
. SWPA included the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
, the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies

The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, was the Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II.It was formed from the nationalised colony of the former Dutch East India Company that came under the administration of the Netherlands in 1800....
 (excluding Sumatra
Sumatra

Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the list of islands by area in the world ....
), Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, the Territory of New Guinea
New Guinea

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the List of islands by area, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the last glacial period....
 (including the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago

The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and part of Papua New Guinea....
), the western part of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands

For the group of islands rather than the nation, see Solomon Islands .The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands....
 and some neighbouring territories. The supreme commander, General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Order of the Bath was an United States General officer, United Nations general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army....
, was in charge of primarily United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and Australian forces. Dutch
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
, Filipino, British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and other Allied forces also served in the SWPA.

Origins

The name "South West Pacific Area" appears to have originated in British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 military circles in 1941, purely in reference to British forces under the short-lived American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
American-British-Dutch-Australian Command

File:ABDACOM Map.jpg The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, code name ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in early 1942, during the Pacific War in World War II....
 (ABDA). The rapid Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
ese advance through the Dutch East Indies effectively divided the "ABDA Area" in two, and in late February 1942, ABDA was wound up at the recommendation of its commander, the British General Archibald Wavell, who — as Commander in Chief in India — retained responsibility for Allied operations in Burma
Burma Campaign

The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II of World War II was fought primarily between Commonwealth of Nations, China and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, the Burmese Independence Army and the Indian National Army....
 and Sumatra
Sumatra

Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the list of islands by area in the world ....
 (which fell to the Japanese on 28 March 1942), and against Japanese held Singapore
Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country microstate located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands....
, Malaya
British Malaya

British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula that were colonized by the United Kingdom from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century....
 and Thailand
Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
.

On March 24 1942, the newly-formed British-US Combined Chiefs of Staff
Combined Chiefs of Staff

The Combined Chiefs of Staff was the supreme military command for the western Allies during World War II. It was a body constituted from the British Chiefs of Staff Committee and the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff....
 issued a directive designating the Pacific theater an area of American strategic responsibility. Six days later the US Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a group of military leaders in the United States armed forces who advise the civilian government of the United States....
 (JCS) divided the Pacific theater into three areas: the Pacific Ocean Areas (POA), the Southwest Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area

South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allies of World War II supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II....
 (SWPA), and the Southeast Pacific Area. Therefore most of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 and its islands fell under a separate Allied command, Pacific Ocean Areas
Pacific Ocean Areas

Pacific Ocean Areas was the major Allies military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War, and one of two United States commands in the Pacific Theater of Operations....
, headed by US Admiral Chester Nimitz
Chester Nimitz

Fleet Admiral Chester William Nimitz, United States Navy, Order of the Bath was an admiral in the United States Navy. He held the dual command of Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet , for U.S....
.

Curtinmacarthur
The Allied commander in the Philippines, General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Order of the Bath was an United States General officer, United Nations general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army....
 was elevated to the post of Supreme Commander Southwest Pacific Area, although he preferred to use the more conventional title of Commander in Chief
Commander-in-Chief

A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function....
 (CinC). As the Japanese surrounded US and Filipino
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
 forces in the Philippines, MacArthur was ordered by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to leave his headquarters on Corregidor
Corregidor

Corregidor is an island in the entrance of the Philippines' Manila Bay. Due to its position in the bay, it has served as a focal point for the naval defenses of the capital city of Manila....
, and to relocate to Melbourne, Australia.

On April 17, the Australian government, led by Prime Minister
Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of Cabinet in the Executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician....
 John Curtin
John Curtin

John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician and 14th Prime Minister of Australia, led Australia when the Australian mainland came under direct military threat during the Japanese advance in World War II....
, directed Australian personnel to treat orders from MacArthur as equivalent its own. In fact, for most of 1942 and 1943, MacArthur commanded more Australian than U.S. personnel. He also commanded some Dutch forces which had retreated to Australia. Some British, New Zealand
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous Islands of New Zealand, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands....
 and other national forces also came under MacArthur's command.

One result of the division of the Pacific theatre
Pacific Theatre

Theatre may refer to:* Pacific War, the part of World War II fought in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and East Asia between 1937 and 1945* Pacific Theater of Operations, a United States Navy command during the Pacific War...
 into two separate Allied/U.S. commands was that each competed for scarce resources in an economy-of-force theater, and each was headed by a commander in chief (CinC) from a different service. In particular, the division of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands

For the group of islands rather than the nation, see Solomon Islands .The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands....
 caused problems, since the battles of the Solomon Islands campaign
Solomon Islands campaign

The Solomon Islands campaign was a major military campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Empire of Japan landings and occupation of several areas in the Solomon Islands and Bougainville Island, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942....
 in 1942–1943 ranged over the whole region, with the main Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
ese bases in SWPA and the main Allied bases in POA.

Command

Although MacArthur had been ordered by Roosevelt to appoint as many Australian and Dutch officers to senior positions as possible, most of his immediate staff was made up of US Army officers who had served under him in the Philippines. In July, MacArthur moved his general headquarters (GHQ) north, to Brisbane, Australia. GHQ subsequently moved to Hollandia
Jayapura

Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....
 in August 1944, Leyte
Leyte

Leyte is a Provinces of the Philippines of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Regions of the Philippines. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island....
 in October 1944, and Manila
Manila

The 'City of Manila' , or simply 'Manila', is the Capital of the Philippines and one of the 17 cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila....
 in April 1945.

The Australian Army
Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force....
 CinC, General Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey

Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey, Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order, Efficiency Decoration was an Australian General of the World War II and the first, and to date only, Australian to attain the rank of Field Marshal ....
, was appointed Commander, Allied Land Forces. In practice, however, MacArthur preferred to control land operations himself, through "task forces", the most important of which were New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force

New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, territory of Papua and territory of New Guinea troops in Papua or in New Guinea during World War II....
, formed in 1942, and Alamo Force, formed in 1943, around which was built the U.S. Sixth Army
U.S. Sixth Army

The Sixth United States Army was a field army of the United States Army. It was activated in January 1943, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger....
. On the arrival of this formation in SWPA in February 1943, MacArthur revived U.S. Army Forces Far East
U.S. Army Forces Far East

USAFFE included the Philippine Department, Military History of the Philippines , and the U.S. Far East Air Force. USAFFE Headquarters was created on July 26, 1941, at No.1, Calle Victoria, Manila, Luzon, Philippines, with Douglas MacArthur as commander....
 (USAFFE) as an administrative command. The result was that Blamey did not command of the vast majority of U.S. land forces in the theatre after that time, although his post was not abolished.

Vice Admiral Herbert F. Leary, was appointed Commander, Allied Naval Forces. Leary, was succeeded by Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender
Arthur S. Carpender

Arthur Schuyler Carpender was an USA Vice admiral during World War II commanding US Navy in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II.A direct descendant of Wolphert Gerretse, was born to John Neilson Carpender and Anna Neilson Kemp on October 24, 1884....
, who also became commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet when it was formed on March 15, 1943. They were junior in rank to both the Australian Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Sir Guy Royle, and the Dutch naval commander, Vice Admiral Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich
Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich

Admiral Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich, Order of the Netherlands Lion, Order of the Bath of the Royal Netherlands Navy was a leading Dutch naval figure of World War II....
. However, Royle agreed to serve under the Allied Naval Forces as commander of the Southwest Pacific Sea Frontier (Australian coastal waters). MacArthur was not the superior of his U.S. Navy commanders — they were answerable to Admiral Ernest King
Ernest King

Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King Order of the Bath was Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II....
, the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet
United States Fleet

The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. Initially the abbreviation CINCUS, pronounced as "sink us", was used for Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, officially replaced by COMINCH in December 1941....
, and MacArthur was embarrassed when the Navy Department
United States Department of the Navy

The United States Department of the Navy was established by an Act of Congress on April 30, 1798, to provide administrative and technical support, and civilian leadership to the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps ....
 replaced Carpenter with Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid
Thomas C. Kinkaid

Thomas Cassin Kinkaid was an admiral of the United States Navy during World War II. He was Commander Allied Naval Forces in the South West Pacific Area during 1943 ? 45 and concurrently commanded the US 7th Fleet....
 without informing him or consulting the Australian government.

In early 1944, MacArthur declined a suggestion, from Australian leaders, that the Australian I Corps be used in the forthcoming campaign to re-take the Philippines, in its own area of responsibility. MacArthur suggested instead that one Australian division be used, but this was not accepted.

In September 1944, MacArthur discarded the task force concept for the land forces, and assumed direct control of the U.S. Sixth Army
U.S. Sixth Army

The Sixth United States Army was a field army of the United States Army. It was activated in January 1943, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger....
, U.S. Eighth Army
U.S. Eighth Army

The Eighth United States Army—often unofficially abbreviated EUSA— is the commanding formation of all United States Army troops in South Korea....
, Australian First Army
Australian First Army

The name First Army was applied to at least two different Australian Army formations during World War II, both of them associated with Lt Gen. John Lavarack....
, Australian I Corps
Australian I Corps

I Corps of the Australian Army was the main frontline corps of the army during World War II. Various Australian and other Allies of World War II division came under its control at various times....
 and U.S. XIV Corps.

Lieutenant General George Kenney
George Kenney

George Churchill Kenney was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. He was commander of the Allies of World War II air forces in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II from August 1942 until 1945....
 commanded the Allied Air Forces. Initially, he combined this with command of the U.S. Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force

Fifth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force, part of Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
. When the U.S. Thirteenth Air Force
Thirteenth Air Force

Thirteenth Air Force is a United States Air Force "Component-Numbered Air Force" and warfighting headquarters in Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii....
 was transferred from the South Pacific Area in 1944, he created the U.S. Far East Air Force
Far East Air Force

Far East Air Force may refer to:* Far East Air Force * Far East Air Force ...
 to control them both. Kenney consolidated Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF began in March 1912 as the Australian Flying Corps and became a fully independent Air Force in March 1921....
 (RAAF) units under his command into the RAAF Command under Air Vice Marshal William Bostock
William Bostock

Air Vice Marshal William Dowling Bostock Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order, Order of the British Empire was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force....
. The RAAF Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)

Air Marshal Sir George Jones Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Distinguished Flying Cross was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force ....
, was outside Kenney's command. A controversy erupted in May 1943 when Jones removed all RAAF air transport units from Kenney's control. An appeal from MacArthur to Prime Minister Curtin failed to get them back and the result was that Jones, Royle and Blamey were ordered to provide GHQ with detailed lists of units assigned to SWPA, which in the case of the land forces, had often been ambiguous.

Forces from the SWPA were to have made up a significant proportion of the Allied units set aside for the proposed invasion of Japan
Operation Downfall

Operation Downfall was the overall Allies of World War II plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Surrender of Japan following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Nagasaki, and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan....
, scheduled to take place from November 1945.

Major campaigns in the theatre

  • Philippines campaign, 1942
    Battle of the Philippines (1941-42)

    The Battle of the Philippines was the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941?42 and the defense of the islands by Filipino people and United States forces....
  • New Guinea campaign
    New Guinea campaign

    The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. The island of New Guinea was split between the Australian League of Nations Mandate Territory of New Guinea , the Territory of Papua , and Dutch New Guinea....
    , 1942-45
  • Philippines campaign, 1944-45
  • Borneo campaign, 1945


Command structure (combat units)

Ranks cited are those on assumption of each position.
General
General

A General officer is an Officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is just called general....
 Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Order of the Bath was an United States General officer, United Nations general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army....
, Philippine Army
Philippine Army

The Philippine Army is the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino language is Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas....
/U.S. Army, Supreme Commander (1942-45)
  • Lieutenant General George Brett
    George Brett (military)

    George Howard Brett, , was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. An Early Birds of Aviation, Brett served as a staff officer in World War I....
    , Deputy Commander & Commander of Allied Air Forces (until August 4, 1942; not replaced)
  • Staff officers (all U.S. Army)
    • Major General
      Major General

      Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General....
       Richard K. Sutherland
      Richard K. Sutherland

      Richard Kerens Sutherland was a Lieutenant general of the United States Army and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's Chief of staff in the South West Pacific Area during World War II....
       (Chief of Staff)
      • Brigadier General
        Brigadier General

        Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General.The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a brigadier general, or simply a brigadier, would command a brigade in the field....
         Richard J. Marshall (Deputy Chief of Staff)

US Army Forces Far East (1941-1945)

  • Lieutenant General
    Lieutenant General

    Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
     Jonathan M. Wainwright     (U.S. Army), Wainwright held the position until the Allied surrender on May 6, 1942, after which it was vacant.

Allied Land Forces (1942-45)

Australian Army
Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force....
 officers, except where stated.
  • General
    General

    A General officer is an Officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is just called general....
     Sir Thomas Blamey
    Thomas Blamey

    Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey, Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order, Efficiency Decoration was an Australian General of the World War II and the first, and to date only, Australian to attain the rank of Field Marshal ....
    , Allied Land Forces

New Guinea Force (1942-44)
    • Major General Basil Morris (May 19, 1941 to July 31, 1942)
    • Lieutenant General
      Lieutenant General

      Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
       Sydney Rowell
      Sydney Rowell

      Lieutenant General Sir Sydney Fairbairn Rowell Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Companion of the Order of the Bath, Royal College of Defence Studies, Staff College, Camberley was an Australian soldier who served as Chief of Army from 17 April 1950 to 15 December 1954....
       (August 1, 1942 to September 23, 1942)
    • General Sir Thomas Blamey (in direct command) (September 23, 1942 to October 1, 1943)
    • Lieutenant General Edmund Herring
      Edmund Herring

      Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Francis Herring Order of St Michael and St George, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, Efficiency Decoration, Queen's Counsel was an Australian Army officer during World War II, Lieutenant governor of Victoria , and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria....
       (October 1, 1942 to January 29, 1943)
    • Lieutenant General Sir Iven Mackay
      Iven Giffard Mackay

      Lieutenant General Sir Iven Giffard Mackay Order of the British Empire, Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Distinguished Service Order Medal bar, Volunteer Decoration was a prominent Australian Army....
       (acting) (January 30, 1943 to May 21, 1943)
    • Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring (May 23, 1943 to August 28, 1943)
    • General Sir Thomas Blamey
      Thomas Blamey

      Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey, Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order, Efficiency Decoration was an Australian General of the World War II and the first, and to date only, Australian to attain the rank of Field Marshal ....
       (in direct command) (August 28, 1943 to September 23, 1943)
    • Lieutenant General Sir Iven Mackay, (September 23, 1943 to January 20, 1944)
    • Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead
      Leslie Morshead

      Lieutenant General Sir Leslie James Morshead Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Distinguished Service Order, Efficiency Decoration was an Australian soldier with a distinguished career in both world wars....
       (January 20, 1944 to May 5, 1944)
    • Lieutenant General Stanley Savige
      Stanley Savige

      Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, Efficiency Decoration , was a highly decorated soldier of the First Australian Imperial Force in World War I....
       (May 6, 1944 to October 1, 1944)


Australian First Army (1942-45)
    • Lieutenant General John Lavarack
      John Lavarack

      Lieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack Order of St Michael and St George, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order was an Australian soldier who was Governor of Queensland from 1 October 1946 to 4 December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that state....
      , (1942 - 1944)
    • Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee
      Vernon Sturdee

      Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order , served two terms as Chief of Army , from 14 August 1940 to 9 September 1942, and from 1 December 1945 until his retirement on 16 April 1950....
      , (1944 - 1945)


Australian Second Army (1942-45)
    • Lieutenant General Sir Iven Mackay, (1942 - 1944)
    • Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead, (1944 - 1945)
    • Major General Herbert Lloyd, (1945)


U.S. Sixth Army (1943-45)

  • Lieutenant General Walter Krueger
    Walter Krueger

    Walter Krueger was a Germany-United States soldier and General officer in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his command of the Sixth United States Army in the South West Pacific Area during World War II....
    , U.S. Sixth Army
    U.S. Sixth Army

    The Sixth United States Army was a field army of the United States Army. It was activated in January 1943, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger....
     (a.k.a. Alamo Force, in theatre from June 1, 1943 to September, 1944)

U.S. Eighth Army (1944-45)

  • Lieutenant General Robert Eichelberger, U.S. Eighth Army
    U.S. Eighth Army

    The Eighth United States Army—often unofficially abbreviated EUSA— is the commanding formation of all United States Army troops in South Korea....
     (formed 1944)


Allied Air Forces

United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. The direct precursor to the United States Air Force, its peak size was over 2.4 million men and women in service and nearly 80,000 aircraft in 1944, and 783 domestic bases in December 1943....
 officers, except where stated.
  • Lieutenant General George Brett, Allied Air Forces (until August 4, 1942)
  • Lieutenant General George Kenney
    George Kenney

    George Churchill Kenney was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. He was commander of the Allies of World War II air forces in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II from August 1942 until 1945....
    , Allied Air Forces (from August 4, 1942)


1942-44
U.S. Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force

Fifth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force, part of Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
  • Controlled Allied air operations in the Northeastern Area (New Guinea, including islands)
    • Lieutenant General C. Kenney


RAAF Command
  • Controlled Allied air operations in the Northwestern Area (Australia and the Dutch East Indies).
    • Air Vice Marshal William Bostock
      William Bostock

      Air Vice Marshal William Dowling Bostock Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order, Order of the British Empire was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force....
      , Royal Australian Air Force
      Royal Australian Air Force

      The Royal Australian Air Force is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF began in March 1912 as the Australian Flying Corps and became a fully independent Air Force in March 1921....
      .


1944-45
U.S. Far East Air Force
Far East Air Force

Far East Air Force may refer to:* Far East Air Force * Far East Air Force ...

Philippines area and southern islands of Japan.
Lieutenant General George Kenney
  • U.S. Fifth Air Force
Major General Ennis Whitehead
Ennis Whitehead

Ennis Clement Whitehead was an early United States Army aviator and a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. Whitehead joined the U....
  • U.S. Thirteenth Air Force
    Thirteenth Air Force

    Thirteenth Air Force is a United States Air Force "Component-Numbered Air Force" and warfighting headquarters in Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii....
     (from Pacific Ocean Areas)
Lieutenant General Hubert R. Harmon
Hubert R. Harmon

Lieutenant General Hubert Reilly Harmon , after a distinguished combat career in World War II, was instrumental in developing plans for the establishment of the United States Air Force Academy....
 (1944)
Major General St. Clair Streett (1944-45)
Major General Paul B. Wurtsmith (1945)
  • U.S. Seventh Air Force
    Seventh Air Force

    The Seventh Air Force is a United States Air Force Numbered Air Force under Pacific Air Forces. 7 AF, as Air Forces Korea, is also the air component of United States Forces Korea and also supports U.S....
          (from POA, mid-1945)
Major General Thomas D. White
Thomas D. White

General Thomas Dresser White was the fourth Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.White was born in Walker, Minnesota, in 1902. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy on July 2, 1920, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and immediately promoted to First Lieutenant....


RAAF Command
Allied operations in Australia, Dutch East Indies and the Territory of New Guinea.
Air Vice Marshal William Bostock

Allied Naval Forces

U.S. Navy officers, except where stated.
  • Vice Admiral Herbert F. Leary, Allied Naval Forces, April 20, 1942-September 11, 1942
  • Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender
    Arthur S. Carpender

    Arthur Schuyler Carpender was an USA Vice admiral during World War II commanding US Navy in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II.A direct descendant of Wolphert Gerretse, was born to John Neilson Carpender and Anna Neilson Kemp on October 24, 1884....
    , Allied Naval Forces, February 19, 1943-November 26, 1943; and Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, (from March 15, 1943)
  • Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid
    Thomas C. Kinkaid

    Thomas Cassin Kinkaid was an admiral of the United States Navy during World War II. He was Commander Allied Naval Forces in the South West Pacific Area during 1943 ? 45 and concurrently commanded the US 7th Fleet....
    , November 26, 1943-September 2, 1945; and Commander U.S. 7th Fleet
Southwest Pacific Sea Frontier
  • Australian coastal waters
    • Admiral
      Admiral

      Admiral is the military rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above Vice Admiral and below Admiral of the Fleet/Fleet Admiral....
       Guy Royle (Royal Navy
      Royal Navy

      The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
      )


See also

  • U.S. I Corps
    U.S. I Corps

    I Corps is one of three corps elements of the United States Army with headquarters in Fort Lewis, Washington. The I Corps serves under the U.S....
  • Australian I Corps
    Australian I Corps

    I Corps of the Australian Army was the main frontline corps of the army during World War II. Various Australian and other Allies of World War II division came under its control at various times....
  • Australian II Corps
    Australian II Corps

    The Australian II Corps was an Australian Army corps. II Corps was established in early 1942 to command Australian Army units deployed to protect the Sydney region and later commanded operational units in New Guinea, Bougainville Province and New Britain....
  • Maroubra Force
    Maroubra Force

    Maroubra Force was the name given to the Australian infantry force that defended Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from the Empire of Japan, and was invloved in the Kokoda Track Campaign of the Pacific War, World War II....
  • Australian First Tactical Air Force
    Australian First Tactical Air Force

    The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on October 25, 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force to provide fighter aircraft and close air support support to Allied army and navy forces, fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II ....


External links