The 5th Kure Special Naval Landing Force (5th Kure SNLF) was a naval infantry battalion of the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

Special Naval Landing Forces The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF; ja, 海軍特別陸戦隊, Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai) were naval infantry units of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and were a part of the IJN Land Forces. They saw extensive service in the Second Sino ...

. The unit was formed at the

Kure Naval District was the second of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the Seto Inland Sea, Inland Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coasts of southern Honshū from Wakayama prefecture, Wakayam ...

on May 1st 1942, in anticipation for the Battle of Midway. Following the IJN's defeat at Midway, part of the 5th Kure SNLF participated as one of the main landing forces in

battle of Milne Bay The Battle of Milne Bay (25 August – 7 September 1942), also known as Operation RE or the Battle of Rabi (ラビの戦い) by the Japanese, was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese marines, known as ''Kaigun Tokubet ...

. The unit survived the battle, albeit with considerable casualties and was disbanded shortly afterwards.

Commanders

*Commander Shojiro Hayashi

Citations

References

Military units and formations of Japan in World War II Special Landing Forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy {{Japan-mil-stub