Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

vice admiral, who leads the Naval Surface Force,

United States Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor� ...

. The commander is also designated as commander, Naval Surface Force (COMNAVSURFOR), a "dual hat", who serves as the Navy's Lead for the Surface Warfare Enterprise. From 1978 to 1987, and probably later, the headquarters has been located at

Naval Amphibious Base Coronado Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB Coronado) is a US naval installation located across the bay from San Diego, California. The base, situated on the Silver Strand, between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is a major Navy shore command, su ...

Coronado, California Coronado ( Spanish for "Crowned") is a resort city located in San Diego County, California, United States, across the San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego. It was founded in the 1880s and incorporated in 1890. Its population was 24,697 at the ...

History

The command was commissioned in March 1975. The first commander was Vice Admiral Robert Samuel Salzer. Under his command the consolidation of all Cruisers, Destroyers (previously under

COMDESPAC {{Short description, Defunct American naval command of the 1940s Destroyer Force, United States Pacific Fleet, usually known as COMDESPAC, was a type command of the United States Pacific Fleet from 1940 until the Destroyer Force was combined with Cr ...

), Frigates (in Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Pacific), Amphibious (

ComPhibPac ComPhibPac, also seen as COMPHIBPAC, was the official U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest a ...

), Mine Force (previously including Mine Squadron 7, disestablished in 1968), Pacific Fleet, Service Force Ships, Tenders and Repair Ships (in Service Force, Pacific Fleet ( ComServPac)), Naval Special Warfare Forces ( SEALS), and Amphibious warfare schools of the Pacific Fleet, was commenced. On 7 June 1975 Vice Admiral Emmett H. Tidd assumed Command of the Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet. During this period, the final consolidation took place. When the task of consolidating the Naval Surface Forces, Pacific Fleet was completed, Admiral Tidd requested retirement. After over 33 years of service, he was retired from the Navy in August 1976 with the permanent rank of vice admiral. On behalf of the President of the United States, he was awarded a Second Gold Star in lieu of the Third Award of the Distinguished Service Medal, "For exceptionally meritorious service ... ." At that time, the Naval Surface Force of the Pacific Fleet consisted of 183 ships and over 55,000 personnel. In 1978, according to ''Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet'', Eleventh Edition, the command comprised Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1 (with Destroyer Squadrons 5, 13, and 23), Cruiser-Destroyer Group 3 ( Destroyer Squadron 7, Destroyer Squadrons 17 and 27), Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5 (Destroyer Squadrons 9, 21, 31, and 37 (NRF)), Surface Group Western Pacific at

Naval Base Subic Bay Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was 262 square miles, about the size of Singapore. Th ...

, with

Destroyer Squadron 15 Destroyer Squadron 15 is a squadron of United States Navy ''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyers based at Yokosuka, Japan. History Destroyer Squadron Fifteen was founded in 1920 as a reserve fleet unit. The squadron was disestablished in 1922 and ...

subordinate but based at

Yokosuka is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city ...

, Japan, Surface Group Middle Pacific in Hawaii with Destroyer Squadrons 25, 33, 35, and Service Squadron 5, Amphibious Group 1/

Task Force 76 Expeditionary Strike Group SEVEN/Task Force 76 (Amphibious Force U.S. SEVENTH Fleet) is a United States Navy task force. It is part of the United States Seventh Fleet and the USN's only permanently forward-deployed expeditionary strike grou ...

in Okinawa, Amphibious Group Eastern Pacific, with its headquarters and Amphibious Squadrons 1, 3, 5, and 7 all in San Diego, Naval Special Warfare Group 1,

Mine Squadron 5 Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to: Extraction or digging *Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging *Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine Grammar *Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun Mi ...

(NRF) with Mine Divisions 51, 52, 53, and 54 (all NRF), and

Service Group 1 Service may refer to: Activities * Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a p ...

at Oakland, CA., with Service Squadrons 1 and 3 at San Diego and Vallejo, respectively. By 1984, SurfPac had four destroyer tenders (ADs), one repair ship (AR), and one battleship (seemingly ) reporting directly to it, and Surface Squadron 1 had been established at

Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporated ...

, CA. Surface Squadron 1 was a mix: it comprised one salvage ship (ARS), 3 ATF, 1 AVM, two frigates, 1 LKA, and 1 LST. Cruiser-Destroyer Groups 1, 3, 5 still directed multiple squadrons, though Service Group 1 had only a single subordinate squadron, Service Squadron 3 headquartered at Vallejo, comprising seven ammunition ships.

List of commanders

* VADM Robert S. Salzer, March 1975 – June 1975 * VADM Emmett H. Tidd, June 1975 – July 1976 * VADM William R. St. George, July 1976 – May 1979 * VADM Lee Baggett Jr., May 1979 – July 1982 * VADM Harry C. Schrader Jr., July 1982 – July 1985 * VADM George W. Davis Jr., July 1985 – August 1988 * VADM Robert K. U. Kihune, August 1988 – December 1990 * VADM David M. Bennett, December 1990 – November 1992 * CAPT Wirt R. Fladd (Interim), November 1992 – April 1993 * VADM David B. Robinson, April 1993 – June 1996 * VADM Alexander J. Krekich, June 1996 – August 1998 * VADM Edward Moore Jr., August 1998 – May 2001 * VADM Timothy W. LaFleur, May 2001 – March 2005 * VADM Terrance T. Etnyre, March 2005 – February 2008 * RADM Kevin M. Quinn (Interim), February 2008 – March 2008 * VADM Derwood C. Curtis, March 2008 – June 2011 * VADM Richard W. Hunt, June 2011 - July 2012 * VADM Thomas H. Copeman III, July 2012 - August 2014 * VADM Thomas S. Rowden, August 2014 – January 2018 * VADM Richard A. Brown, January 2018 – August 2020 * VADM Roy I. Kitchener, August 2020 – Present

Previous commanders, Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet

The Amphibious Force was formerly known as commander, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet (ComPhibPac). On 7 December 1941 the post was filled by Marine Major General William P. Upshur. Amphibious Forces, PacFlt comprised the Army's 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, under Army operational control, the

2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina a ...

, the

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for t ...

, the 2nd Defense Battalion (see

Marine defense battalions Marine Defense Battalions were United States Marine Corps battalions charged with coastal and air defense of advanced naval bases during World War II. They maintained large anti-ship guns, anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and small arms to rep ...

), and a depot. One of PhibPac's subordinate commands during World War II was Transports, Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet, or TransPhibPac. The commander of TransPhibPac was known as ComTransPhibPac. Vice Admiral Wilson Brown was appointed commander of the amphibious forces in the Pacific (ComPhibPac) on 10 April 1942.{{Cite encyclopedia , title=Brown, Wilson, Jr. (1882-1959) , url=http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/B/r/Brown_Wilson_Jr.htm , encyclopedia=The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia , author= Kent G. Budge , accessdate=4 August 2010 On March 8, 1944, Vice Admiral

Richmond K. Turner Admiral (United States), Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner (May 27, 1885 – February 12, 1961), commonly known as Admiral Kelly Turner, served in the United States Navy during World War II, and is best known for commanding the Amphibious Force, Pa ...

reported to the Commander-in-Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet, as Commander Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.U.S. Pacific Fleet
Transport Doctrine, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet
September 1944, via HyperWar. Vice Admiral Turner's orders as Commander FIFTH Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet remained in force on his assumption of the higher command. On June 1, 1944, the Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, were reconstituted by the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet and Vice Admiral Turner assigned additional duty as TYPE COMMANDER for all Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The AMPHIBIOUS Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet consisted of Transports-Assault (APA), Cargo Vessels-Assault (AKA), Transports (AP), Cargo Vessels (AK), Civilian Manned Transports (XAP), and Cargo Vessels (XAK), Landing Ship Vehicles (LSV), Landing Ship Docks (LSD), Landing Ship Tanks (LST), Patrol and Special Craft (PCS, SC, LCC), Landing Craft (LSM, LCI(L), LCI(G), LCT(6), LCT(5), APc), Landing Boats, Training Commands, and Amphibious Operating, Repair and Training bases. These Forces were designated TASK Force Thirteen. Subordinate Commanders of the Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet are as follows: * Commander Amphibious Group ONE, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group TWO, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group THREE, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group FOUR, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group FIVE, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group SIX, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group SEVEN, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Amphibious Group TWELVE, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander Support Aircraft * Commander, Training Command, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Commander, Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet * Transport Squadron Commanders * Transport Division Commanders The Commander Support Aircraft is placed by the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, under the control of Commander Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, for administration and training. When needed for operations and upon request by Commander Amphibious Forces, Commander Support Aircraft reports to Commander THIRD or FIFTH Amphibious Force for Operation Control. Office space is provided at Amphibious Force Headquarters. This post was disestablished in 1975 and its functions were passed on to Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet. * 1948–1950: RADM Bertram J. Rodgers * 1950–1950: RADM Peter K. Fischler * 1950–1953: VADM Ingolf N. Kiland * 1953–1954: VADM William M. Callaghan * 1954–1956: VADM Thomas G. W. Settle * 1956–1958: VADM Carl F. Espe * 1958–1960: VADM John Sylvester * 1960–1963: VADM Howard A. Yeager * 1963–1964: VADM Ephraim P. Holmes * 1964–1965: VADM John B. Colwell * 1965–1966: VADM Bernard F. Roeder * 1966–1968: VADM Francis J. Blouin * 1968–1970: VADM John V. Smith * 1970–1972: VADM Nels C. Johnson * 1972–1975: VADM Robert S. Salzer

References

External links

U.S. Naval Institute, "Navy Stands Up Surface Development Squadron for DDG-1000, Unmanned Experimentation"
*Commander, Naval Surface Force Type commands of the United States Navy Military units and formations established in 1975 1975 establishments in the United States