The First Fleet was a numbered fleet of the United States Navy, in operation from January 1947 to 1 February 1973 in the western Pacific Ocean as part of the Pacific Fleet. In 1973, it was disestablished and its duties assumed by the United States Third Fleet. Vice Admiral

Alfred Montgomery Vice Admiral Alfred Eugene Montgomery (12 June 1891 – 15 December 1961) was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he participated in operations in the Mexican wa ...

was named as Commander, First Task Fleet, in an air station report of July 1947, with an inspection visit by a group of senior officers. The old cruiser was sunk as an atomic bomb test target during First Task Fleet maneuvers in May 1948. became the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...

of Vice Admiral Gerald Bogan (Commander First Task Fleet) on 25 March 1949. served as flagship for Commander First Fleet early in 1949 for three weeks of amphibious operations in Alaskan waters to evaluate cold weather equipment. served as flagship for Commander, First Fleet, from January 1960 to March 1963. served as flagship in San Diego from 1969 until April 1972, except for yard overhaul in 1970 when assumed the role. On 17 November 2020, Secretary of the Navy

Kenneth Braithwaite Kenneth John Braithwaite II (born 1960) is an American politician, diplomat, businessman and naval officer who served as the 77th secretary of the Navy from May 29, 2020, to January 20, 2021 in the Donald Trump administration. Prior to that, he s ...

announced the intention to create a new numbered fleet for the Indian Ocean to be called First Fleet. SECNAV Braithwaite speculated that the new fleet could be headquartered in Singapore or Western Australia.

Structure, First Fleet, 1 May 1945

* Commander First Fleet, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Cincpac * Commander Battleship Squadron One Vice Admiral

Jesse B. Oldendorf Jesse Barrett "Oley" Oldendorf (16 February 1887 – 27 April 1974) was an admiral in the United States Navy, famous for defeating a Japanese force in the Battle of Leyte Gulf during World War II. He also served as commander of the American naval ...

* Commander Battleship Squadron Two Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr. * Commander Cruisers, Pacific Fleet Rear Admiral

Walden L. Ainsworth Walden Lee "Pug" Ainsworth (November 10, 1886 – August 7, 1960) was an admiral of the United States Navy. For his role in commanding destroyer and cruiser task forces in the Pacific during World War II, he was awarded the Navy Cross (United St ...

* Commander, Air Force, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral George D. Murray * Commander Destroyers, Pacific Fleet Rear Admiral

* Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral

Charles A. Lockwood Charles Andrews Lockwood (May 6, 1890 – June 6, 1967) was a vice-admiral and flag officer of the United States Navy. He is known in submarine history as the commander of ComSubPac, Submarine Force Pacific Fleet during World War II. He devised ...

* Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner * Commander Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons, Pacific Fleet Capt.

Richard W. Bates Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

* Commander

Minecraft, Pacific Fleet U.S. Navy type commands perform administrative, personnel, and operational training functions in the United States Navy for a "type" of weapon system (e.g., naval aviation, submarine warfare, surface warships) within a fleet organization. Aircraf ...

Rear Admiral

Alexander Sharp Jr. Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Ale ...

* Commander

Service Force, Pacific Fleet Service Force, United States Pacific Fleet, usually known as COMSERVPAC, was a service support command of the United States Pacific Fleet from 1942 until 1973. It was the reincarnation of the former Base Force. The Service Force comprised the suppl ...

Vice Admiral

William W. Smith William W. Smith may refer to: * William W. Smith (admiral) (1888–1966), United States Navy admiral during World War II * William W. Smith (Arkansas judge) (1838–1888), justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court * William Watson Smith (1892–?), W ...

*Commander Fleet Operational Training Command, Pacific Rear Admiral Francis C. Denebrink *Commander South Pacific Force and South Pacific Area Vice Admiral William L. Calhoun **Chief of Staff Commodore R. P. Class **Commander Service Squadron, South Pacific Force Rear Admiral

Paul Hendren Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

***Chief of Staff Captain F. Close The first ten squadrons and commanders are those of the U.S. Navy type commands in the Pacific Fleet active at the time.

Commanders

The Navy website says, regarding this list of commanders, that "..This position was originally titled Commander, Central Pacific Force. On 26 April 1944 it was renamed Commander, Fifth Fleet. It then became Commander, First Task Fleet on 1 January 1947. It was subsequently renamed First Fleet on 11 February 1950. The Command was combined with ASW Forces Pacific and became Third Fleet as of 1 February 1973." *Admiral

Raymond A. Spruance Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. He commanded U.S. naval forces during one of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle ...

(5 August 1943 – 8 November 1945) (Central Pacific Force and Fifth Fleet) *Admiral

John H. Towers John Henry Towers CBE (January 30, 1885 – April 30, 1955) was a highly decorated United States Navy four-star Admiral and pioneer naval aviator. He made important contributions to the technical and organizational development of naval aviation ...

(8 November 1945 – 18 January 1946) (Fifth Fleet) *Admiral Frederick C. Sherman (18 January – 3 September 1946) (Fifth Fleet) *Admiral

Alfred E. Montgomery Vice Admiral Alfred Eugene Montgomery (12 June 1891 – 15 December 1961) was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he participated in operations in the Mexican wa ...

(5 September 1946 – 14 August 1947) (Fifth Fleet and First Task Fleet) *Vice Admiral George D. Murray (14 August 1947 August 1948) (First Task Fleet) *Vice Admiral

Laurance T. DuBose Laurance Toombs DuBose (May 21, 1893 – July 11, 1967) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of four-star Admiral. A veteran of several conflicts, including both World Wars, he distinguished himself several time ...

(August 1948 8 January 1949) (First Task Fleet) *Vice Admiral

Gerald F. Bogan Gerald Francis Bogan (July 27, 1894June 8, 1973) was a United States Navy aviator and vice admiral who served in World War I and II. Biography Gerald Francis Bogan was born July 27, 1894, in Mackinac Island, Michigan to Dr. James H. Bogan (186 ...

(8 January 1949 – 1 February 1950) (First Task Fleet) *Vice Admiral

Thomas L. Sprague Thomas Lamison Sprague (October 2, 1894 – September 17, 1972) was a Vice admiral (United States), vice admiral of the United States Navy, who served during World War II as commander of the aircraft carrier and took part in the battles of Batt ...

(1 February March 1950) (First Task Fleet and First Fleet) *Vice Admiral

Calvin T. Durgin Calvin Thornton Durgin (January 7, 1893 – March 25, 1965) was a vice admiral who served in the U.S. Navy from 1916 until 1951. He served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air in 1949. Biography Calvin T. Durgin was born in Palmyra, New ...

(March 1950 – 15 February 1951) (First Fleet) *Vice Admiral

Harold M. Martin Harold Montgomery Martin (January 28, 1896 – December 3, 1972) was an American naval aviator, commanding officer at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and vice admiral in the United States Navy. After reaching the rank of vice admiral in 1951, Martin se ...

(15 February 28 March 1951) *Vice Admiral

Arthur D. Struble Arthur Dewey Struble (June 28, 1894 – May 1, 1983) was a United States admiral who served in World War II and the Korean War. Biography Struble was born in Portland, Oregon. Following graduation from high school in Portland, he entered the ...

(28 March 1951 – 24 March 1952) *Vice Admiral

Joseph J. Clark Admiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN (November 12, 1893 – July 13, 1971) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. Born and raised in Indian Territory (which later became part of Oklaho ...

(24 March – 20 May 1952) *Vice Admiral Ingolf N. Kiland (20 May – 16 July 1952) *Vice Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie (16 July 1952 – 23 February 1953) *Vice Admiral

(23 February – 1 October 1953) *Vice Admiral William K. Phillips (1 October 1953 – 1 August 1955) *Vice Admiral

Herbert G. Hopwood Admiral Herbert Gladstone Hopwood (November 23, 1898 – September 15, 1966) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet from 1958 to 1960. Early career Born in Shamokin, Pe ...

(1 August 1955 – 18 June 1956) *Vice Admiral

Robert L. Dennison Admiral Robert Lee Dennison (April 13, 1901 – March 14, 1980) was an American naval officer and aide to President Harry Truman. Early life Dennison was born in Warren, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1923. He ...

(18 June 1956 – 23 July 1958) *Vice Admiral Ruthven F. Libby (23 July 1958 – 30 April 1960) *Vice Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp Jr. (30 April – 14 July 1960) *Vice Admiral

Charles L. Melson Charles Leroy Melson (25 May 1904 – 14 September 1981) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War, command of the United States First Fleet and of the United State ...

(14 July 1960 – 12 April 1962) *Vice Admiral Frank Virden (12 April – 5 May 1962) *Vice Admiral Robert T. Keith (5 May 1962 – 11 December 1963) *Vice Admiral

Paul D. Stroop Vice Admiral Paul David Stroop (30 October 1904 – 17 May 1995) was an officer of the United States Navy and a Naval Aviator. He held numerous high-ranking staff positions in aviation from the 1930s onward, including World War II service on th ...

(5 May 1962 – 25 January 1964) *Vice Admiral

Ephraim P. Holmes Ephraim Paul Holmes (May 14, 1908 – February 23, 1997) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic from 1967 to 1970. Early career Born i ...

(25 January – 18 July 1964) *Vice Admiral

Lawson P. Ramage Lawson Paterson "Red" Ramage (19 January 1909 – 15 April 1990) was a Vice admiral (United States), vice admiral in the United States Navy and a noted submarine commander during World War II. Ramage was decorated with the Medal of Honor and sev ...

(18 July 1964 – 29 July 1966) *Vice Admiral

Bernard F. Roeder Bernard Franklin Roeder (February 4, 1911 – September 3, 1971) was a decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral, who held many important assignments, including commander in chief of United States First Fleet and ...

(29 July 1966 – 30 September 1969) *Vice Admiral

Isaac C. Kidd Jr. Isaac Campbell Kidd Jr. (August 14, 1919 – June 27, 1999) was an American admiral in the United States Navy who served as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO's Atlantic Fleet, and also as commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet from 19 ...

(30 September 1969 – 1 August 1970) *Vice Admiral Raymond E. Peet (1 August 1970 – 15 May 1972) *Vice Admiral Nels B. Johnson (15 May – 17 July 1972) *Vice Admiral

James F. Calvert James Francis Calvert (September 8, 1920 – June 3, 2009) served in the United States Navy, where he commanded , the third nuclear submarine commissioned and the second submarine to reach the North Pole, which became the first to surface at th ...

(17 July 1972 – 30 January 1973)

References

External links

*http://www.kadiak.org/navy/1947apr_jun.txt *http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/dafs/AV/av13-history.html (USS Salisbury Sound) *http://members.tripod.com/~USS_Helena_CA75/helena1.html (USS Helena) *http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-m/hm-martn.htm (Naval Historical Center) {{Authority control 01 01