The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a
theater-level component command of the
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 ...
, located in the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
. It provides naval forces to the
Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (JBPHH) is a United States military base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. It is Joint Base, an amalgamation of the United States Air Force's Hickam Air Force Base and the United States Navy's Naval Station Pearl ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, with large secondary facilities at
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
Origins
A Pacific Fleet was created in 1907 when the
Asiatic Squadron
The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron were primarily invo ...
and the
Pacific Squadron
The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval s ...
were combined. In 1910, the ships of the First Squadron were organized back into a separate
Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...
. The General Order 94 of 6 December 1922 organized the
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The acronym CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. This was replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 ...
, with the
Battle Force
The United States Battle Fleet or Battle Force was part of the organization of the United States Navy from 1922 to 1941.
The General Order of 6 December 1922 organized the United States Fleet, with the Battle Fleet as the Pacific presence. This f ...
as the Pacific presence. Until May 1940, the Battle Force was stationed on the
West Coast of the United States
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S ...
. Headquarters, battleships, aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers were stationed
at San Pedro close to the
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
The Long Beach Naval Shipyard (Long Beach NSY or LBNSY), which closed in 1997, was located on Terminal Island between the city of Long Beach and the San Pedro district of Los Angeles, approximately 23 miles south of the Los Angeles International ...
. Light cruisers, destroyers and submarines were stationed at
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
.
During the summer of that year, as part of the U.S. response to
Japanese expansionism
refers to the ideology in the Empire of Japan which advocates the belief that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and the belief that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation.
Histo ...
, it was instructed to take an "advanced" position at
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
, Hawaii. Long term basing at Pearl Harbor was so strongly opposed by the commander, Admiral
James O. Richardson
James Otto Richardson (18 September 1878 – 2 May 1974) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served from 1902 to 1947.
As commander in chief of the United States Fleet (CinCUS), Richardson protested the redeployment of the Pacific portio ...
, that he personally protested in
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. Political considerations were thought sufficiently important that he was relieved by Admiral
Husband E. Kimmel
Husband Edward Kimmel (February 26, 1882 – May 14, 1968) was a United States Navy four-star admiral who was the commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was removed fr ...
, who was in command at the time of
the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Pacific Fleet was formally recreated on 1 February 1941, when General Order 143 split the United States Fleet into separate Atlantic, Pacific, and
Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...
s.
Composition of the Pacific Fleet in December 1941
![USS Pennsy BB-38 1934](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/USS_Pennsy_BB-38_1934.jpg)
On 7 December, the Fleet consisted of the Battle Force,
Scouting Force
The Scouting Fleet was created in 1922 as part of a major, post-World War I reorganization of the United States Navy. The Atlantic and Pacific fleets, which comprised a significant portion of the ships in the United States Navy, were combined into ...
, Base Force, Amphibious Force (
ComPhibPac), Cruiser Force (
COMCRUPAC), Destroyer Force (
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 ...
), and the Submarine Force (
COMSUBPAC
Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) is the principal advisor to the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet ( COMPACFLT) for submarine matters. The Pacific Submarine Force (SUBPAC) includes attack, ballistic missile and au ...
). Also in Hawaii was the
Fourteenth Naval District, commanded by Rear Admiral
Claude C. Bloch.
*United States Pacific Fleet – Commander:
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
Husband E. Kimmel
Husband Edward Kimmel (February 26, 1882 – May 14, 1968) was a United States Navy four-star admiral who was the commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was removed fr ...
(Flagship: USS ''Pennsylvania'')
**
Fourteenth Naval District – Commander:
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
Claude C. Bloch
**Battle Force, Pacific Fleet – Commander:
Vice Admiral William S. Pye
Vice Admiral William Satterlee Pye (9 June 1880 – 4 May 1959) was a U.S. Navy officer who served during World War I and World War II, but never saw combat action. His last active-duty appointment was as President of the Naval War College, in ...
(Flagship: USS ''California'')
***
Battleships, Battle Force (made up of three
Battleship Divisions) – Commander:
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
Walter S. Anderson (Flagship: USS ''West Virginia'')
***
Aircraft, Battle Force (made up of two Carrier Divisions) – Commander: Vice Admiral
William F. Halsey Jr. (Flagship: USS ''Enterprise'')
***Cruisers, Battle Force (made up of two Cruiser Divisions) – Commander: Rear Admiral
Herbert F. Leary
Herbert Fairfax Leary (May 31, 1885 – December 3, 1957) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. A son of Rear Admiral Richard P. Leary, he distinguished himself during World War I while on the st ...
(Flagship: USS ''Honolulu'')
***Destroyers, Battle Force (made up of two Destroyer Flotillas) – Commander: Rear Admiral Milo F. Draemel (Flagship: )
**Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet – Commander: Vice Admiral
Wilson Brown (Flagship: USS ''Indianapolis'')
***Cruisers, Scouting Force (made up of three Cruiser Divisions) – Commander: Rear Admiral John H. Newton (Flagship: USS ''Chicago'')
***Aircraft, Scouting Force (made up of three Patrol Wings) – Commander: Rear Admiral
John S. McCain Sr.
John Sidney "Slew" McCain (August 9, 1884 – September 6, 1945) was a United States Navy, U.S. Navy Admiral (United States), admiral and the patriarch of the McCain military family. McCain held several command assignments during the Pacific War, ...
(Flagship: )
***Submarines, Scouting Force (made up of five Submarine Squadrons) – Commander: Rear Admiral Thomas Withers (Flagship: N/A)
§ = Divisional flagship
Battle Force, Pacific Fleet
Battleships, Battle Force
*Battleship Division 1 (Rear Admiral
Isaac C. Kidd)
**
** §
**
*Battleship Division 2 (Rear Admiral
David W. Bagley)
** §
**
**
*Battleship Division 4 (Rear Admiral
Walter S. Anderson)
**
**
** §
These nine battleships were intended to counterbalance the ten battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy. At the time of the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, was in dry dock undergoing maintenance, and was in the midst of a refit at
Bremerton Navy Yard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, officially Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres (0.7 km2) on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington in uninterrupted ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
.
Aircraft, Battle Force
*
Carrier Division 1 (Rear Admiral
Aubrey W. Fitch
Aubrey Wray Fitch (June 11, 1883 – May 22, 1978) was an admiral of the United States Navy during World War II. A naval aviator, he held important aviation-related commands both at sea and on shore from the 1920s onward. He also served a ...
)
**
** §
*
Carrier Division 2 (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.)
** §
When the attack took place, all three carriers were absent – ''Saratoga'' was in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
collecting her air group following a major refit, ''Enterprise'' was en route back to Hawaii following a mission to deliver aircraft to
Wake Island
Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of To ...
, while ''Lexington'' had just departed on a similar mission to
Midway.
Cruisers, Battle Force
*Cruiser Division 3 (Rear Admiral Abel T. Bidwell)
**
**
** §
*Cruiser Division 9 (Rear Admiral
Herbert F. Leary
Herbert Fairfax Leary (May 31, 1885 – December 3, 1957) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. A son of Rear Admiral Richard P. Leary, he distinguished himself during World War I while on the st ...
)
** §
**
**
**
**
Destroyers, Battle Force
Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet
Cruisers, Scouting Force
*Cruiser Division 4 (Rear Admiral John H. Newton)
** §
**
**
*Cruiser Division 5 (Rear Admiral
Raymond A. Spruance)
**
** §
**
*Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Admiral
Frank J. Fletcher
Frank Jack Fletcher (April 29, 1885 – April 25, 1973) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. Fletcher commanded five different Task force#United States Navy, task forces through WWII; he was the ...
)
** §
**
**
**
Submarines, Scouting Force
*
Submarine Squadron 2 Submarine Squadron Two (SUBRON 2) was a United States Navy submarine squadron based at Groton, Connecticut.
History
Submarine Squadron 2 started World War II at Mariveles Naval Section Base in the Philippines as part of the United States Asiatic F ...
**Submarine Division 21
**Submarine Division 22
*
Submarine Squadron 4
**Submarine Division 41
**Submarine Division 42
**Submarine Division 43
*
Submarine Squadron 6
**Submarine Division 61
**Submarine Division 62
*
Submarine Squadron 8 A submarine squadron (SUBRON) is a naval formation or unit in such states such as the United Kingdom, United States, and Russia/Soviet Union. In France the equivalent unit is the ' (ESNA), part of the French submarine forces (and before the Second ...
**Submarine Division 81
**Submarine Division 82
*
Submarine Squadron 10
**Submarine Division 101
**Submarine Division 102
Aircraft, Scouting Force
*Patrol Wing 1
**
VP-11
Patrol Squadron 11 (VP-11), nicknamed ''Proud Pegasus'', was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 15 May 1952 and was disestablished on 2 August 1997. It was the fourth squadron to ...
**
VP-12
Patrol Squadron One (VP-1), established 15 February 1943, is an active aviation squadron of the United States Navy operating the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft from its home port at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, United States. The ...
**
VP-14
*Patrol Wing 2
**
VP-21
VP-21 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 7-B (VP-7B) on 23 July 1929, redesignated Patrol Squadron 7-F (VP-7F) on 1 July 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 7 (VP-7) on 1 October 1937, redesigna ...
**
VP-22
VP-22 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 4D-14 (VP-4D14) on 15 September 1928, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-B (VP-4B) on 21 January 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 4-F (VP-4F) on 17 July 1 ...
**
VP-23
VP-23, Patrol Squadron 23, known as the ''Seahawks'', was a U.S. Navy fixed-wing, anti-submarine and maritime Patrol Squadron based at Brunswick Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Maine, United States. It was established as Weather Reconnaissance Squa ...
**
VP-24
*Patrol Wing 4
**
VP-41
**
VP-42
VP-42 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 22 (VP-22) on 7 April 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 22 (VPB-22) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 22 (VP-22) on 15 May 1946, r ...
Other elements of the Pacific Fleet
The Amphibious Force was formally known as Commander, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet (
ComPhibPac). On 7 December 1941 the Amphibious Force 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 ...
, 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 the ...
, 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 repe ...
), 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. In addition to the ships assigned directly to the Pacific Fleet, Destroyer Division 80, consisting of the destroyers , , and , was assigned directly to the Fourteenth Naval District for the defence of the base and the fleet.
In December 1941, the fleet consisted of nine
battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1880s to describe a type of ...
s, three
aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
s, 12
heavy cruisers, eight
light cruisers
A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to thi ...
, 50
destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
s, 33
submarine
A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
s, and 100
patrol bomber
A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol rol ...
s. This was approximately the fleet's strength at the time of the
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
attack on Pearl Harbor. That day, the Japanese
Combined Fleet
The was the main sea-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Until 1933, the Combined Fleet was not a permanent organization, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units norm ...
carried out the attack on Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in the Pacific. The Pacific Fleet's
Battle Line
The line of battle is a tactic in naval warfare in which a fleet of ships forms a line end to end. The first example of its use as a tactic is disputed—it has been variously claimed for dates ranging from 1502 to 1652. Line-of-battle tacti ...
took the brunt of the attack, with two battleships destroyed, two salvageable but requiring lengthy reconstruction, and four more lightly to moderately damaged, forcing the U.S. Navy to rely primarily on aircraft carriers and submarines for many months afterward.
Subsequently, Pacific Fleet engagements during World War II included the
Battle of Guam, the
Marshalls-Gilberts raids, the
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japan ...
, the
Solomon Islands campaign
The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, du ...
, the
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia. Taking place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, the batt ...
, the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under Adm ...
, the
Battle of the Eastern Solomons
The naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons (also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands and, in Japanese sources, as the Second Battle of the Solomon Sea) took place on 24–25 August 1942, and was the third carrier battle of the Pacific ca ...
, the
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, fought during 25–27 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or Third Battle of Solomon Sea, in Japan as the Battle of the South Pacific ( ''Minamitaiheiyō kaisen''), was the fourt ...
, the
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19–20, 1944) was a major naval battle of World War II that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invas ...
, the
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
The Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign were a series of battles fought from August 1942 through February 1944, in the Pacific theatre of World War II between the United States and Japan. They were the first steps of the drive across the cent ...
, the
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf ( fil, Labanan sa golpo ng Leyte, lit=Battle of Leyte gulf; ) was the largest naval battle of World War II and by some criteria the largest naval battle in history, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved. It was fou ...
, and the
Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
. More minor battles included the
Battle of Dutch Harbor
The Battle of Dutch Harbor took place on June 3–4, 1942, when the Imperial Japanese Navy launched two aircraft carrier raids on the Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base and U.S. Army Fort Mears at Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island, during the Aleu ...
. The Submarine Force began a sustained campaign of
commerce raiding
Commerce raiding (french: guerre de course, "war of the chase"; german: Handelskrieg, "trade war") is a form of naval warfare used to destroy or disrupt logistics of the enemy on the open sea by attacking its merchant shipping, rather than enga ...
against Japan's
merchant marine, beginning the first day of the war, which ultimately claimed 1,314 ships totalling about 5.3 million tons (by the imperfect postwar reckoning of the
Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
, JANAC). The
West Loch disaster occurred at Pearl Harbor on 21 May 1944.
Post-1945
The Pacific Fleet took part in
Operation Magic Carpet
Operation Magic Carpet was the post-World War II operation by the War Shipping Administration to repatriate over eight million American military personnel from the European, Pacific, and Asian theaters. Hundreds of Liberty ships, Victory ships ...
, the return of U.S. servicemen, after the end of the Second World War.
The organization of the Pacific Fleet in January 1947 is shown in Hal M. Friedman's ''Arguing over the American Lake: Bureaucracy and Rivalry in the U.S. Pacific, 1945–1947.''
Since 1950 the Pacific Fleet has been involved in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the two
Taiwan Straits Crises The Taiwan Strait Crises refers to conflicts involving the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China.
* The First Taiwan Strait Crisis (1954–1955)
* The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis (1958)
* The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
The T ...
, and a number of other operations including the
''Mayaguez'' Incident of 1975, as well as post-Vietnam related operations such as
Operation New Arrivals Operation New Arrivals (April 29 – September 16, 1975) was the relocation of 130,000 Vietnamese refugees from Pacific island staging areas to the United States.
Following the South-Vietnamese evacuation during the Fall of Saigon, Operation N ...
. The
RIMPAC
RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the exception of 2020 where it was held i ...
exercise series began in 1971.
On 7 March 1984, the Secretaries of Transportation and Navy signed a Memorandum of Agreement which created the Maritime Defense Zones (MDZ). The Pacific MDZ is an echelon three Navy command under the Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet. The Pacific MDZ has responsibility for coastal defense up to around the U.S. West Coast, Aleutian Islands, and Hawaii during times of hostility. On 1 October 1990, Commander
U.S. Naval Forces Alaska (COMUSNAVAK) was established as the Naval Component Commander to Commander,
Alaskan Command
The Alaskan Command (ALCOM) is a joint subordinate unified command of the United States Northern Command, responsible for operations in and around the State of Alaska. Alaskan Command is charged with maintaining air sovereignty, deploying force ...
(COMALCOM). Since its inception, COMUSNAVAK has grown to become responsible for coordinating all Navy activity in the Alaska and Aleutian area, for detailed planning and coordination for the Naval portion of the Joint and Combined
Exercise Northern Edge
Exercise Northern Edge is Alaska's premier Military exercise, military joint training exercise.
Alaskan Command (ALCOM) uses expansive Alaskan training ranges to conduct this joint training operation.
History Jack Frost (1975-1979)
Norther ...
, and coordinates high-visibility U.S. Navy ship visits throughout Alaska in support of public relations and recruiting initiatives.
The very large
PACEX 89 in the North Pacific involved the USN, Canadian Navy,
Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force
, abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...
, and ROK Navy. At the end of Exercise PACEX '89 a 54-ship formation was assembled for photos. It included the flagship, , the Battle Group, the Battle Group, two battleship surface action groups formed around and , and a
Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force
, abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...
task force. ''Missouri'' and ''New Jersey'' performed a simultaneous gunfire demonstration for the aircraft carriers and during PACEX. The highlight of PacEx for ''Missouri'' was a port visit in
Pusan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
,
Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
.
Other operations undertaken since include participation in the Alaskan Oil Spill Joint Task Force, including participation of Commander, Amphibious Group Three, as deputy CJTF. This was the defence response to the
''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill of March 1989. Also, the Pacific Fleet was involved in Joint Task Force Philippines during the December 1989 coup attempt there, which involved two carrier battle groups, USS ''Midway'' and USS ''Enterprise''-with their associated air wings operating in the Philippine Sea, chopped to JTF Philippines. During the operations, the carriers maintained deck alerts and 24-hour coverage of Manila with E-2C aircraft.
Around 10 September 1990, and visited
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
. This marked the first
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 ...
visit to the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
's Pacific port of Vladivostok since before World War II. Before the visit was completed, the crew received word that their Pacific cruise was canceled. They returned to Long Beach and joined the Battle Group preparing to deploy to the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
.
During
Operation Fiery Vigil
Operation Fiery Vigil was the Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) emergency evacuation of all non-essential military and U.S. Department of Defense civilian personnel and their dependents from Clark Air Base and U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay ...
in June 1991, the following vessels and groups participated in the sealift phase of the evacuation: the ''Abraham Lincoln'' battle group (COMCARGRU 3 embarked): , , , , , , , Amphibious Ready Group Alpha (COMPHIBRON 3 embarked): , , , , and a large number of other vessels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
USNS ''Passumpsic'', , , , . (CNA, 1994, 113) Further operations included JTF Marianas (August–September 1992) and JTF Hawaii (September–October 1992).
Other contingency operation after 1991 included
Operation Sea Angel
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
(Bangladesh relief) (led by Commander
III Marine Expeditionary Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and ...
),
Operation Eastern Exit
Operation Eastern Exit was the codename given to the military evacuation of the United States embassy in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in January 1991. In late December 1990, violence quickly enveloped the city as armed militants began cl ...
, and involvement in the
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War ( so, Dagaalkii Sokeeye ee Soomaaliya; ar, الحرب الأهلية الصومالية ) is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the Military dictatorship, military junta wh ...
– 'Restore Hope'. During 'Restore Hope,' Navy command arrangements underwent a number of changes during the operation. At the start, the principal naval forces were the ''Ranger'' battle group (with Commander,
Carrier Group One embarked on as Commander, Naval Forces), the ''Kitty Hawk'' battle group, an amphibious task unit including , , , and MV ''Lummus'', and three ships from MPSRON TWO (MV ''Anderson'', MV ''Bonnyman'', and MV ''Phillips''). Other events led to the departure of the carriers and, as a result, Commander, Naval Forces responsibilities devolved first to Commander, Carrier Group Three, on ''Kitty Hawk'', and thence to Commander, Amphibious Group Three. Finally Commander,
Amphibious Squadron 3 became COMNAVFOR on 15 January with the departure of COMPHIGRU THREE after the completion of the MPF offload. (CNA, 1994, 168)
In 1995 Pacific Fleet surface ships were reshuffled.
Kitsap Sun
The ''Kitsap Sun'' is a daily newspaper published in Bremerton, Washington, United States. It covers general news and serves Kitsap, Jefferson, and Mason counties on the west side of Puget Sound. It has a circulation of about 30,000 while reac ...
Pacific Fleet Changes
July 25, 1995 Effective 1 October 1995, the U.S. Pacific Fleet's surface ships were to be reorganized into six core battle groups and eight destroyer squadrons. Permanent core battle groups were to include a battle group commander, aircraft carrier, carrier air wing and at least two cruisers.
* Commander
Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1/USS ''Constellation'' Battle Group: and
* ComCruDesGru 3/USS ''Carl Vinson'' Battle Group: , and
* ComCruDesGru 5/USS ''Kitty Hawk'' Battle Group: and
* Commander Carrier Group 7 (ComCarGru 7)/USS ''Nimitz'' Battle Group: and
* ComCar Gru 3/USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' Battle Group: and
* Commander
Carrier Group Five/USS ''Independence'' Battle Group: and
Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific
Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is a United States Navy vice admiral, who leads the Naval Surface Force, United States Pacific Fleet. The commander is also designated as commander, Naval Surface Force (COMNAVSURFOR), a "du ...
:
*
Destroyer Squadron 1
Destroyer Squadron ONE, also known as ''Destroyer Squadron 1'' and often abbreviated at '' DESRON ONE'' or ''DESRON 1'', is a squadron of warships of the United States Navy. It is an operational component of Carrier Strike Group One and is adminis ...
: , , , , , , and
*
Destroyer Squadron 5
In navy, naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a Naval fleet, fleet, convoy or Carrier battle group, battle group and defend them against powerful short range attack ...
: , , , ,
*
Destroyer Squadron 7
Destroyer Squadron 7 (DesRon 7) is a Destroyer Squadron, naval unit of the United States Navy stationed in Singapore. It is assigned to the United States Seventh Fleet.
Command history
1920-1922
Destroyer Squadron 7 (DesRon 7) was first establi ...
: , , , and
*
Destroyer Squadron 9
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
: , , , , and
*
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 an ...
: , , , , , and
*
Destroyer Squadron 21
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger a ...
: , , , , and
*
Destroyer Squadron 23
Destroyer Squadron 23 (DESRON 23) is a squadron of United States Navy destroyers based out of San Diego, California. The squadron is best known for its actions during World War II, most notably the Battle of Cape St. George, under the command of ...
: , , , , and
*
Destroyer Squadron 31
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in 1 ...
: , , and
In 1996 two carrier battle groups were sent to the Taiwan area during the
Third Taiwan Straits Crisis. Later ships of the Pacific Fleet, notably , a , provided support to the entry of
INTERFET
The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was a multinational non-United Nations peacemaking task force, organised and led by Australia in accordance with United Nations resolutions to address the humanitarian and security crisis that took ...
in
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
in 1999.
Between 25 and 27 March 2006,
Carrier Strike Group Nine
Carrier Strike Group 9 (CSG-9 or CARSTRKGRU 9) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore. Commander Carrier Strike Group 9 (COMCARSTRKGRU 9 or CCSG 9) is res ...
participated in a series of anti-submarine warfare exercises (ASW) in Hawaiian waters while en route to the
U.S. Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of th ...
's area of responsibility. In addition to the strike group, the exercise also included the nuclear-powered attack submarines , , , , and , as well as land-based
P-3 Orion aircraft from Commander
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 2 A Patrol Wing (PatWing) was a United States Navy aviation unit with the commander of a Patrol Wing known as the Commodore, the ComPatWing or COMPATWING. From 1 November 1942 to 30 June 1973 Patrol Wings were designated "Fleet Air Wings". On 26 Mar ...
and associated patrol squadrons
VP-4
Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron based at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington, which is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance ...
,
VP-9
Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) is a U.S. Navy patrol squadron with its homeport located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. As of 2018, VP-9 is part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific.
The squadron was establ ...
, and
VP-47
Patrol Squadron 47 (VP-47), also known as "The Golden Swordsmen", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington (USA), attached to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10. The squadron curr ...
.
As of 2011, the Pacific Fleet has authority over:
*numbered
Third
Third or 3rd may refer to:
Numbers
* 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3
* , a fraction of one third
* Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute''
Places
* 3rd Street (d ...
and
Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of ...
s
*
Naval Air Force, Pacific
Commander, Naval Air Forces ( COMNAVAIRFOR, and CNAF; and dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific, and COMNAVAIRPAC) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for all United States Navy naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in Admini ...
*
Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific
Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is a United States Navy vice admiral, who leads the Naval Surface Force, United States Pacific Fleet. The commander is also designated as commander, Naval Surface Force (COMNAVSURFOR), a "du ...
;
*
Naval Submarine Force, Pacific
Naval shore commands over which USPACFLT has authority:
*
Commander Naval Forces Korea
U.S. Naval Forces Korea is a major shore command of the United States Navy that serves as the shore support agency for all U.S. Naval activity in South Korea. Known by the initials "CNFK", an abbreviation of the address format of the unit ("Comm ...
*
Commander Naval Forces Japan
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
*
Commander Naval Forces Marianas
Commander Naval Forces Marianas, also known as COMNAVMARIANAS, is the Navy force shore commander responsible for United States Navy activities in Guam, Saipan, Tinian and the surrounding islands, and is an Rear Admiral. COMNAVMARIANAS is current ...
Commanders
See also
*
List of units of the United States Navy
This article is a list of commands of the United States Navy.
The list is organized along administrative chains of command (CoC), and does not include the CNO's office or shore establishments.
Deployable/operational U.S. Navy units typically ...
*
History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
*
Military history of the United States
*
Pacific Partnership
Pacific Partnership is an annual deployment of forces from the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy (USN), in cooperation with regional governments and military forces, along with humanitarian and non-government organizations.
The deploymen ...
*
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Stat ...
*
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of th ...
Notes
References
External links
Official sitePacific Fleet Center-Long Beach (Campaign to permanently berth the retired in
Long Beach, CA
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 ...
)
Silent Service – Submarine Warfare in WWII (Rare Footage)
{{Authority control
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
Military units and formations established in 1907
Military history of the Pacific Ocean
1907 establishments in the United States