United States Pacific Fleet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| United States Pacific Fleet | |
|---|---|
 Logo of the Commander, USPACFLT |
|
| Active | 1907 - present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | US Navy |
| Type | Theater Command |
| Part of | United States Pacific Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Pearl Harbor Naval Base |
| Engagements | World War II Vietnam War Global War on Terrorism |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Robert F. Willard |
| Notable commanders |
Husband E. Kimmel Chester W. Nimitz Raymond A. Spruance |
The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a Pacific Ocean Navy theater-level component command of the United States Navy, under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its homeport is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, commanded by Commander Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT), a full (four-star) admiral. (The term, also used during World War II, was often shown as COMPACFLT as Navy typewriters in the ship's message centers at the time contained only capital letters to lessen the chance for typing or reading errors.) Prior to 24 October 2002, the commander was titled Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT).
A Pacific Fleet was created in 1907 when the Asiatic Squadron and the Pacific Squadron were joined. In 1910, the ships of the First Squadron, were organized back into a separate Asiatic Fleet. The General Order of 6 December 1922 organized the United States Fleet, with the Battle Fleet as the Pacific presence.
The fleet's modern incarnation dates from the splitting of the United States Fleet up into the Atlantic and Pacific fleets prior to World War II.
Until May 1940, this unit was stationed on the west coast of the United States. During the summer of that year, as part of the U.S. response to Japanese expansionism, it was instructed to take an "advanced" position at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Long term basing at Pearl was so strongly opposed by the commander, Admiral James O. Richardson, that he personally protested in Washington. Political considerations were thought sufficiently important that he was relieved by Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, who was in command at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Admiral Claude C. Bloch commanded the local Naval District at Pearl, as distinct from the fleet, at the time of the attack.
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[edit] Composition of the Pacific Fleet in May 1941
At this time, the fleet consisted of nine battleships, three aircraft carriers, 12 heavy cruisers, eight light cruisers, 50 destroyers, 33 submarines, and 100 patrol bombers. This was approximately the unit's strength at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
On 7 December 1941 the Fleet consisted of Battle Force, PACFLT, Scouting Force, PACFLT, Base Force, PACFLT, and Amphibious Force, PACFLT.[1] That day the Japanese Combined Fleet carried out the Attack on Pearl Harbor, initiating World War II in the Pacific. The Fleet's battle line was severely damaged, forcing the U.S. Navy to rely primarily on aircraft carriers for many months afterwards.
[edit] Current composition
Currently, the Pacific Fleet consists of the numbered Third and Seventh Fleets, as well as Naval Air Force, Pacific, Naval Surface Forces, Pacific, Naval Submarine Force, Pacific and other commands.
The naval shore commands Naval Forces, Korea, Naval Forces, Japan, and Naval Forces, Marianas are also under the authority of the Pacific Fleet.
See List of units of the United States Navy
[edit] Commanders
[edit] Early years
- William T. Swinburne
- Uriel Sebree
- William H. H. Southerland (1912–1913)
- Thomas B. Howard (1914-1915)
- Cameron McRae Winslow (13 September 1915–29 July 1916)
- William B. Caperton (28 July 1916–30 April 1919)
- Hugh Rodman (July 1919–June 1921)
- Edward Walter Eberle (June 1921-1923)
[edit] 1940–present
- Admiral James O. Richardson (January 1940–1 February 1941)
- Admiral Husband E. Kimmel (1 February 1941–17 December 1941) (during attack on Pearl Harbor)
- Vice Admiral William S. Pye (acting) (17 December 1941-31 December 1941) (a temporary appointment only until Admiral Nimitz could arrive on station)
- Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (31 December 1941–24 November 1945) (Initially held the rank of Admiral; promoted Fleet Admiral 19 December 1944)
- Admiral Raymond A. Spruance (24 November 1945–1 February 1946)
- Admiral John H. Towers (1 February 1946–28 February 1947)
- Admiral Louis E. Denfeld (28 February 1947–3 December 1947)
- Admiral DeWitt C. Ramsey (12 January 1948–30 April 1949)
- Admiral Arthur W. Radford (30 April 1949–10 July 1953)
- Admiral Felix Stump (10 July 1953–14 January 1958)
- Admiral Maurice E. Curts (14 January 1958–1 February 1958)
- Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood (1 February 1958–30 August 1960)
- Admiral John H. Sides (30 August 1960–30 September 1963)
- Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp, Jr. (30 September 1963–26 June 1964)
- Admiral Thomas H. Moorer (26 June 1964–30 March 1965)
- Admiral Roy L. Johnson (30 March 1965–30 November 1967)
- Admiral John J. Hyland (30 November 1967–5 December 1970)
- Admiral Bernard A. Clarey (5 December 1970–30 September 1973)
- Admiral Maurice F. Weisner (30 September 1973–12 August 1976)
- Admiral Thomas B. Hayward (12 August 1976–9 May 1978)
- Admiral Donald C. Davis (9 May 1978–31 July 1981)
- Admiral James D. Watkins (31 July 1981–28 May 1982)
- Admiral Sylvester R. Foley (28 May 1982–16 September 1985)
- Admiral James A. Lyons Jr. (16 September 1985–30 September 1987)
- Admiral David E. Jeremiah (30 September 1987–15 February 1990)
- Admiral Charles R. Larson (15 February 1990–15 February 1991)
- Admiral Robert J. Kelly (15 February 1991–6 August 1994)
- Admiral Ronald J. Zlatoper (6 August 1994–7 November 1996)
- Admiral Archie R. Clemins (7 November 1996–8 October 1999)
- Admiral Thomas B. Fargo (8 October 1999–4 May 2002)
- Admiral Walter F. Doran (4 May 2002–8 July 2005)
- Admiral Gary Roughead (8 July 2005–8 May 2007)
- Admiral Robert F. Willard (8 May 2007– )
On 15 April 2009, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that the President has nominated Patrick M. Walsh for reappointment to the grade of admiral and assignment as commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Orbat.com/Niehorster, http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/013_usa/_41_usn/_usn.html
- ^ "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). 15 April 2009. http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12609. Retrieved on 16 April 2009.
