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The Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is the type commander for the Surface Force under the United States Pacific Fleet. The COMNAVSURFPAC also leads the Naval Surface Force (COMNAVSURFOR) and the Surface Warfare Enterprise. [1] The position is typically held by a Vice-Admiral. From 1978 onwards, the headquarters has been located at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Coronado, California.
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), Frigates (in Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Pacific), Amphibious (ComPhibPac), 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. [2] 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. [3] 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, [4] 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, with Destroyer Squadron 15 subordinate but based at Yokosuka, Japan, Surface Group Middle Pacific in Hawaii with Destroyer Squadrons 25, 33, 35, and Service Squadron 5, Amphibious Group 1/Task Force 76 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 (NRF) with Mine Divisions 51, 52, 53, and 54 (all NRF), and Service Group 1 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 USS New Jersey (BB-62)) reporting directly to it, and Surface Squadron 1 had been established at Long Beach, CA. Surface Squadron 1 was a mix: it comprised one salvage ship (ARS), 3 ATF, 1 AVM, two frigates, 1 LKA, and 1 LST. [5] 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.
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 Aircraft Wing, the 2nd Defense Battalion (see Marine defense battalions), and a depot. [25] 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. [26]
On March 8, 1944, Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner reported to the Commander-in-Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet, as Commander Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet. [27] 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:
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.
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–Hickam, Hawaii, with large secondary facilities at Naval Air Station North Island, California.
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) 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 States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) under the authority of the Secretary of Defense. Originally formed as United States Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) in 1906, it has been an integral part of the defense of the United States of America since the early 20th century. In 2002, the Fleet comprised over 118,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel serving on 186 ships and in 1,300 aircraft, with an area of responsibility ranging over most of the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central and South America.
The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in 2011 is that it "conducts the full range of Maritime Operations and Theater Security Cooperation missions, in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other parties, in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa." The current commander of the Sixth Fleet is Vice Admiral Jeffrey T. Anderson.
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 the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50 to 70 ships, 150 aircraft and 27,000 sailors and marines. Its principal responsibilities are to provide joint command in natural disaster or military operations and operational command of all U.S. naval forces in the region.
The United States Third Fleet is one of the numbered fleets in the United States Navy. Third Fleet's area of responsibility includes approximately fifty million square miles of the eastern and northern Pacific Ocean areas including the Bering Sea, Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, and a sector of the Arctic. Major oil and trade sea lines of communication within this area are critically important to the economic health of the United States and friendly nations throughout the Pacific Rim region.
The Fifth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. Its area of responsibility encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles, and includes the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. It shares a commander and headquarters with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in Bahrain. Fifth Fleet/NAVCENT is a component command of, and reports to, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
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 and "flotilla" for smaller vessels; both may be used for destroyer units. Similar formations are used in non-English-speaking countries, e.g., the "escadrille"—which would translate directly as "squadron"—in France.
Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner, commonly known as Kelly Turner, was an admiral of the United States Navy during the Second World War, where he commanded the Amphibious Force in the Pacific theater. Turner was also responsible for the creation of the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) in 1942 that were an early precursor to the United States Navy SEALs.
The South Pacific Area (SOPAC) was a multinational U.S.-led military command active during World War II. It was a part of the U.S. Pacific Ocean Areas under Admiral Chester Nimitz.
United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) is the United States Navy element of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM). Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea. It consists of the United States Fifth Fleet and several other subordinate task forces, including Combined Task Force 150, Combined Task Force 158 and others.
Expeditionary Strike Group 3 is an expeditionary strike group (ESG) of the U.S. Navy. Expeditionary strike groups combine the capabilities of surface action groups, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft with those of Amphibious Ready Groups for deployment and maintaining staff proficiencies to provide fleet commanders with a highly flexible, ready fly-away unit. It is capable of projecting expeditionary striking power in the maritime, littoral, and inland environs in support of U.S. national interests.
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 supply train of the fleet which includes Oilers (AO), Gasoline Tanker (AOG), Repair Ships (AR), Ammunition Ships (AE), Destroyer Tenders (AD) and Submarine tenders (AS).
ComPhibPac, also seen as COMPHIBPAC, was the official U.S. Navy abbreviation for "Commander, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet."
The Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT) is the Surface Force Type Commander (TYCOM) under the United States Fleet Forces Command. As Naval Surface Force Atlantic, it is a military formation, and the organization is often known as SURFLANT. Its headquarters are at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. The current commander is Rear Admiral Joseph F. Cahill III. COMNAVSURFLANT supervises all surface ships based on the Eastern United States and Gulf Coast of the United States, as well as ships forward deployed to Naval Station Rota, Spain.
U.S. Navy type commands perform administrative, personnel, and operational training functions in the United States Navy for a "type" of weapon system within a fleet organization.
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Vice Admiral Emmett Hulcy Tidd was a flag officer of the United States Navy.
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