Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic

Not to be confused with Marine Forces Atlantic.

Main article: Fleet Marine Force

Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
The official seal of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
Active	16 December 1946 – present
Country	United States of America
Type	Maritime general and special purpose landing force
Role	Amphibious warfare, expeditionary warfare
Part of	United States Marine Corps   United States Navy
Garrison/HQ	NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Commanders
Current commander	LtGen Roberta L. Shea

The Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT) is an American maritime landing force that is spread across the Atlantic Ocean. It is headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk and directs and commands all the subordinate elements of the Navy Expeditionary Strike Force and Marine Air-Ground Task Force components that follow under the 2nd (Disestablished and merged with US Fleet Forces Command on 30 September 2011), 4th, and 6th Fleet and the Marine Forces Command (MarForCom). The Commanding General of Marine Forces Command is dual-posted as the Commanding General of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic. FMFLANT is under operational control of the Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet Forces Command, when deployed.

History

The Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, traces its history to the Advanced Base Force, created in the early 1900s. In the early 1920s, the Marine Corps began developing the advanced base doctrine from a defensive posture to one that included offensive amphibious operations. The units of the Advanced Base Force became the East Coast Expeditionary Force in 1921, during the reforms made to the Marine Corps structure by Commandant John Lejeune, to emphasize the more offensive nature of its potential operations. ^[1] As the expeditionary warfare concept developed, in December 1933 the Fleet Marine Force was established, ^[2] with one brigade at Quantico, Virginia, and one in San Diego, California. ^[3] In 1941, the Fleet Marine Force became a training command and two field commands, the Amphibious Corps, Atlantic Fleet, and Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, were created. ^[4]

The Basic Post-War Plan No. 2 was issued on 22 March 1946, which divided the Marine Corps into two Fleet Marine Force components: Atlantic (FMFLANT) and Pacific (FMFPAC). The Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, was activated with the commander of the 2nd Marine Division as its acting commanding general, and under the operational control of the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, on 16 December 1946. ^[5] Its first headquarters was Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, before being moved to Norfolk, Virginia, in March 1947. On 13 July 1992, FMFLANT became part of Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic (MARFORLANT), which was renamed U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM) on 30 December 2005. ^[6]

From 1980, the commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, was also the designated head of Fleet Marine Force, Europe, ^[7] which became Marine Corps Forces Europe (MARFOREUR) in 1994. ^[8] In the early 1990s, the post also became the designated commander of Marine Corps Forces South (MARFORSOUTH). ^[9] These were both "designate" headquarters, meaning they only had a minimal staff during peacetime that would become a larger full service component command only during operations. ^[10] Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, was nominally the commander of both. In 2008, MARFOREUR became a separate organization with its own dedicated commander, ^[11] and MARFORSOUTH did so in 2015. ^[12] From 1980 to 1997, the commanding general of FMFLANT also was the commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force. ^{[7] [13]}

Organization

Reporting directly to the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (CG FMFLANT) are the Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), the Commanding General, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), and the Commanding Officers of three Marine Expeditionary Units (22d, 24th, 26th MEUs). The Commanding General, II MEF, exercises operational control over the 2d Marine Division, the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, and the 2d Marine Logistics Group.

Hierarchy of Fleet Marine Force units

Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command (COMFLTFORCOM)

Naval Support Activity
Norfolk, Virginia

Marine Forces Command (MARFORCOM)

Landing Force, Second Fleet (LF2F)
Combined Task Force 22 (CTF-22)		Naval Station Norfolk Norfolk, VA
Combined Task Force 23 (CTF-23)
II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF)		MCB Camp Lejeune North Carolina, United States

Marine Forces, South (MARFORSOUTH)

Landing Force, Fourth Fleet (LF4F)
		U.S. Southern Command Miami, Florida
II Marine Expeditionary Force		MCB Camp Lejeune North Carolina, United States

Marine Forces, Europe (MARFOREUR)

Landing Force, Sixth Fleet (LF6F)
Task Force 61		Naval Support Activity Naples Naples, Italy
Task Force 62
Task Force 68
II Marine Expeditionary Force		MCB Camp Lejeune North Carolina, United States

List of commanders

No.	Commander		Term			Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length
Commanding General FMFLANT [14]
-		Watson, Thomas E.Major General Thomas E. Watson (1892–1966) Acting	16 December 1946	1 January 1947	16 days	[14] [15]
1		Rockey, Keller E.Lieutenant General Keller Rockey (1888–1970)	1 January 1947	1 July 1949	2 years, 181 days	[16]
2		Hunt, LeRoy P.Lieutenant General LeRoy P. Hunt (1892–1968)	1 July 1949	1 July 1951	2 years, 0 days	[17]
3		Erskine, Graves B.Lieutenant General Graves B. Erskine (1897–1973)	1 July 1951	1 July 1953	2 years, 0 days	[18]
4		Smith, Oliver P.Lieutenant General Oliver P. Smith (1893–1977)	1 July 1953	1 September 1955	2 years, 62 days	[19]
5		Noble, Alfred H.Lieutenant General Alfred H. Noble (1894–1983)	1 September 1955	1 November 1956	1 year, 61 days	[20]
5		Robinson, Ray A.Lieutenant General Ray A. Robinson (1896–1976)	1 November 1956	1 November 1957	1 year, 0 days	[21]
6		Pollock, Edwin A.Lieutenant General Edwin A. Pollock (1899–1982)	1 November 1957	1 November 1959	2 years, 0 days	[22]
7		Burger, Joseph C.Lieutenant General Joseph C. Burger (1902–1982)	1 November 1959	1 November 1961	2 years, 0 days	[14]
8		Luckey, Robert B.Lieutenant General Robert B. Luckey (1905–1974)	1 November 1961	1 August 1963	1 year, 273 days	[23]
9		Berkeley, James P.Lieutenant General James P. Berkeley (1907–1995)	1 August 1963	1 July 1965	1 year, 334 days	[14]
10		Bowser, Alpha L.Lieutenant General Alpha Bowser (1910–2003)	1 July 1965	1 July 1967	2 years, 0 days	[24]
11		Weede, Richard G.Lieutenant General Richard G. Weede (1911–1985)	1 July 1967	31 August 1969	2 years, 61 days	[25]
12		Leek, Frederick E.Lieutenant General Frederick E. Leek (1914–1996)	31 August 1969	1 July 1971	1 year, 304 days	[26]
13		Anderson, Earl E.Lieutenant General Earl E. Anderson (1919–2015)	1 July 1971	1 April 1972	275 days	[27]
14		Axtell, George C.Lieutenant General George C. Axtell (1920–2011)	1 April 1972	1 September 1974	2 years, 153 days	[28]
15		Nichols, Robert L.Lieutenant General Robert L. Nichols (1922–2001)	1 September 1974	1 October 1976	2 years, 30 days	[14]
16		Barrow Robert H.Lieutenant General Robert H. Barrow (1922–2008)	1 October 1976	1 July 1978	1 year, 273 days	[29]
17		Miller Edward J.Lieutenant General Edward Miller (1922–1993)	1 July 1978	1 October 1980	2 years, 92 days	[30]
Commanding General FMFLANT / II MEF / FMFEUR
18		Schwenk Adolph G.Lieutenant General Adolph G. Schwenk (1922–2004)	1 October 1980	1 July 1982	1 year, 273 days	[7]
19		Miller John H.Lieutenant General John H. Miller (born 1925)	1 July 1982	1 September 1984	2 years, 62 days	[14]
20		Gray, Alfred M.Lieutenant General Alfred M. Gray Jr. (1928–2024)	1 September 1984	1 July 1987	2 years, 303 days	[31]
-		Comfort, Clayton L.Major General Clayton L. Comfort (1930–2004) Acting	1 July 1987	1 September 1987	62 days	[14]
21		Cook Ernest T.Lieutenant General Ernest T. Cook Jr. (1935–2000)	1 July 1987	1 July 1990	3 years, 0 days	[32] [33]
22		Lieutenant General Carl E. Mundy Jr. (1935–2014)	1 July 1990	25 June 1991	359 days	[14]
Commanding General FMFLANT / II MEF / Commander MARFORLANT / MARFOREUR / MARFORSOUTH
23		Keys, William M.Lieutenant General William M. Keys (born 1937)	25 June 1991	1 September 1994	3 years, 68 days	[34]
24		Johnston, Robert B.Lieutenant General Robert B. Johnston (1937–2023)	1 September 1994	August 1995	334 days	[35]
25		Wilhelm, Charles E.Lieutenant General Charles E. Wilhelm (born 1941)	August 1995	23 November 1997	2 years, 114 days	[36]
Commanding General FMFLANT / Commander MARFORLANT / MARFOREUR / MARFORSOUTH
26		Pace, PeterLieutenant General Peter Pace (born 1945)	23 November 1997	8 September 2000	2 years, 290 days	[13]
27		Ayres, Raymond P.Lieutenant General Raymond P. Ayres (born 1944)	8 September 2000	15 August 2002	1 year, 341 days
28		Berndt, Martin R.Lieutenant General Martin R. Berndt (born 1941)	15 August 2002	15 August 2005	3 years, 0 days	[37]
Commanding General FMFLANT / Commander MARFORCOM / MARFOREUR / MARFORSOUTH
29		Blackman, Robert R. Jr.Lieutenant General Robert R. Blackman Jr. (born 1948)	15 August 2005	18 July 2007	1 year, 337 days	[38]
Commanding General FMFLANT / Commander MARFORCOM / MARFORSOUTH
30		Weber, Joseph F.Lieutenant General Joseph F. Weber (born 1950)	18 July 2007	1 August 2008	1 year, 14 days	[39]
31		Natonski, Richard F.Lieutenant General Richard F. Natonski (born 1951)	1 August 2008	17 August 2010	2 years, 16 days
32		Hejik, Dennis J.Lieutenant General Dennis J. Hejlik (born 1947)	17 August 2010	20 July 2012	1 year, 338 days	[40] [41]
33		Paxton, John M. Jr.Lieutenant General John M. Paxton Jr. (born 1951)	20 July 2012	13 December 2012	146 days	[41] [42]
-		Crowe, W. BlakeBrigadier General W. Blake Crowe (born 1967) Acting	13 December 2012	28 June 2013	197 days
34		Tryon, Richard T.Lieutenant General Richard T. Tryon (born c. 1954)	28 June 2013	1 July 2014	1 year, 3 days	[43]
35		Neller, Robert B.Lieutenant General Robert B. Neller (born 1953)	1 July 2014	23 September 2015	1 year, 84 days
Commanding General FMFLANT / Commander MARFORCOM
-		Gering, Bradford J.Brigadier General Bradford J. Gering (born 1967) Acting	23 September 2015	18 December 2015	86 days
36		Wissler, John E.Lieutenant General John E. Wissler (born 1956)	18 December 2015	14 August 2017	1 year, 239 days	[44]
37		Brilakis, Mark A.Lieutenant General Mark A. Brilakis (born 1958)	14 August 2017	3 July 2019	1 year, 323 days	[45]
38		Hedelund, Robert F.Lieutenant General Robert F. Hedelund (born 1961)	3 July 2019	25 October 2021	2 years, 114 days	[46]
-		Langley, Michael E.Major General Michael E. Langley (born c. 1963) Acting	25 October 2021	3 November 2021	9 days
39		Langley, Michael E.Lieutenant General Michael E. Langley (born c. 1963)	3 November 2021	4 August 2022	274 days	[47]
-		Kelliher, John F. IIIBrigadier General John F. Kelliher III Acting	4 August 2022	30 August 2022	26 days
40		Cavanaugh, Brian W.Lieutenant General Brian W. Cavanaugh (born 1968)	30 August 2022	6 August 2024	1 year, 342 days	[48]
41		Shea, Roberta L.Lieutenant General Roberta L. Shea (born c. 1967)	6 August 2024	Incumbent	45 days	[49]

History

• Advanced Base Force
• East Coast Expeditionary Force

See also

• Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC)
• Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC)
• Marine Corps Forces Command (MARCORCOM) [formerly Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic (MARFORLANT)]

References

1. Emmel, David C. (11 June 2010). The Development of Amphibious Doctrine. U.S. Army Command and General Staff College – p. 33. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
2. Swanson, Claude A. (7 December 1933). The Fleet Marine Force. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
3. Heinl, R.D., Jr. (November 1947). The U. S. Marine Corps: Author of Modern Amphibious War. Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute, Vol. 73/11/537.
4. Garand, George W.; Strobridge, Truman R. (1971). Western Pacific Operations: History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II (Volume IV). Marine Corps History Division – pp. 19–23. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
5. Tyson, Carolyn A. (1965). A Chronology of the United States Marine Corps 1935-1946. Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
6. MARINE CORPS FORCES COMMAND. Marine Corps University. Published 6 June 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
7. Lieutenant General Adolph G. Schwenk. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
8. Marine Corps Forces, Europe.
9. Marines. Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps – p. 11. Published January 1995.
10. History. U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
11. Major General Cornell A. Wilson. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
12. Hodge Seck, Hope (30 June 2015). 1-star becomes first dedicated commander of Marine Forces South. Military Times . Retrieved 22 September 2023.
13. General Peter Pace. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
14. Former Commanders (archived). U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic. Published 25 June 2001. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
15. Tyson, Carolyn A. (1965). A Chronology of the United States Marine Corps 1935-1946. Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
16. Lieutenant General Kelley E. Rockey (archived). Marine Corps University. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
17. General Leroy P. Hunt. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
18. General Graves Blanchard Erskine, USMC. Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
19. General Oliver P. Smith (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
20. General Alfred H. Noble (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 October 2023
21. General Ray A. Robinson (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
22. General Edwin A. Pollock (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
23. Lieutenant General Robert Burneston Luckey. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
24. Alpha L. Bowser (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
25. LtGen. Weede is honored. Camp Lejeune Globe, Vol. 25, No. 34. Published 22 August 1969. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
26. LtGen. Leek Takes Helm. Camp Lejeune Globe, Vol. 25, No. 36. Published 5 September 1969. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
27. General Earl E. Anderson (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
28. Axtell moves up. Camp Lejeune Globe, Vol. 28, No. 11. Published 16 March 1972. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
29. General Robert H. Barrow (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
30. History of the 4th Marine Division (PDF). 4th Marine Division Historical Detachment. 2000.
31. Alfred M. Gray, Jr. (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
32. Marine General Nominated. New York Times . Published 15 August 1987. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
33. LtGen Ernest T. Cook, Jr.. Military Hall of Honor. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
34. Lieutenant General William M. Keys. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
35. Lieutenant General Robert B. Johnston. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
36. General Charles E. Wilhelm. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
37. Finarelli, Linda (17 August 2011). Martin Berndt, Marine general and Springfield grad, dies at 63. The Reporter Online. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
38. Col. R.R. Blackman (archived). U.S. Marines. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
39. "Q&A with Lt. Gen. Joseph F. Weber". Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer. October 2007.
40. "Lieutenant General Dennis J. Hejlik, Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command". Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
41. Todd, David (July 25, 2012). "Hejlik closes out extensive military career; remains true to Marine core values". Military News.
42. McAdam, Scott (December 13, 2012). "Paxton Relinquishes Command, MARFORCOM". DVIDS. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
43. "MARFORCOM change of command".
44. "Wissler assumes command of MARFORCOM, FMF Atlantic". U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command. December 18, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
45. "NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY HAMPTON ROADS - (Right to left) Lt. Gen. John E. Wissler, Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, passes the unit colors to Lt. Gen. Mark A. Brilakis during a change of command ceremony at POW/MIA Field aboard Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Aug. 14. Lt. Gen. Wissler assumed command of MARFORCOM in December 2015. Lt. Gen. Brilakis most recently served as the Deputy Commandant of Manpower and Reserve Affairs at Headquarters Marine Corps , Washington D.C." www.marines.mil. August 14, 2017.
46. Braden, Jessika (July 3, 2019). "MARFORCOM welcomes new commanding general". DVIDS.
47. "Lieutenant General Michael E. Langley". U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
48. Alvarado, Angel (August 30, 2022). "The Incoming Commander [Image 4 of 13]". DVIDS. Norfolk, Virginia: Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
49. Price, Casey (August 6, 2024). "MARFORCOM Welcomes New Commander [Image 4 of 7]". DVIDS. Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command. Retrieved August 8, 2024.

External links

• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1989/SJH.htm
• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1995/MJS.htm