During the Gulf War of 1991 United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) reported to United States Central Command. After discussions between General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (CINCCENT) and Admiral Huntington Hardisty (CINCPAC), Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz Jr. ("Hank" Mauz), Commander Seventh Fleet, was appointed as Commander U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT).
Contents
- Middle East Force, Task Force 151
- Task Force 154, Battle Force Zulu
- Task Force 155, Battle Force Yankee
- Task Force 156, Amphibious Force
- Task Force 158, Landing Force
- Coalition Naval Forces
- Royal Navy, east of Suez
- Western European Naval Force
- Royal Navy, Mediterranean
- See also
- Notes
- References
After arrival in-theatre in late 1990, Vice Admiral Mauz "retained the Middle East Force, Commander Task Group 150.1 (CTG 150.1), for most warfighting functions inside the Persian Gulf. Under the CTG 150.1 designation, Rear Admiral William M. "Bill" Fogarty would control only the half-dozen ships or so of the Middle East Force, augmented by the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) when it arrived. Under a second hat, CTG 150.2, Fogarty would be the commander of the U.S. Maritime Interception Force. For this job, his authority would extend outside the Persian Gulf to ships operating in the North Arabian Sea and Red Sea, but only for interception operations." [1] The CVBGs in the North Arabian Sea and Red Sea were designated Task Groups 150.4 and 150.5 respectively; the Amphibious and Landing Forces were CTG 150.6 and CTG 150.8 (Major General Jenkins). Rear Admiral Stephen S. Clarey was Commander U.S. Maritime Prepositioning Force, Task Group 150.7, which was disestablished on 12 September 1990. [2] [3]
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) transited from the Mediterranean/Suez Canal into the Red Sea on 8 August 1990 with USS Ticonderoga, USS John L. Hall, USS Suribachi (AE-21) and USNS Neosho (T-AO-143), the last two underway replenishment ships (CH-90, pp13–14). [4] On 23–24 August, the Red Sea Battle Group was turned over to the USS Saratoga group, and 'Eisenhower' and 'Ticonderoga' left Sixth Fleet on 3 September.
From 1 January 1991, the six carriers deployed were divided into Battle Force Yankee (two carriers, including Saratoga, in the Red Sea under Rear Admiral Riley Mixson, Commander, Carrier Group Two/Task Force 155) and Task Force 154, Battle Force Zulu (four carriers in the Arabian Sea/Persian Gulf under Rear Admiral Daniel P. March, Commander, Carrier Group Five). TF 150 was Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz, Jr. himself, TF 151 the Middle East Force, now including USS Bunker Hill, TG 150.3 Naval Logistics Support Force (Rear Admiral Bob Sutton), and TF 156 the amphibious force. [5] Conduct of the Persian Gulf War Fig VII-3, lists the PG, Red Sea, and Middle East Forces; the Amphibious Force, the Logistics Support Force, at some points, the Mediterranean Strike Group, and NAVCENT Rep Riyadh.
Rear Admiral "Mixson also commanded CTG 150.9, the Mediterranean Strike Group, which included ships and a submarine launching TLAMs (eight) into Iraq several days after" the beginning of the Coalition assault on 17 January 1991. [6]
On 15 February, France placed one frigate, Jean de Vienne (D-643), [7] under U.S. operational control to escort Coalition combat logistics ships, but it was not authorised to take part in offensive operations. [8]
- Commander, Naval Forces Central Command: Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz, CTF 150, USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)
