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United States Fleet Forces Command Information

The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFLTFORCOM) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the administrative control of the Secretary of the Navy. 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 for most of the 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 (as far west as the Galapagos Islands). Its operational force (i.e., the formation of fighting ships) is Task Force 20 (TF 20). USFLTFORCOM is based at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia.

The command's mission is to organize, man, train, and equip Naval Forces for assignment to Unified Command Combatant commanders; to deter, detect, and defend against homeland maritime threats; and to articulate Fleet warfighting and readiness requirements to the Chief of Naval Operations.[1]

Contents

History

Roosevelt Administration

The Atlantic Fleet was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, at the same time as the Pacific Fleet, as protection for new bases in the Caribbean acquired as a result of the Spanish-American War. The Fleet was a combination of the North Atlantic Fleet and the South Atlantic Squadron.

The first commander of the fleet was Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, who hoisted his flag in the battleship Maine (BB-10) on 1 January 1906. The following year, he took his 16 battleships, now dubbed the Great White Fleet, on a round-the-world cruise that lasted until 1909, a goodwill tour that also served the purpose of advertising the United States' naval strength and reach to all other nations of the globe.

The Cruiser and Transport Force served in Atlantic waters during World War I moving the American Expeditionary Force to Europe. United States Battleship Division Nine joined the Grand Fleet in the UK.

The Atlantic Fleet was reorganized into the Scouting Force in 1923, which was under the United States Fleet along with the Pacific Fleet. In January 1939 the Atlantic Squadron, United States Fleet, was formed.[2] The aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4) was transferred to the Atlantic Ocean, to join three battleships. Vice Admiral Alfred Wilkinson Johnson commanded the squadron.

On 1 November 1940 the Atlantic Squadron was renamed the Patrol Force. The Patrol Force was organized into type commands: Battleships, Patrol Force; Cruisers, Patrol Force; Destroyers, Patrol Force; and, Train, Patrol Force (the logistics arms).[2]

World War II

On 1 February 1941, the Atlantic Fleet was resurrected and organized from the Patrol Force. Along with the Pacific Fleet and Asiatic Fleet, the fleet was to be under the command of a full Admiral, which jumped the fleet's commander Ernest J. King from a two-star to a four-star. King's flagship was Texas (BB-35).

Subsequently, the headquarters was in a rather odd assortment of ships; the Augusta (CA-31), then the old wooden ship Constellation, Vixen (PG-53), and then Pocono (AGC-16). In 1948, the HQ moved into the former naval hospital at Norfolk, Virginia, and has remained there ever since.

On 7 December 1941 the Fleet comprised eight separate components. Battleships, Atlantic Fleet was made up of Battleship Division Three (BB-40 New Mexico, BB-41 Mississippi and BB-42 Idaho) and Battleship Division Five (a training division made up of the older battleships BB-34 New York, BB-35 Texas, and BB-33 Arkansas. The other components were Aircraft, Atlantic Fleet, which included Carrier Division Three with USS Ranger (CV-4) and USS Wasp (CV-7), and additionally Yorktown and Long Island; Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet, Patrol Wings, Atlantic Fleet (Patrol Wings 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9); Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet,[3] Submarines Atlantic Fleet; Train, Atlantic Fleet, and Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet (PHIBLANT, COMPHIBLANT).[4] During World War II "Transports, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet" was part of this command (ComTransPhibLant). Smaller units included the Antisubmarine Development Detachment, Atlantic Fleet (ASDEVLANT) located at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.[5] The detachment was responsible for the study and development of antisubmarine gear during World War II. The Commander of the detachment was known as COMASDEVLANT.

Admiral King was appointed Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, on 20 December 1941. Rear Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll was designated, with the rank of Vice Admiral, to relieve him as Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet.[6] He took command on 1 January 1942, and was advanced to the rank of Admiral on 1 July 1942. To carry out this mission and other tasks CinCLant had in the meantime been reorganized, as of 1 March 1941, into ten task forces (commanded by flag officers) numbered from one to ten and named according to their intended employment. Task Force One was the Ocean Escort Force, TF2--Striking Force, TF3--Scouting Force, TF4--Support Force, TF5--Submarine Force, TF6--Naval Coastal Frontier Forces, TF7--Bermuda Force, TF8--Patrol Wings, TF9--Service Force, and Task Force 10, 1st Marine Division (commanded by a Brigadier General).

Cold War

On 1 January 1946, Commander Minesweeping Forces, Atlantic Fleet (ComMinLant) was activated to command minesweepers assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. The Commander, Mine Forces, Atlantic was responsible for all Fleet minecraft operations. Units under his command were divided into Minesweeping Squadrons (MineRon)s.

Between 1947 and 1985, the fleet command was a concurrent appointment with the United States Atlantic Command. The Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) was traditionally a Navy four-star admiral who also then held the positions of Commander-in-Chief United States Atlantic Command (CINCLANT) and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT). But after a major reorganization of the U.S. armed forces structure following the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986, CINCLANFLT was separated from the two other billets. The admiral commanding the Atlantic Fleet was designated as the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Command until 1986.

Major crises the Atlantic Fleet was involved in during the Cold War included the 1965 United States occupation of the Dominican Republic[7] and the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962.

The general purpose forces of the Army, Navy, and Air Force began to be reorganized in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis on 16 October 1962. The command organization, as finally developed, called for the Commander in Chief, Atlantic (CINCLANT), Admiral Robert Dennison, to provide the unified command. He also retained control of all naval components involved in tactical operations, as the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet. The responsibility for Army and Air Force components was assigned to the Continental Army Command (CONARC) and the Tactical Air Command under the designation of Army Forces, Atlantic (ARLANT), and Air Forces, Atlantic (AFLANT). The commander of the Army XVIII Airborne Corps was designated Joint Task Force Commander to plan for any joint operations that might become necessary. Over-all direction was exercised by the President and the Secretary of Defense through the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who named the Chief of Naval Operations as their representative for the quarantine.[8]

Major elements of the Strategic Army Corps were designated for use by ARLANT and placed in advanced alert status. Logistic support for the more than 100,000 men involved was directed by a newly established Peninsula Base Command. Preparatory steps were taken to make possible the immediate callup of high priority Army National Guard and Army Reserve units. U.S. Air Force air support for the ground forces was provided by Tactical Air Command, which moved hundreds of tactical fighter, reconnaissance, and troop carrier aircraft to the southeast. To make room for all these units, the bombers, tankers, and other aircraft not required for the current operations were ordered to other bases in the United States.[8]

From the late 1960s, nuclear ballistic missile submarines of the fleet began to make thousands of deterrent patrols.[9] The first patrol in the Atlantic Fleet area of operations was made by USS George Washington (SSBN-598).[10]

Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic was formed on 1 July 1975, incorporating a number of previous separate smaller commands - mine warfare vessels/units, service vessels, and frigates, destroyers and cruisers, along with associated destroyer squadrons and cruiser/destroyer groups.

As part of a reorganization announced in July 1995 of the Atlantic Fleet's surface combatant ships into six core battle groups, nine destroyer squadrons, and a new Western Hemisphere Group, USS John Hancock was reassigned to Destroyer Squadron 24. The re-organization was to be phased in over the summer and take effect 31 August 1995, with homeport shifts occurring through 1998. In September 1995 the following ship assignments were intended to apply at the end of the transitional period:[11]

21st Century

On 1 October 2001, the Chief of Naval Operations designated Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) as concurrent Commander, Fleet Forces Command.

On 24 October 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directed that the title of "Commander in Chief" be reserved solely for the President of the United States. In a message to Naval Commanders in Chief, the Chief of Naval Operations directed a change of title to that of "Commander." Accordingly, the title of Commander in Chief was discontinued and the title of Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMLANTFLT) was established.

In the CNO Guidance for 2003, Admiral Vernon Clark stipulated that the terms Carrier Battle Group and Amphibious Readiness Group would be replaced by Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs), respectively, by March 2003. Cruiser-Destroyer (CRUDESGRU) and Carrier Groups (CARGRU) were also redesignated, as Carrier Strike Groups (CSG), and aligned directly under the numbered fleet commanders. CARGRU and CRUDESGRU staffs were formerly under the administrative authority of their respective air and surface type commanders (TYCOM). This realignment allowed key operational leaders authority and direct access to the personnel required to more effectively accomplish the Navy’s mission. All carrier strike groups are ultimately subordinate to Fleet Forces Command.

The numbered fleet commanders are now responsible for the training and certification of the entire Strike Group. The organizational structure to support the Carrier Strike Groups focuses more on placing Strike Group commanders under the authority of the certifying officer, or the numbered fleet commander. Under this new division of responsibility, the air-side type commander gains authority over the air wing, and the surface-side type commander gains authority over the carrier itself and the rest of the ships of the battle group.

On 23 May 2006, the Chief of Naval Operations renamed COMLANTFLT to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (COMUSFLTFORCOM), ordered to carry out the missions currently performed by COMFLTFORCOM and serve as primary advocate for fleet personnel, training, requirements, maintenance, and operational issues, reporting administratively directly to the CNO as an Echelon 2 command. The previous title CFFC was disestablished at the same time.[12] CUSFFC previously served as the Naval component of US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) until the disestablishment of USJFCOM in August 2011. CFFC is also assigned as the supporting service component commander to Commander, United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) as well as to Commander, United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).

On 24 July 2009, Admiral John C. Harvey, Jr. relieved Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert as Commander.[13]

News reports in July 2011 said that in connection with the disestablihment of the United States Second Fleet, Fleet Forces Command would take over Second Fleet's duties on September 30, 2011.[14]

Subordinate Commands[15]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

List of commanders

Main article: Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
1 Robley D. Evans 01905-03-01March 1905 01908-05-01May 1908
2 Charles S. Sperry 01908-05-01May 1908 01909-03-01March 1909
3 Seaton Schroeder 01909-03-01March 1909 01911-06-01June 1911
4 Hugo W. Osterhaus 01911-06-01June 1911 01913-01-01January 1913
5 Charles J. Badger 01913-01-01January 1913 01914-09-01September 1914
6 Frank F. Fletcher[17] 01914-09-01September 1914 01916-06-01June 1916
7 Henry T. Mayo 01916-06-01June 1916 01919-06-01June 1919
8 Henry B. Wilson 01919-06-01June 1919 01921-06-01June 1921
9 Hilary P. Jones 01921-06-01June 1921 01922-12-01December 1922
10 Ernest J. King[18] 01941-02-01February 1, 1941 01941-12-30December 30, 1941
11 Royal E. Ingersoll[19] 01941-12-30December 30, 1941 01944-11-15November 15, 1944
12 Jonas H. Ingram 01944-11-15November 15, 1944 01946-09-26September 26, 1946
13 Marc A. Mitscher 01946-09-26September 26, 1946 01947-02-03February 3, 1947

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
14 William H. P. Blandy 01947-02-03February 3, 1947 01950-02-01February 1, 1950
15 William M. Fechteler 01950-02-01February 1, 1950 01951-08-15August 15, 1951

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Commander-in-Chief, USLANTCOM and SACLANT

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
16 Lynde D. McCormick 01951-08-15August 15, 1951 01954-04-12April 12, 1954
17 Jerauld Wright 01954-04-12April 12, 1954 01960-02-28February 28, 1960
18 Robert L. Dennison 01960-02-28February 28, 1960 01963-04-30April 30, 1963
19 Harold P. Smith 01963-04-30April 30, 1963 01965-04-30April 30, 1965
20 Thomas H. Moorer[20] 01965-04-30April 30, 1965 01967-06-17June 17, 1967
21 Ephraim P. Holmes 01967-06-17June 17, 1967 01970-09-30September 30, 1970
22 Charles K. Duncan 01970-09-30September 30, 1970 01972-10-31October 31, 1972
23 Ralph W. Cousins 01972-10-31October 31, 1972 01975-05-30May 30, 1975
24 Isaac C. Kidd, Jr. 01975-05-30May 30, 1975 01978-09-30September 30, 1978
25 Harry D. Train II 01978-09-30September 30, 1978 01982-09-30September 30, 1982
26 Wesley L. McDonald 01982-09-30September 30, 1982 01985-10-04October 4, 1985

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
27 Carlisle A. H. Trost[21] 01985-10-04October 4, 1985 01986-06-30June 30, 1986
28 Frank B. Kelso II[22] 01986-06-30June 30, 1986 01986-09-16September 16, 1986

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
28 Frank B. Kelso II[22] 01986-09-16September 16, 1986 01988-11-04November 4, 1988
29 Powell F. Carter, Jr. 01988-11-04November 4, 1988 01991-01-31January 31, 1991
30 Paul David Miller 01991-01-31January 31, 1991 01992-07-13July 13, 1992
31 Henry H. Mauz, Jr. 01992-07-13July 13, 1992 01994-10-05October 5, 1994
32 William J. Flanagan, Jr. 01994-10-05October 5, 1994 01996-12-20December 20, 1996
33 J. Paul Reason[23] 01996-12-20December 20, 1996 01999-09-17September 17, 1999
34 Vern Clark[24] 01999-09-17September 17, 1999 02000-06-23June 23, 2000
35 Robert J. Natter 02000-06-23June 23, 2000 02002-10-01October 1, 2002

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
35 Robert J. Natter 02002-10-01October 1, 2002 02002-10-24October 24, 2002

Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
35 Robert J. Natter 02002-10-24October 24, 2002 02003-10-03October 3, 2003
36 William J. Fallon[25] 02003-10-03October 3, 2003 02005-02-18February 18, 2005
37 John B. Nathman 02005-02-18February 18, 2005 02006-05-22May 22, 2006

Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

# Name Rank Picture Start of tenure End of tenure
37 John B. Nathman 02006-05-22May 22, 2006 02007-05-16May 16, 2007
38 Gary Roughead[26] 02007-05-17May 17, 2007 02007-09-28September 28, 2007
39 Jonathan W. Greenert[27] 02007-09-29September 29, 2007 02009-07-23July 23, 2009
40 John C. Harvey, Jr. 02009-07-24July 24, 2009 Incumbent

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Mission
  2. ^ a b "U.S. Navy, Battleships, A Short History". http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/battleships/bbhistory.asp. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
  3. ^ DesLant
  4. ^ Orbat.com/Niehorster, http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/013_usa/_41_usn/_usn.html
  5. ^ This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
  6. ^ HyperWar, http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Admin-Hist/USN-Admin/USN-Admin-4.html, accessed April 2011
  7. ^ Naval Historical Center, Caribbean Tempest: The Dominican Republic Intervention of 1965, accessed August 2010
  8. ^ a b http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq90-2.htm
  9. ^ http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&tid=200&ct=4
  10. ^ Federation of American Scientists, [1]
  11. ^ 'Fleet's structure reorganized,' All Hands, September 1995, p.1-2
  12. ^ A Brief History Of The U.S. Fleet Forces Command
  13. ^ [2]
  14. ^ http://www.wvec.com/news/military/Navys-Fleet-Forces-Command-taking-over-Second-Fleet-duties-124880344.html
  15. ^ www.navy.mil
  16. ^ ABOUT COMNAVSURFLANT, accessed August 2010
  17. ^ Fletcher originally assumed office as a rear admiral then was promoted to admiral in 1915 bypassing the rank of vice admiral.
  18. ^ King was promoted to Fleet Admiral on December 17, 1944. He later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet and as the 9th Chief of Naval Operations.
  19. ^ Ingersoll later served as Commander, Western Sea Frontier.
  20. ^ Moorer later served as the 18th Chief of Naval Operations and as the 7th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  21. ^ Troust later served as the 23rd Chief of Naval Operations.
  22. ^ a b Kelso later served as the 24th Chief of Naval Operations.
  23. ^ Reason was the first African-American to become a four-star admiral.
  24. ^ Clark later served as the 27th Chief of Naval Operations.
  25. ^ Fallon later served as Commander, U.S. Pacific Command and as Commander, U.S. Central Command.
  26. ^ Roughead later served as the 29th Chief of Naval Operations.
  27. ^ Greenert later served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

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