United States Seventh Fleet
Encyclopedia
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's
permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan
, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea
. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet
. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50 to 60 ships, 350 aircraft and 60,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel. With the support of its Task Force Commanders, it has three major assignments:
, Australia, during World War II, under the command of Admiral Arthur S. "Chips" Carpender
. It served in the South West Pacific Area
(SWPA) under General Douglas MacArthur
, and the Seventh Fleet commander also served as commander of Allied naval forces in the SWPA.
Most of the ships of the Royal Australian Navy
were also part of the fleet from 1943 to 1945 as part of Task Force 74 (formerly the Anzac Squadron
). The Seventh Fleet—under Admiral
Thomas C. Kinkaid
—formed a large part of the Allied forces at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
, the largest naval battle in history
. After the end of the war, the 7th Fleet moved its headquarters to Qingdao
, China.
After the war, on 1 January 1947, the Fleet's name was changed to Naval Forces Western Pacific. On 19 August 1949, just prior to the outbreak of the Korean War, the force was designated as United States Seventh Task Fleet. On 11 February 1950, the force assumed the name United States Seventh Fleet, which it holds today.
In late 1948, the 7th Fleet moved its principal base of operations to the Philippines, where the Navy, following the war, had developed new facilities at Subic Bay
and an airfield at Sangley Point. Peacetime operations of the Seventh Fleet were under the control of Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet, Admiral Arthur E. Radford, but standing orders provided that, when operating in Japanese waters or in the event of an emergency, control would pass to Commander Naval Forces Far East, which was a component of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's occupation force.
Seventh Fleet units participated in every major operation of the Korean War
. The first Navy jet aircraft used in combat was launched from a Task Force 77 (TF 77) aircraft carrier on 3 July 1950. The landings at Inchon, Korea were conducted by Seventh Fleet amphibious ships. The battleships , , and all served as flagship
s for Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet during the Korean War. During the Korean War, the Seventh Fleet consisted of Task Force 70, a maritime patrol force provided by Fleet Air Wing One and Fleet Air Wing Six, Task Force 72, the Formosa Patrol, Task Force 77, and Task Force 79, a service support squadron.
Over the next decade the Seventh Fleet responded to numerous crisis situations including contingency operations conducted in Laos
in 1959 and Thailand
in 1962. During September 1959, in the autumn of 1960, and again in January 1961, the Seventh Fleet deployed multiship carrier task forces into the South China Sea. Although the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese supporting forces withdrew in each crisis, in the spring of 1961 their offensive appeared on the verge of overwhelming the pro-American Royal Laotian Army. Once again the fleet sortied into Southeast Asian waters. By the end of April most of the Seventh fleet was deployed off the Indochinese Peninsula preparing to initiate operations into Laos. The force consisted of the and carrier battle groups, antisubmarine support carrier , one helicopter carrier, three groups of amphibious ships, two submarines, and three Marine battalion landing teams. At the same time, shorebased air patrol squadrons and another three Marine battalion landing teams stood ready in Okinawa and the Philippines to support the afloat force. Although the administration of President John F. Kennedy
already had decided against American intervention to rescue the Laotian government, Communist forces halted their advance and agreed to negotiations. The contending Laotian factions concluded a cease-fire on 8 May 1961, but it lasted only a year.
In June 1963 the Seventh Fleet held 'Flagpole '63,' a joint naval exercise with the Republic of Korea.
During the Vietnam War
, Seventh Fleet engaged in combat operations against enemy forces through attack carrier air strikes, naval gunfire support, amphibious operations, patrol and reconnaissance operations and mine warfare. After the 1973 cease-fire, the Fleet conducted mine countermeasure operations in the coastal waterways of North Vietnam
. Two years later, ships and aircraft of the Fleet evacuated thousands of U.S. citizens and refugees from South Vietnam
and Cambodia
as those countries fell to opposing forces. Between 1950 and 1970, the U.S. Seventh Fleet was also known by the tongue-in-cheek
nickname "Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club
". Most of the fleet's operations were conducted from the Tonkin Gulf at the time. The badge was unofficial but it quickly became very popular.
A carrier task force of the Seventh Fleet, TF 74
, made a U.S. incursion into the Bay of Bengal at the height of the Bangladesh Liberation War
in December 1971. TF 74 comprised the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ; the amphibious assault carrier ; the destroyers , , and ; the guided-missile escorts , , and ; the nuclear-powered attack submarine ; and supply ship . On 15 December, a day before the surrender of Pakistan, the task force entered the Bay of Bengal, at a distance of some 1760 km (950.3 nmi; 1,093.6 mi) from Dhaka
.
Since Vietnam, the Seventh Fleet has participated in a joint/combined exercise called Team Spirit
, conducted with the Republic of Korea armed forces. With capability to respond to any contingency, Fleet operations are credited with maintaining security during the Asian Games
of 1986 and the Seoul Olympics of 1988. During 1989, Seventh Fleet units participated in a variety of exercises called PACEX, the largest peacetime exercises since World War II.
In response to the 2 August 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, President George H. W. Bush
ordered Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet to assume additional responsibilities as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
(COMUSNAVCENT). The Fleet Commander departed Yokosuka, Japan immediately, heading for the Persian Gulf
, and joined the remainder of his staff aboard the flagship on 1 September 1990. During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, COMUSNAVCENT exercised command and control of the largest U.S. Navy armada since the Second World War. At the peak of combat operations, over 130 U.S. ships joined more than 50 allied ships to conduct maritime intercept operations, minesweeping and combat strike operations against enemy forces in Iraq
and Kuwait
.
COMUSNAVCENT included six aircraft carrier battle groups, two battleships (Missouri and Wisconsin), two hospital ships, 31 amphibious assault ships, four minesweeping vessels and numerous combatants in support of allied air and ground forces. After a decisive allied victory in the Gulf War
, Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet relinquished control of COMUSNAVCENT to Commander, Middle East Force on 24 April 1991 and returned to Yokosuka, Japan to continue the duties of Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet.
In 1996, two aircraft carrier battle groups were sent to the Taiwan Straits under Seventh Fleet control to demonstrate U.S. support for Taiwan during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
. The Nimitz battle group made a high speed transit from the Persian Gulf, while the Independence battle group sortied from its Japanese homeports.
. These forward-deployed units represent the heart of Seventh Fleet. The 18 permanently forward-deployed ships of the U.S. 7th Fleet are the centerpieces of American forward presence in Asia. They are 17 steaming days closer to locations in Asia than their counterparts based in the continental U.S.. It would take three to five times the number of rotationally-based ships in the U.S. to equal the same presence and crisis response capability as these 18 forward deployed ships. On any given day, about 50% of Seventh Fleet forces are deployed at sea throughout the area of responsibility. The Seventh Fleet Command Ship is the USS Blue Ridge, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. In 2004, Blue Ridge entered dry dock and command responsibility was transferred temporarily to . Blue Ridge returned to duty 27 September 2004.
Following the end of the Cold War
, the two major military scenarios in which the Seventh Fleet would be used would be in case of conflict in Korea or a conflict between People's Republic of China
and Taiwan
(Republic of China
) in the Taiwan Strait
.
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United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50 to 60 ships, 350 aircraft and 60,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel. With the support of its Task Force Commanders, it has three major assignments:
- Joint Task Force command in a natural disasterNatural disasterA natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
or joint military operation, - Operational command of all naval forces in the region, and
- Defense of the Korean PeninsulaKorean PeninsulaThe Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
. In 1994, 7th Fleet was assigned the additional responsibility as Commander, Combined Naval Component Command for the defense of South Korea.
History
The Seventh Fleet was formed on 15 March 1943 in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia, during World War II, under the command of Admiral Arthur S. "Chips" Carpender
Arthur S. Carpender
Arthur Schuyler Carpender , nicknamed "Chips", was an American vice admiral during World War II commanding US naval forces in the Southwest Pacific.-Family:...
. It served in the South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
(SWPA) under General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, and the Seventh Fleet commander also served as commander of Allied naval forces in the SWPA.
Most of the ships of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
were also part of the fleet from 1943 to 1945 as part of Task Force 74 (formerly the Anzac Squadron
ANZAC Squadron
The ANZAC Squadron, also called the Allied Naval Squadron, was an Allied naval warship task force which was tasked with defending northeast Australia and surrounding area in early 1942 during the Pacific Campaign of World War II...
). The Seventh Fleet—under Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Thomas C. Kinkaid
Thomas C. Kinkaid
Thomas Cassin Kinkaid was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He built a reputation as a "fighting admiral" in the aircraft carrier battles of 1942 and commanded the Allied forces in the Aleutian Islands Campaign...
—formed a large part of the Allied forces at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, the largest naval battle in history
Largest naval battle in history
The title of "largest naval battle in history" is disputed between adherents of criteria which include the numbers of personnel and/or vessels involved in the battle, and the total tonnage of the vessels involved...
. After the end of the war, the 7th Fleet moved its headquarters to Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, China.
In late 1948, the 7th Fleet moved its principal base of operations to the Philippines, where the Navy, following the war, had developed new facilities at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
and an airfield at Sangley Point. Peacetime operations of the Seventh Fleet were under the control of Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet, Admiral Arthur E. Radford, but standing orders provided that, when operating in Japanese waters or in the event of an emergency, control would pass to Commander Naval Forces Far East, which was a component of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's occupation force.
Seventh Fleet units participated in every major operation of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The first Navy jet aircraft used in combat was launched from a Task Force 77 (TF 77) aircraft carrier on 3 July 1950. The landings at Inchon, Korea were conducted by Seventh Fleet amphibious ships. The battleships , , and all served as flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
s for Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet during the Korean War. During the Korean War, the Seventh Fleet consisted of Task Force 70, a maritime patrol force provided by Fleet Air Wing One and Fleet Air Wing Six, Task Force 72, the Formosa Patrol, Task Force 77, and Task Force 79, a service support squadron.
Over the next decade the Seventh Fleet responded to numerous crisis situations including contingency operations conducted in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
in 1959 and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in 1962. During September 1959, in the autumn of 1960, and again in January 1961, the Seventh Fleet deployed multiship carrier task forces into the South China Sea. Although the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese supporting forces withdrew in each crisis, in the spring of 1961 their offensive appeared on the verge of overwhelming the pro-American Royal Laotian Army. Once again the fleet sortied into Southeast Asian waters. By the end of April most of the Seventh fleet was deployed off the Indochinese Peninsula preparing to initiate operations into Laos. The force consisted of the and carrier battle groups, antisubmarine support carrier , one helicopter carrier, three groups of amphibious ships, two submarines, and three Marine battalion landing teams. At the same time, shorebased air patrol squadrons and another three Marine battalion landing teams stood ready in Okinawa and the Philippines to support the afloat force. Although the administration of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
already had decided against American intervention to rescue the Laotian government, Communist forces halted their advance and agreed to negotiations. The contending Laotian factions concluded a cease-fire on 8 May 1961, but it lasted only a year.
In June 1963 the Seventh Fleet held 'Flagpole '63,' a joint naval exercise with the Republic of Korea.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Seventh Fleet engaged in combat operations against enemy forces through attack carrier air strikes, naval gunfire support, amphibious operations, patrol and reconnaissance operations and mine warfare. After the 1973 cease-fire, the Fleet conducted mine countermeasure operations in the coastal waterways of North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. Two years later, ships and aircraft of the Fleet evacuated thousands of U.S. citizens and refugees from South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
as those countries fell to opposing forces. Between 1950 and 1970, the U.S. Seventh Fleet was also known by the tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
nickname "Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club
Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club
"Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club" was a tongue-in-cheek nickname for the United States Seventh Fleet during the Vietnam War. All through the war in Vietnam, the Seventh Fleet engaged in combat operations against enemy forces through attack carrier air strikes, naval gunfire support, amphibious operations,...
". Most of the fleet's operations were conducted from the Tonkin Gulf at the time. The badge was unofficial but it quickly became very popular.
A carrier task force of the Seventh Fleet, TF 74
Task Force 74
The US Task Force 74 was a US Navy task force of the United States Seventh Fleet that was deployed to the Bay of Bengal by Nixon administration in December 1971, at the height of the 1971 Indo-Pak War...
, made a U.S. incursion into the Bay of Bengal at the height of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in December 1971. TF 74 comprised the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ; the amphibious assault carrier ; the destroyers , , and ; the guided-missile escorts , , and ; the nuclear-powered attack submarine ; and supply ship . On 15 December, a day before the surrender of Pakistan, the task force entered the Bay of Bengal, at a distance of some 1760 km (950.3 nmi; 1,093.6 mi) from Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
.
Since Vietnam, the Seventh Fleet has participated in a joint/combined exercise called Team Spirit
Team Spirit
Team Spirit was a joint military training exercise of United States Forces Korea and the Military of South Korea held between 1976 and 1993. The exercise was scheduled from 1994 to 1996 but cancelled in each year as part of diplomacy to encourage the Government of North Korea to disable the North...
, conducted with the Republic of Korea armed forces. With capability to respond to any contingency, Fleet operations are credited with maintaining security during the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
of 1986 and the Seoul Olympics of 1988. During 1989, Seventh Fleet units participated in a variety of exercises called PACEX, the largest peacetime exercises since World War II.
In response to the 2 August 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
ordered Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet to assume additional responsibilities as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
United States Naval Forces Central Command is the United States Navy element of United States Central Command . Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea...
(COMUSNAVCENT). The Fleet Commander departed Yokosuka, Japan immediately, heading for the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, and joined the remainder of his staff aboard the flagship on 1 September 1990. During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, COMUSNAVCENT exercised command and control of the largest U.S. Navy armada since the Second World War. At the peak of combat operations, over 130 U.S. ships joined more than 50 allied ships to conduct maritime intercept operations, minesweeping and combat strike operations against enemy forces in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.
COMUSNAVCENT included six aircraft carrier battle groups, two battleships (Missouri and Wisconsin), two hospital ships, 31 amphibious assault ships, four minesweeping vessels and numerous combatants in support of allied air and ground forces. After a decisive allied victory in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet relinquished control of COMUSNAVCENT to Commander, Middle East Force on 24 April 1991 and returned to Yokosuka, Japan to continue the duties of Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet.
In 1996, two aircraft carrier battle groups were sent to the Taiwan Straits under Seventh Fleet control to demonstrate U.S. support for Taiwan during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis or the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was the effect of a series of missile tests conducted by the People's Republic of China in the waters surrounding Taiwan including the Taiwan Strait from July 21, 1995 to March 23, 1996...
. The Nimitz battle group made a high speed transit from the Persian Gulf, while the Independence battle group sortied from its Japanese homeports.
Operations
Of the 50-60 ships typically assigned to Seventh Fleet, 18 operate from U.S. facilities in Japan and GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. These forward-deployed units represent the heart of Seventh Fleet. The 18 permanently forward-deployed ships of the U.S. 7th Fleet are the centerpieces of American forward presence in Asia. They are 17 steaming days closer to locations in Asia than their counterparts based in the continental U.S.. It would take three to five times the number of rotationally-based ships in the U.S. to equal the same presence and crisis response capability as these 18 forward deployed ships. On any given day, about 50% of Seventh Fleet forces are deployed at sea throughout the area of responsibility. The Seventh Fleet Command Ship is the USS Blue Ridge, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. In 2004, Blue Ridge entered dry dock and command responsibility was transferred temporarily to . Blue Ridge returned to duty 27 September 2004.
Following the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the two major military scenarios in which the Seventh Fleet would be used would be in case of conflict in Korea or a conflict between People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
) in the Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
.
Fleet organization
For operational and administrative purposes the U.S. Seventh Fleet, as with other numbered fleets, is organized into several specialized task forceTask force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
s.
- Task Force 70 — TF 70 the Battle Force of 7th Fleet and is actually made up of two distinct components: Surface Combatant Force 7th Fleet, composed of cruiserCruiserA cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and destroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, and Carrier Strike Force 7th Fleet, made up of at least one aircraft carrierAircraft carrierAn aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
and its embarked air wing. The Battle Force is currently centered around Carrier Strike Group Five, the carrier and Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5).
- Task Force 71 — TF 71 includes all Naval Special Warfare (NSW) units and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units (EODMU) assigned to 7th Fleet. It is based in Guam. TF 71 operated the Search and Rescue/Salvage Operations for Korean Air Lines Flight 007 shot down by the Soviets off Sakhalin Island on Sept. 1, 1983. See Naval search for KAL 007. During the first half of 1965, the Seventh Fleet operationally controlled the Vietnam Patrol Force (Task Force 71), the American component of the Operation Market TimeOperation Market TimeOperation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
effort. The Naval Advisory Group, headquartered in Saigon, served as the liaison between the fleet, COMUSMACVCOMUSMACVCOMUSMACV was a U.S. military abbreviation during the Vietnam War standing for Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. COMUSMACV was in one sense the top person in charge of the U.S. military on the Indochinese peninsula; however, in reality, the CINCPAC and the U.S...
, and the South Vietnamese Navy. On 31 July 1965, formal control of the U.S. Operation Market TimeOperation Market TimeOperation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
force passed from the Seventh Fleet to the Naval Advisory Group, which in turn activated the Coastal Surveillance Force (Task Force 115). The fleet continued to provide logistic and administrative support. The command function was further refined on 1 April 1966 when Naval Forces, Vietnam, was established, relieving the Naval Advisory Group of responsibility for Market Time operations.
- Task Force 72 — TF 72 is the Patrol-Reconnaissance Force of the Seventh Fleet. It may be located at Naval Support Facility KamiseyaNaval Support Facility Kamiseyais a detachment of U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan. The facility is located on the Kantō Plain, approximately three miles northeast of NAF Atsugi, and 7.55 miles WNW of Yokohama. The base consists of 587 acres with 110 acres within the fence line...
, Japan. It is mainly composed of anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) aircraft and maritime airborne surveillance platforms such as P-3 OrionP-3 OrionThe Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
and EP-3 reconnaissance planes operating on land bases. Toward the end of the Korean War, Commander Task Force 72 transferred his flag to on 7 March and detachments of VP-42 also left USS Salisbury Sound for that seaplane tender. That same day Task Force Seventy-Two was established as the FormosaTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
Patrol Force under Rear Admiral Williamson in Pine Island.
- Task Force 73Task Force 73The US Task Force 73/Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific is a US Navy task force of the United States Seventh Fleet and is 7th Fleet's logistics force composed of supply ships and other fleet support vessels. In addition to its logistics component, it also provides industrial voyage repairs...
/COMLOG WESTPAC — 7th Fleet's Logistics Force composed of supply ships and other fleet support vessels. Headquartered in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
- Task Force 74Task Force 74The US Task Force 74 was a US Navy task force of the United States Seventh Fleet that was deployed to the Bay of Bengal by Nixon administration in December 1971, at the height of the 1971 Indo-Pak War...
— TF 74 was the designation used for the Enterprise's battle group in 1971. Today, it is the Fleet Submarine Force responsible for planning and coordinating submarine operations within 7th Fleet's area of operations.
- Task Force 75 — Designation of the Surface Combatant Force assigned to Seventh Fleet responsible for the cruisers and destroyers that are not assigned as escorts to aircraft carriers. Rear Admiral Rembrandt C. Robinson, U.S. Navy, at age 47, was Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Eleven and Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Vietnam, Seventh Fleet (CTF 75). Admiral Robinson was killed in a helicopter crash in the Gulf of Tonkin on May 8, 1972, during a late night landing approach to his flagship, the guided missile light cruiser USS Providence (CLG-6)USS Providence (CLG-6)USS Providence , a Cleveland-class light cruiser was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named after the city of Providence, Rhode Island.-Construction and commissioning:...
. The Seventh Fleet's flagship used to be frequently a cruiser. This cruiser, for example USS Oklahoma City (CG-5), would be assigned the designation of Task Group 70.1 when acting as fleet flagship and also act as part of Task Force 75 when carrying out Naval gunfire supportNaval gunfire supportNaval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
.
- Task Force 76Task Force 76Expeditionary Strike Group SEVEN/Task Force 76 is a United States Navy task force. It is at one and the same time operationally a Task Force of the United States Seventh Fleet and administratively, the USN's only permanently forward-deployed Expeditionary Strike Group...
— Amphibious Assault task force mainly responsible for supporting Marine landing operations. It is composed of units capable of delivering ship-to-shore assault troops, such as Tarawa-classTarawa class amphibious assault shipThe Tarawa class is a ship class of amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy . Five ships were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding between 1971 and 1980; another four ships were planned, but later cancelled...
and Wasp-classWasp class amphibious assault shipThe Wasp class is a class of Landing Helicopter Dock amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy. Based on the Tarawa class, with modifications to operate more advanced aircraft and landing craft, the Wasp class is capable of transporting almost the full strength of a United States...
amphibious assault shipAmphibious assault shipAn amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
s, and landing craftLanding craftLanding craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
. Rear Admiral Richard Landolt currently commands TF 76.
- Task Force 77 — 7th Fleet Mine Warfare Force composed of mine countermeasure, mine hunter, and mine control ships as well as mine countermeasure helicopters (MH-53). This task force is only activated during specific combat operations and is filled by the Commander of Mine Warfare Command.
- Task Force 78 — As of 2010, Commander Naval Forces KoreaCommander Naval Forces KoreaCommander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea is a major shore command of the United States Navy that serves as the shore support agency for all U.S. Naval activity in South Korea. Known by the initials "CNFK", Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea is headquartered in Seoul on Yongsan Army Garrison and...
, an administrative liaison unit between USFK, the ROK Navy, and Seventh Fleet, has been assigned the TF 78 designation. Naval Forces Korea is headquartered at Yongsan and has a base at Chinhae, Commander Fleet Activities Chinhae.
- Task Force 79 — The Marine expeditionary unitMarine Expeditionary UnitA Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...
or Landing Force assigned to the fleet, consisting of at least a reinforced Marine battalion and its equipment. This unit is separate from the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) normally embarked in USS Essex Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG). Marine units serving in 7th Fleet are normally drawn from III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) based in Okinawa, Japan.
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan
Apra Harbor, Guam
(Home-ported Bangor, Washington) (Home-ported Bangor, Washington)Fleet Commanders
| •Vice Adm. Vice admiral (United States) In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of... Arthur S. Carpender Arthur S. Carpender Arthur Schuyler Carpender , nicknamed "Chips", was an American vice admiral during World War II commanding US naval forces in the Southwest Pacific.-Family:... |
(15 March-26 November 1943) | |
| •Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid Thomas C. Kinkaid Thomas Cassin Kinkaid was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He built a reputation as a "fighting admiral" in the aircraft carrier battles of 1942 and commanded the Allied forces in the Aleutian Islands Campaign... |
(26 November 1943 - 20 November 1945) | |
| •Vice Adm. Daniel E. Barbey Daniel E. Barbey Vice Admiral Daniel Edward Barbey was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he participated in the 1912 United States occupation of Nicaragua and the 1915 United States occupation of Veracruz. While serving with the War... |
(20 November 1945 - 2 October 1946) | |
| •Vice Adm. Charles M. Cooke, Jr. Charles M. Cooke, Jr. Admiral Charles Maynard Cooke, Jr., USN, was a United States Navy four star admiral who served as Commander, United States Seventh Fleet from 1946 to 1947; and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Western Pacific from 1947 to 1948.... |
(2 October 1946 - 28 February 1948) | |
| •Vice Adm. Oscar C. Badger II Oscar C. Badger II Oscar Charles Badger II was an admiral of the United States Navy who served in both World Wars, and, as a junior officer, received the Medal of Honor.-Early history:... |
(28 February 1948 - 28 August 1949) | |
| •Vice Adm. Russell S. Berkey Russell S. Berkey Russell Stanley Berkey was an Admiral in the United States Navy during World War II.Admiral Berkey was a native of Indiana and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1916. Following graduation he served on board the battleship... |
(28 August 1949 - 5 April 1950) | |
| •Rear Adm. Rear admiral (United States) Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :... Walter. F. Boone |
(5 April - 20 May 1950) | |
| •Vice Adm. Arthur D. Struble | (20 May 1950 - 28 March 1951) | |
| •Vice Adm. Harold. M. Martin | (28 March 1951 - 3 March 1952) | |
| •Vice Adm. Robert P. Briscoe Robert P. Briscoe Robert Pearce Briscoe was an Admiral of the United States Navy. He commanded two ships, a destroyer squadron, and an amphibious group during World War II. He later served as Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe, from 1956 to 1959... |
(3 March - 20 May 1952) | |
| •Vice Adm. Joseph. J. Clark | (20 May 1952 - 1 December 1953) | |
| •Vice Adm. Alfred M. Pride Alfred M. Pride Alfred Melville Pride was a United States Navy admiral and pioneer Naval aviator, who distinguished himself during World War II as an aircraft-carrier commander.... |
(1 December 1953 - 9 December 1955) | |
| •Vice Adm. Stuart H. Ingersoll | (19 December 1955 - 28 January 1957) | |
| •Vice Adm. Wallace M. Beakley | (28 January 1957 - 30 September 1958) | |
| •Vice Adm. Frederick N. Kivette | (30 September 1958 - 7 March 1960) | |
| •Vice Adm. Charles D. Griffin Charles D. Griffin Admiral Charles Donald Griffin was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of United States Naval Forces Europe from 1963 to 1965 and as commander in chief of Allied Forces Southern Europe from 1965 to 1968.-Early career:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to... |
(7 March 1960 - 28 October 1961) | |
| •Vice Adm. William A. Schoech | (28 October 1961 - 13 October 1962) | |
| •Vice Adm. Thomas H. Moorer | (13 October 1962 - 15 June 1964) | |
| •Vice Adm. Roy L. Johnson Roy L. Johnson Admiral Roy Lee Johnson served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet, from 1965–1967. In his previous post as Commander, United States Seventh Fleet, he gave the orders to the and to return fire, in what became known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident... |
(15 June 1964 - 1 March 1965) | |
| •Vice Adm. Paul P. Blackburn | (1 March - 9 October 1965) | |
| •Rear Adm. Joseph W. Williams, Jr. | (9 October - 13 December 1965) | |
| •Vice Adm. John J. Hyland | (13 December 1965 - 6 November 1967) | |
| •Vice Adm. William F. Bringle William F. Bringle Admiral William Floyd Bringle, USN, was the first commanding officer of USS Kitty Hawk . During the Vietnam War, he was Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet in 1967-70 as a Vice Admiral, and later, as a four star admiral, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe in 1971-73.-Early life and career:Admiral... |
(6 November 1967 - 10 March 1970) | |
| •Vice Adm. Maurice F. Weisner Maurice F. Weisner Maurice Franklin Weisner was a United States Navy four-star admiral who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1972 to 1973; Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1973 to 1976; and Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command from 1976 to 1979... |
(10 March 1970 - 18 June 1971) | |
| •Vice Adm. William P. Mack | (18 June 1971 - 23 May 1972) | |
| •Vice Adm. James L. Holloway III James L. Holloway III James Lemuel Holloway III is a retired United States Navy admiral and naval aviator who was highly decorated for his actions during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After the Vietnam War, he was posted to The Pentagon, where he established the Navy's Nuclear Powered Carrier... |
(23 May 1972 - 28 July 1973) | |
| •Vice Adm. George P. Steele | (28 July 1973 - 14 June 1975) | |
| •Vice Adm. Thomas B. Hayward Thomas B. Hayward Admiral Thomas Bibb Hayward was Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy from July 1, 1978, until June 30, 1982, after which he retired from military service. He is a 1947 graduate of the United States Naval Academy... |
(14 June 1975 - 24 July 1976) | |
| •Vice Adm. Robert B. Baldwin | (24 July 1976 - 31 May 1978) | |
| •Vice Adm. Sylvester Robert Foley, Jr. | (31 May 1978 - 14 February 1980) | |
| •Vice Adm. Carlisle A.H. Trost | (14 February 1980 - 15 September 1981) | |
| •Vice Adm. M. Staser Holcomb | (15 September 1981 - 9 May 1983) | |
| •Vice Adm. James R. Hogg James R. Hogg James Robert Hogg is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who served as U.S. Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee from 1988 to 1991.... |
(9 May 1983 - 4 March 1985) | |
| •Vice Adm. Paul F. McCarthy, Jr. | (4 March 1985 - 9 December 1986) | |
| •Vice Adm. Paul D. Miller Paul David Miller Paul David Miller is a retired Admiral in the United States Navy. His last duty in the Navy was to serve as Commander-in-Chief, of the U.S. Atlantic Command.... |
(9 December 1986 - 21 October 1988) | |
| •Vice Adm. Henry H. Mauz, Jr. Henry H. Mauz, Jr. Henry H. Mauz, Jr. is a retired United States Navy admiral and the former Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet from 1992 to 1994.-Military career:... |
(21 October 1988 - 1 December 1990) | |
| •Vice Adm. Stanley R. Arthur | (1 December 1990 - 3 July 1992) | |
| •Vice Adm. Timothy W. Wright | (3 July 1992 - 28 July 1994) | |
| •Vice Adm. Archie R. Clemins Archie R. Clemins Archie Ray Clemins is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who served as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet from 1996 to 1999.-Military career:... |
(28 July 1994 - 13 September 1996) | |
| •Vice Adm. Robert J. Natter Robert J. Natter Admiral Robert Joseph Natter is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet/Fleet Forces Command from 2000 to 2003.-Military career:... |
(13 September 1996 - 12 August 1998) | |
| •Vice Adm. Walter F. Doran | (12 August 1998 - 12 July 2000) | |
| •Vice Adm. James W. Metzger | (12 July 2000 - 18 July 2002) | |
| •Vice Adm. Robert F. Willard Robert F. Willard Robert F. Willard is a United States Navy admiral who serves as the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. He previously served as Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet from May 8, 2007 to September 25, 2009. Prior to that, he served as the 34th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from March 18, 2005 to April 2007... |
(18 July 2002 - 6 August 2004) | |
| •Vice Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert Jonathan W. Greenert Jonathan W. Greenert is a United States Navy admiral currently serving as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 13, 2009 to August 22, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S... |
(6 August 2004 - 12 September 2006) | |
| •Vice Adm. William Douglas Crowder William Douglas Crowder Vice Admiral William Douglas Crowder retired from the United States Navy in November 2009 after serving as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy... |
(12 September 2006 - 12 July 2008) | |
| •Vice Adm. John M. Bird | (12 July 2008 - 10 September 2010) | |
| •Vice Adm. Scott R. Van Buskirk | (10 September 2010 - 7 September 2011) | |
| •Vice Adm. Scott "Not So" Swift | (7 September 2011 - )) |