United States Fleet

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The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. Initially the abbreviation CINCUS, pronounced as "sink us", was used for Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, officially replaced by COMINCH in December 1941.

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[edit] Establishment

The General Order of 6 December 1922 combined the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets to form the United States Fleet. The main body of ships, the Battle Fleet, was in the Pacific and the Scouting Fleet was in the Atlantic. Additionally, the Control Force protected Atlantic sea lanes, and the Fleet Base Force were included. Remaining independent were the Asiatic Fleet, Naval Forces, Europe, the Special Service Squadron and all the submarines.

In 1930, the Battle Fleet and Scouting Fleet were renamed the Battle Force and the Scouting Force. The Submarine Force was placed under control of CINCUS. The Control Force was abolished in 1931. The Special Service Squadron and the Asiatic Fleet were retained, both still apparently independent of the U.S. Fleet.

[edit] Reorganization in 1941

With the start of World War II in Europe the U.S. Navy began to plan for the possibility of war in the Atlantic as well as the Pacific. On 1 February 1941, General Order 143 was issued, abolishing the United States Fleet organization. In its place, the Atlantic Fleet and the Pacific Fleet were re-established, each under its own commander-in-chief. Asiatic Fleet remained an independent organization as before.

The additional title of Commander-in-Chief United States Fleet was given to one of the three fleet commanders for the event of two or more fleets operating together. Except for this provision, the individual commanders-in-chief were responsible directly to the Secretary of the Navy and the President.

Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel was appointed Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet, on February 1, 1941, with the rank of admiral from that date. Admiral Kimmel was relieved as CINPAC/CINCUS on 17 December 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The next day, by an Executive order of December 18, 1941, the post of Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet was re-established and given operational command over the Atlantic, Pacific and Asiatic Fleets and all naval coastal forces. On 20 December, Admiral Ernest King was assigned as COMINCH. One important difference from the previous post of CINCUS was that King insisted his headquarters be in Washington D.C. rather than with the fleet.

Dividing command of the navy between King and Chief of Naval Operations Harold R. Stark did not prove very effective. President Roosevelt addressed the issue with Executive Order 9096 of March 12, 1942. This order allowed the offices of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet to be held by a single officer, and Admiral King was designated CNO in addition to COMINCH. King relieved Admiral Stark as CNO on 29 March 1942 and retained both "hats" for the remainder of World War II.

The position of Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet was abolished by Admiral King on 10 October 1945, and its functions were transferred to the Chief of Naval Operations.

[edit] Current status

As of 2004, the United States Fleet Forces Command, formerly the Combined Fleet Forces Command, held similar duties.

[edit] Leadership

Commanders-in-Chief of the United States Fleet:

[edit] External links

[edit] Sources

  • Buell, Thomas. Master of Sea Power: A Biography of Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King. Boston: Little Brown & Co. 1980. ISBN 0316114693.
  • Furer, Julius. Administration of the Navy Department in World War II. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1959.
  • King, Ernest J., and Walter M. Whitehill. Fleet Admiral King: A Naval Record. New York, WW Norton & Co. 1952.
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