Far East Command (United States)

Far East Command
Active 1 January 1947 – 1 July 1957
Country United States
Type Unified Command
Headquarters Dai Ichi Building, Tokyo, Japan
Nickname FECOM
Engagements Korean War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Douglas MacArthur
Matthew B. Ridgway
Mark W. Clark

Far East Command was a United States military command from 1947 until 1957 comprising United States Army Forces in the Far East, Far East Air Forces and Naval Forces Far East. It was created on January 1, 1947, and abolished, with functions transferred to Pacific Command, effective July 1, 1957, pursuant to Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) 1259/378.[1] FECOM was functionally organised to undertake the occupation of Japan.[2]

Whether to place the Bonin and Mariana Islands under PACOM or FECOM became a bone of contention. The Navy saw all Pacific islands as one strategic entity, while the Army insisted that FECOM be able to draw upon military resources in the Bonin-Marianas during an emergency. Accordingly, the Commander in Chief, Far East (CINCFE), was given control over local forces and facilities in these islands, while naval administration and logistics there fell under Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC).

Major army commands under the FEC were the Eighth United States Army, the Ryukyus Command, and the Marianas-Bonin Command (MARBO). MARBO was established under MacArthur's Far East Command in January 1947 as result a major reorganization of U.S. military forces in the Asia/Pacific region. The MARBO SSI was approved on August 8, 1948.[3]

Following signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, September 2, 1945, the Ryukyu Islands were administered by the Department of the Navy, September 21, 1945 - June 30, 1946, with Commanding Officer, Naval Operating Base, Okinawa functioning as chief military government officer under authority of Commander-in-Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet.[4] Transfer of administration from the Department of the Navy to the War Department was authorized by Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) approval, April 1, 1946.[5] Pursuant to implementing instructions of General Headquarters U.S. Army Forces in the Pacific (GHQ AFPAC), the Okinawa Base Command was redesignated Ryukyus Command, effective July 1, 1946, by General Order 162, Headquarters U.S. Army Forces, Western Pacific, and made responsible for administration under a Deputy Commander for Military Government. The Ryukyu Islands was administered successively by Ryukyus Command, July 1-November 30, 1946; and Philippines-Ryukyus Command, December 1, 1946-July 31, 1948; and Ryukyuan Command, August 1, 1948-December 15, 1950. All were seemingly headquartered at Fort Buckner.

The PHILRYCOM marriage of convenience did not last out 1948, as the command was separated into a Philippine Command (PHILCOM) and a Ryukyus Command (RYCOM) on August 1, 1948 (SCAP, GHQ General Order Number 18, July 9, 1948).[6]

In June 1950 GHQ, FEC, located in Tokyo, Japan, with main offices in the Dai Ichi Building, had Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond as chief of staff and Maj. Gen. Doyle O. Hickey as deputy chief of staff. The major subordinate Army commands were Eighth Army, commanded by Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker; Headquarters and Service Group, GHQ, commanded by Maj. Gen. Walter L. Weible; the Ryukyus Command (RYCOM) under Maj. Gen. Josef R. Sheetz; and the Marianas-Bonins Command (MARBO) headed by Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler. In the Philippines, the Thirteenth Air Force controlled U.S. installations through PHILCOM (AF), a small and rapidly diminishing headquarters commanded by Maj. Gen. Howard M. Turner USAF. Naval Forces, Far East, were commanded by Vice Adm. C. Turner Joy. Far East Air Forces came under Lt. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer. FEAF and NavFE headquarters were located in Tokyo in buildings separate from GHQ, FEC.[7] XVI Corps was activated in April 1951 as the command reserve.[8]

In 1951, during the Korean War, the Joint Chiefs of Staff shifted responsibility for the Bonins and Marianas as well as the Philippines and Taiwan from FECOM to PACOM.[2]

The United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) was established, effective December 15, 1950, by a directive of Headquarters Far East Command.[4] That directive ordered Commander-in-Chief Far East, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, to organize a civil administration for the Ryukyu Islands in accordance with JCS 1231/14 of October 4, 1950. USCAR continued to function under the Department of the Army (formerly the War Department) from 1950-71.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/349.html
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Joint History Office, History of the Unified Command Plan 1946-1993, 1.
  3. ↑ Source: Aleck's Authorized Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. Army, Ed. 2010
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Records of U.S. Occupation Headquarters, World War II: 260.12 Records of the U.S. Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) 1945-72, National Archives and Records Administration.
  5. ↑ JCS 819/11, March 5, 1946, with added proviso of JCS 819/12, March 22, 1946
  6. ↑ Headquarters, United States Army Forces, Western Pacific (HQ USAFWESPAC) was abolished, effective January 1, 1947, by General Order 272, HQ USAFWESPAC, December 31, 1946, with functions transferred to newly established Philippines-Ryukyus Command, a major command of newly established Far East Command (FEC); confirmed by General Order 2, General Headquarters, FEC, January 1, 1947. See also Establishment and Missions of FEC Far East Command, Reports of General MacArthur
  7. ↑ James F. Schnabel, UNITED STATES ARMY IN THE KOREAN WAR POLICY AND DIRECTION: THE FIRST YEAR
  8. ↑ Stars and Stripes

Further reading