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98-755: The Fast Carrier Task Force ( TF 38 when assigned to Third Fleet , TF 58 when assigned to Fifth Fleet ) was a group of ships in World War II . It was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific War from January 1944 through the end of the war in September 1945. The task force was made up of several separate task groups, each typically built around three to four aircraft carriers and their supporting vessels. The support vessels were screening destroyers , cruisers , and

196-510: A five-day amphibious operation in February 1944. Major combat occurred on Engebi Islet , which was the most important Japanese installation on the atoll. Combat also occurred on the main islet of Eniwetok itself, and on Parry Island , the site of a Japanese seaplane base. Following its capture, the anchorage at Eniwetok became a major forward naval base for the U.S. Navy. On 5 June Commodore Carter joined ServRon 10 at Eniwetok. His flagship

294-418: A combination of cruisers , destroyers , and frigates . They also have more than 30 submarines and a dozen supply ships to support the strike groups. Third Fleet's air forces comprises more than 400 Navy aircraft, including Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets , Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes , McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II , Bell AH-1Z SuperCobra and Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. The Third Fleet

392-1005: A conflict to carry out the primary wartime mission of Third Fleet—the defense of the western sea approaches to the United States, including Alaska and the Aleutian Islands . There are four Carrier Strike Groups reportedly assigned to the Third Fleet: USS ; Nimitz  (CVN-68) and Carrier Strike Group Eleven ; USS  Carl Vinson  (CVN-70) and Carrier Strike Group One ; USS  Theodore Roosevelt  (CVN-71) and Carrier Strike Group Nine ; and USS  Abraham Lincoln  (CVN-72) and Carrier Strike Group Three . In peacetime, Third Fleet continually trains Navy and U.S. Marine Corps forces for their expeditionary warfare mission. Third Fleet training has been designed to ensure that deploying forces are fully prepared for joint operations. All training

490-507: A fast-carrier task force is four carriers, six to eight support vessels and not less than 18 destroyers, preferably 24. More than four carriers in a task group cannot be advantageously used due to the amount of air room required. Less than four carriers requires an uneconomical use of support ships and screening vessels." The ships of each task group sailed in a circle formation centered on the carriers. The supporting ships sailed relatively close by, and added their anti-aircraft fire to that of

588-593: A major operation was underway the task force would concentrate all four groups together. Each group would remain distinct but operate in close proximity to the other groups to provide the task force with maximum protection and maximum striking power. The Fast Carrier Task Force worked in conjunction with the other two major components of the Pacific Fleet: the Amphibious Force, which was much larger overall and which carried and provided direct support to

686-421: A metal fabrication shop with a supply of base metals from which she could make any alloy to form any part needed. Abatan , which looked like a big tanker, distilled fresh water and baked bread and pies. The ice cream barge made 500 gallons a shift. The dry docks towed to Ulithi were large enough to lift dry a 45,000-ton battleship. Fleet oilers sortied to and from Ulithi to meet the task forces at sea, refueling

784-425: A mobile machine shop. There was also a special small-boat pool and an LVT repair facility run by the amphibious force, two 75-ton cranes on 6 × 18 pontoon lighters, and a pier for handling ammunition between ship and shore. On 13 September Ocelot moved westward again, to Buckner Bay , Okinawa as the forward supply followed the course of the conflict finally to the home waters of Japan. Shortly after arrival there

882-729: A single Sea Service. It strengthens relations between the U.S. and its allies and partners through joint, inter-agency and multinational exercises and operations like Rim of the Pacific, Pacific Partnership, and Fleet Weeks. The Third Fleet ensures realistic, relevant training to its personnel so they have the necessary skills to promote peace and prevail in conflict. The Third Fleet is a combat-ready power in control of ships, submarines, and aircraft stationed in California , Washington , and Hawaii . The Third Fleet's sea-going force includes five aircraft carrier strike groups, each consisting of

980-413: A small volcanic atoll in the central Pacific, is an example of a site converted for use as a forward base of supply. Service Squadrons essentially created a major naval base near the area of operation. With naval bases like, Naval Base Ulithi , to refit, repair and resupply, many ships were able to deploy and operate in the western Pacific for a year or more without returning to a major port facility. Among

1078-672: A specific event or contingency. As such, the JTF commander reports via a joint chain of command to a unified commander. Commander, U.S. Pacific Command is the unified commander in the Pacific theater. To allow 7th Fleet to focus more resources on a potential North Korean contingency, the 3rd Fleet is building up its ability to operate forces beyond the International Date Line , in areas of the Western Pacific hitherto commanded by 7th Fleet. The "3rd Fleet Forward" concept

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1176-575: A supply depot of 64 steel warehouses 40 by 100 feet (12 m × 30 m) each, plus 11 refrigerator units of 640 cubic feet (18 m ) each. The naval ammunition depot had 112 steel magazines, 4 torpedo magazines, and considerable open storage. An amphibious-vessel repair base comprised five shops 40 × 100 feet each in floor space, a 12-ton crane on a pontoon barge, a 6 × 18 pontoon drydock, and additional fuel storage of four 10,000-barrel diesel tanks and two 1,000 barrel tanks for aviation gasoline. A small-boat repair unit with 4 × 15 pontoon drydock had

1274-525: A time. After Leyte Gulf was secured, the Pacific Fleet moved its forward staging area to Leyte at Leyte-Samar Naval Base . In September 1944 Ocelot arrived at Pearl Harbor to undergo conversion to flagship for Service Squadron 10. The ship was fitted with extensive radio and visual signaling equipment, with radio and coding rooms in the superstructure , and berths for the squadron commander, staff officers, and enlisted men below. The conversion

1372-578: A year earlier. The islands that made up the Majuro atoll were secured without incident. Majuro had one of the largest natural anchorages in the Pacific. It became the first major forward base for the US Pacific fleet and was the largest and most active port in the world until the war moved westward and Majuro became supplanted by Ulithi . After the capture of Kwajalein in February 1944 Cascade moved from Funafuti to Kwajalein. On 17 March 1944 Squadron 4

1470-459: Is conducted within a joint environment—employing joint doctrine, terminology, procedures, command and control—to ensure that forces are ready to join with the other United States armed forces branches under a joint command structure. Commander, Third Fleet is also designated as a Joint Task Force (JTF) commander. In that capacity, the commander and their staff may be assigned responsibilities for command of joint U.S. forces deployed in response to

1568-587: The Battle of Iwo Jima in early 1945, the Task Force included eighteen aircraft carriers, eight battleships and two Alaska -class large cruisers , along with numerous cruisers and destroyers. TF 58 alone commanded more firepower than any navy in history. The original TF 38 came into existence in August 1943, built around USS  Saratoga , and under the command of Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman . TF 58

1666-770: The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea and the Battle off Cape Engaño – that made up the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, encountered the damaging Typhoon Cobra in December 1944, endured Typhoon Connie in June 1945, and took part in the war's final operations in Japanese waters in the summer of 1945, launching air attacks on Tokyo, the naval base at Kure , and the island of Hokkaidō and bombarding several Japanese coastal cities with naval gunfire. The British Pacific Fleet

1764-795: The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force , the Royal Australian Navy , the Royal New Zealand Navy , and the United States. In 2015, Nora Tyson was installed as the new commander of the Third Fleet, making her the first woman to lead a numbered fleet in the U.S. Navy. Third Fleet's primary mission is one of conflict deterrence, but in the event of general war, it would conduct prompt and sustained combat operations at sea. Such operations would be executed well forward and early in

1862-744: The Ryukyu Islands , and the Japanese Home Islands , first with the battleship USS  New Jersey and, from May 1945 to the end of the war, the battleship USS  Missouri as its flagship . As the Third Fleet, it took part in the Palau Islands campaign of September–November 1944 and the Philippines campaign of 1944–1945, defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy in two of the four major actions –

1960-598: The Southwest Pacific theater was during the double landings at Hollandia and Aitape in April 1944, hundreds of miles behind Japanese enemy lines and far beyond the range of short-ranged P-40 fighters of the Allied Air Forces . TF 58 and escort carriers in Task Force 78 supported the landings. TF 58 only stayed for four days but contributed much crucial air support to one of the greatest successes in

2058-463: The unclassified vessels Silver Cloud , Caribou , Arethusa , and Armadillo , the water barge YW-90 , and the ocean tug Tern towing the concrete barge YO-186 . Caribou brought 65,000 barrels of fuel oil, Silver Cloud 85,000 and Arethusa 65,000; Armadillo 24,000 barrels of diesel oil and 1,770,000 gallons of aviation gasoline . YW-90 held 280,000 gallons of water, and the concrete YO-186 55,000 barrels. The fleet tug Tawasa towed in

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2156-633: The Atlantic. Service Squadron 9 was formed on Pearl Harbor as a submarine chaser division. Service Squadron 6 operated in the Mediterranean Sea . The Marshall Islands were considered the first major stepping stone for the battles across the Central Pacific to Japan. United States Marines were landed on 30 January 1944, but found that Japanese forces had previously evacuated their fortifications to Kwajalein and Enewetak about

2254-520: The Fast Carrier Task Force. The force grew to nine CVs and eight CVLs in preparation for the landings on Leyte . Task Force 38 was composed of four task groups: Task Group 38.1 was commanded by Admiral McCain, with its previous commander, Admiral Joseph "Jocko" Clark , remaining on as advisor, Task Group 38.2 was under the command of Admiral Gerald Bogan , Task Group 38.3 was led by Admiral Frederick Sherman , and Task Group 38.4

2352-667: The International Fleet Review (IFR) commemorating the 100th birthday of the Royal Canadian Navy in Victoria, British Columbia . Joining Ronald Reagan for the naval review were the cruiser Chosin , the destroyer Sampson , and the frigate Ford . The naval review took place 9–12 June 2010, and it involved 21 naval ships and more than 8,000 naval personnel from Canada, the French Navy ,

2450-600: The Marine forces, and the Service Squadrons of hundreds of support vessels which resupplied and maintained the fleet. The fleet and task group designation changed when the command of the fleet changed hands. When under the umbrella of Fifth Fleet, the invasion force was called the Fifth Amphibious Force. When Halsey had command of the fleet, Third Amphibious Force was the designation. By the time of

2548-618: The Pacific Fleet AOR ...be it a major humanitarian disaster requiring that level of [joint task force] three-star commander, be it some scenario, maritime security issue in the South China Sea. So we have been working very closely with 7th Fleet, [Aucoin] and his team, and PACFLT to ensure that we have the connective tissue where if something were to happen that 3rd Fleet could very quickly respond, complement [Aucoin] and his team and handle whatever scenario may come to pass in

2646-555: The Pacific War. With command change from Spruance to Halsey on 26 August 1944, all units changed designations again. Mitscher, who was an aviator from early training and had a masterful command of the airgroups, requested that he retain command of the Fast Carrier Task Force until his replacement, Admiral John McCain , could have proper time to become more familiar with the handling of a carrier task force. King and Nimitz concurred. Admiral Halsey, like Spruance before him, sailed with

2744-552: The Pacific theater." In April 2016, Vice Admiral Tyson deployed a three-ship Surface Action Group of warships ( Momsen, Spruance , and USS  Decatur  (DDG-73) ) ) to the Western Pacific. On Oct. 21, one of them, the destroyer USS Decatur conducted a " Freedom of Navigation " passage near the Paracel Islands , separately claimed by the PRC, Vietnam and Taiwan. All three ships remained under Third Fleet command during

2842-488: The Solomons, with the exception of the battleships Mississippi , which had been overhauled and loaded on the west coast, and Maryland , loaded at Pearl Harbor after completion of battle-damage repairs. Naval Base Tulagi reported for August 1944 that the magazine issued 2,600 tons of ammunition to destroyers , cruisers, and battleships, and 500 tons to landing craft. Tennessee , which collided on 23 August with California ,

2940-708: The Southern Attack Force and the Western Islands Attack Group for the Okinawa operation assembled and loaded at Leyte. Initial plans designated Commander Service Force Seventh Fleet as the responsible service agency, and Commander Amphibious Group Twelve as responsible logistically for servicing the ships of the Joint Expeditionary Force staging at Leyte. When it became apparent that Seventh Fleet could not supply

3038-614: The Squadron during World War 2: Marine Service Squadron (SMS), were operated by the United States Marine Corps . Marine Aircraft Group 93 (MAG-93). Marine Service Squadron was aviation group established during World War II and serviced in the Korean war also. In November 1942, Marine Service Squadron 25 (SMS-25) was activated to provide maintenance for the group. Marine Service Squadron 33, SMS-33, operated in

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3136-586: The US Navy from their inception in 1943 to as late as the early 1980s. At the time of their inception during the Second World War they allowed the US Navy to operate across the vast reaches of the Pacific Ocean for extended periods of time. Service Squadrons created temporary forward bases to allow the naval squadrons to spend less time in transit and more time in the area of combat. Ulithi ,

3234-480: The US Navy to perform something no navy had ever accomplished before. In the autumn of 1943, Admiral Nimitz ordered the creation of two service squadrons. These two squadrons would provide mobile service to the fleet as it moved across the Pacific – with one serving as fleet base while the second remained to the rear. As the fleet captured new sites the rear squadron would move to the front and take over as fleet base. Commanding officer Commodore Worrall R. Carter devised

3332-592: The Western Carolines operation. As a result, Captain S.B. Ogden was ordered to Manus as Commander Service Squadron Ten representative, bringing with him units necessary to service Third Fleet vessels. He left Kwajalein in the Marshalls on Argonne , Commander T.H. Escott, on 21 August and reached Seeadler Harbor on the 27th to set up his mobile base, using Argonne as his flagship. Commander Third Fleet's logistic plan for Operation STALEMATE II , covering

3430-542: The Western Pacific, with the assumption that if something were to happen – and as [Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin , Commander 7th Fleet] said, the number-one probability fight-tonight scenario would be on the Korean Peninsula . "If that were the case, the assumption is that [Aucoin] and his team would be pretty busy up there.. working for General Brooks [ComUSFK/CFC/UNC] and 3rd Fleet would be available to provide that command element to handle whatever else may happen in

3528-431: The amphibious group, were available after 1 March. Because of the limited time in which to accomplish essential repairs and the length of time required to load ships, it was decided to place one repair ship in each of the two loading areas so that a maximum of work could be accomplished prior to departure. Work on small craft was undertaken by three of the other repair ships. The total number of ships to be serviced at Leyte

3626-511: The battleship USS  New Mexico which was also hit on 12 May). On 11 May, Mitscher and his chief of staff Commodore Arleigh Burke were merely yards away from getting killed or wounded by kamikazes on his flagship, USS  Bunker Hill , which killed three of Mitscher's staff officers and eleven of his enlisted staff members and also destroyed his flag cabin along with all of his uniforms, personal papers, and possessions. Just three days later Mitscher's new flagship, USS  Enterprise ,

3724-820: The capture of Peleliu , Ngesebus , Anguar , and Ulithi required that there should be available in Seeadler Harbor one 90,000-ton floating drydock, one 1,000-ton floating drydock, one destroyer tender, one repair ship, two 3,000-ton floating drydocks, and four floating workshops—two for hulls, two for machinery repairs, Besides these, there were added from time to time two destroyer tenders, one repair ship for internal combustion engines, four station tankers , one repair ship, two covered lighters , one water and one fuel oil barge , and two pontoon cranes . Captain Ogden's responsibility, as Representative "A" of Commander Service Squadron Ten in charge of his Seeadler detachment,

3822-491: The carriers to help ward off attacking aircraft. When under attack by torpedo aircraft, the task group would turn toward the oncoming aircraft to limit attack angles. Other than this measure, the carriers in the task group would not take evasive action from their attackers. This was in marked contrast with the Imperial Japanese Navy, but the choice made for more stable platforms for the anti-aircraft fire of all

3920-529: The combat area, the ammunition ships Mauna Loa and Shasta left Seeadler on 15 September for Kossol Passage , Palau Islands , and upon arrival on the 18th immediately began rearming battleships and cruisers of the Naval Gunfire Support Group. On 22 September Lassen also left Seeadler for Kossol, where she issued replacement ammunition to the support group and to Task Force 38.3. Most fire-support ships for STALEMATE were supplied in

4018-483: The coral. Connecting tie pieces ran across the tops of the pontoons to hold them together into a pier. Despite extremely heavy weather on several occasions these pontoon piers stood up remarkably well. They gave extensive service, with little requirement for repairs. Piers of this type were also installed by the 51st Battalion to be used as aviation-gasoline mooring piers near the main airfield on Falalop . On 8 October 1944 Commodore Worrall R. Carter's flagship Prairie ,

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4116-565: The designation Task Force (TF) 58. When led by Admiral Halsey as part of the Third Fleet , the carrier force was commanded by Vice Admiral John S. McCain Sr. and its designation was Task Force (TF) 38. Planning for upcoming operations was completed when each admiral and his staff rotated out of active command. This allowed the Navy to perform at a higher operational tempo, while giving the Japanese

4214-456: The duties of the former First Fleet and Pacific Anti-Submarine Warfare Force located at Ford Island , Hawaii. Third Fleet's new duties were to train naval forces for overseas deployment and evaluate state-of-the-art technology for fleet use. Additionally, Third Fleet could deploy in the event of a major conflict. On 26 November 1986, Commander, Third Fleet shifted his flag from his headquarters ashore to resume status as an afloat commander for

4312-409: The end of April, Admiral Nimitz came out to review the situation. After two months operating off the coast of Okinawa in support of Army forces engaged in battle on the island, the command staff was exhausted from the continuous pressure of fending off kamikaze attacks. On his return to Pearl Harbor, he notified Halsey that he would have to take over command from Spruance in thirty days, whether or not

4410-636: The entire operation. As Tyson partially acknowledged during her WEST 2017 conference remarks, "the Chinese know that this administrative (and) operational innovation is directed at them," said Toshi Yoshihara, a U.S. Naval War College professor in January 2017. U.S. Third Fleet component units include the following: Service Squadron A Service Squadron ( ServRon ) was a United States Navy squadron that supported fleet combat ships and US Navy Auxiliary ships . Service Squadrons were used by

4508-481: The facilities were struck by Typhoon Louise and a number of vessels were lost. Ocelot was forced aground and its back was broken. Command was shifted to another vessel and the job of keeping the navy supplied continued. Service Squadron 1 in 1941 in Pearl Harbor had, many other ships were added to the Squadron during World War 2. Service Squadron 7 in 1941 in Pearl Harbor had, many other ships were added to

4606-440: The first half of July was 488; during the second half of July the daily average number of ships at Eniwetok was 283. By the end of July Commodore Worrall R. Carter flew to Pearl Harbor to participate in planning the move of Servron 10 facilities from Eniwetok to Ulithi . By this point in the conflict, Commander Service Squadron 10 (ComServRon 10) had several hundred ships and floating equipment under his operational control, and had

4704-401: The first time since World War II, aboard USS  Coronado . In August 1991, Third Fleet's commander, his staff and the command ship Coronado shifted homeports to San Diego . In September 2003, Commander, Third Fleet shifted his flag from the command ship Coronado to headquarters ashore at Point Loma, San Diego, California. USS Ronald Reagan and other Third Fleet ships participated in

4802-481: The fleet for major operations, allowing the other admiral and his staff time to plan for subsequent operations. A secondary benefit was confusing the Japanese into thinking that there were actually two separate fleets as the fleet designation flipped back and forth. While under Halsey's command as the Third Fleet, the fleet operated in and around the Solomon Islands , the Philippines , Formosa , Okinawa ,

4900-543: The fleet through the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa , facing sustained attacks from land-based Japanese kamikaze aircraft. As the Okinawa campaign dragged into its second month, the presence of the carriers was still required to provide close air support to the soldiers on the island as the Army and its Air Corps were not as adept as the Marine Corps at quickly establishing airfields over newly occupied territory. At

4998-451: The floating drydock ARD-19 , while the auxiliary ocean tug ATA-122 arrived towing the barges YF-681 , filled with boatswain's stores of manila and wire line, blocks, tackle, mooring gear, etc., and YF-787 with general stores. Bringing in the drydock also meant bringing her in full, for while being towed from port to port her docking space furnished a wealth of cargo room for all sorts of equipment. On her trip from Eniwetok ARD-19 carried

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5096-416: The general impression of naval assets greater than what were actually available. The Fast Carrier Task Force took part in all the US Navy's battles in the Pacific during the last two years of the war. The task groups could operate independently or combine with the others as needs dictated. Raids against island strong points such as Iwo Jima or Chichi Jima might be undertaken by one or two task groups, but when

5194-617: The invasion of Kyushu in the Japanese Home Islands, scheduled to begin on 1 November 1945, during which it would have operated simultaneously with the Fifth Fleet for the first time. The end of the war made this operation unnecessary. Embarked aboard Missouri , Admiral Halsey led the Third Fleet into Tokyo Bay on 29 August 1945. On 2 September 1945, the documents of surrender of the Japanese Empire ending

5292-400: The largest staff afloat in the Pacific to help administrate responsibilities. On 30 July 1944, representatives of Central Pacific Forces, headed by Commodore A.G. Quynn, met at Naval Base Manus , Admiralty Islands , with representatives of Commander Seventh Fleet, Commander Southwest Pacific Forces, and Naval Base Manus to discuss logistic support of Third Fleet units using Manus as a base in

5390-420: The length of time US Navy assets could operate in the Western Pacific. Japanese naval strategy (' Kantai Kessen ') was built around the idea that this would present them with an opportunity to knock the US Navy out of the conflict with a single decisive action. They sought such an opportunity throughout the war. In his planning for how the war in the Pacific would be fought and won, Admiral Chester Nimitz knew

5488-431: The little harbor tug YTL-208 , two pontoon crane barges, 20 LCMs , and 20 LCVPs . Except for the crane barges all these were self-propelled, but none could have made its way across the ocean under its own power. Most of Ogden's detachment was sent down from Kwajalein and Eniwetok. Crane barges, small tugs, and landing craft were vital necessities for supply services within a harbor, and had to go forward. For resupply in

5586-451: The logistic anchorage, 15 to 30 miles, added to the problem. Maintenance facilities available to staging forces were the destroyer tenders Dixie and Markab ; one limited repair ship, Argonne ; two repair ships, the Hector and Prometheus ; one internal-combustion-engine repair ship; and two floating drydocks. Two landing-craft repair ships, Egeria and Endymion , which were assigned to

5684-476: The manufacturing might of the United States would eventually supply him with a force large enough to overcome the forces of the Empire of Japan. He referred to this future force as the 'Big Blue Fleet'. To make it effective at projecting its power, he would need to devise a way to keep it supplied and in fighting condition. The ongoing resupply of a large naval force across the vast expanse of the Pacific would require

5782-471: The merchant ammunition ship Plymouth Victory and Cascade sailed for Ulithi. Markab initially remained at Eniwetok, leaving for Ulithi on 18 October 1944 and arriving on 22 October. Within a month of the occupation of Ulithi, a whole floating base was in operation. Six thousand ship fitters, artificers, welders, carpenters, and electricians arrived aboard repair ships, destroyer tenders, and floating dry docks. Ajax had an air-conditioned optical shop and

5880-406: The mission was completed. Nimitz' assessment of the exhaustion and psychological toll on Spruance and Mitscher and their staff due to the kamikazes proved to be justified. The kamikazes were so relentless at Okinawa that Spruance's flagships were struck two separate times (the heavy cruiser USS  Indianapolis was hit on 31 March and had to retire for repairs which forced him to transfer to

5978-504: The mobile service squadrons that made it possible for the navy to create repair facilities and re-supply facilities thousands of miles away from an actual Naval port. He did this essentially by bringing the port to the navy. Admiral Nimitz referred to Service Squadron 4 and Service Squadron 10 as his "secret weapons". Service Squadron 4 was commissioned on 1 November 1943 with its mission being to provide logistics support to fleet operations from floating mobile bases. The squadron initially

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6076-430: The necessary drydock work every available diver was used. Because of experience gained with many small ships in this staging, a definite need was indicated of having small drydocks of 1,000 tons and pontoon docks to reinforce the 3,500-ton ARDs. At Saipan in addition to the floating facilities of Squadron Ten there was a tank farm for 150,000 barrels of black oil, 30,000 of diesel, and 900,000 gallons of aviation gasoline,

6174-547: The needs of this force, Commander Service Squadron Ten's Representative A, Captain Ogden, was ordered from Kossol Roads to provide services for Nimitz's ships in the area. ComServFor Seventh Fleet provided additional services as requested by Captain Ogden. Arriving 15 February 1945 in Argonne , Captain Ogden reported to Rear Admiral J.L. Hall, Jr., commanding Amphibious Group Twelve. Pending arrival of additional service-force units, conferences were held to obtain an overall grasp of

6272-655: The newly built fast battleships . With the arrival of the fleet carriers the primary striking power of the navy was no longer in its battleship force, but with the aircraft that could be brought to battle by the carriers. The means by which the US Navy operated these carriers was developed principally by Admiral Marc Mitscher . Mitscher determined that the best defense for a carrier was its own air groups, and that carriers were more easily defended if they operated together in groups, with supporting ships along with them to aid in air defense, anti-submarine defense, and rescue of downed airmen. Said Mitscher: "The ideal composition of

6370-458: The number of ships at one base, Naval Base Ulithi was the largest Naval Base in the world in 1944 and 1945, with over 617 ships at times. Ulithi became the undisclosed Pacific base for the major operations late in the war, including Leyte Gulf and the Okinawa operation . The huge anchorage capacity was greater than either Majuro or Pearl Harbor, and over seven hundred ships anchored there at

6468-641: The other ships in Service Squadron 4 were: the internal combustion engine repair ship Luzon , tugboat Keosanqua I , oiler Truckee , hospital ship Chaumont , for goods storage the Alchiba ; Troopship - barracks ships : Republic , Henderson , Harris , St. Mihiel and U. S. Grant . The Cascade arrived at Funafuti on 21 November 1943 and remained there until February 1944. During this period Captain Worrall Reed Carter

6566-418: The problems involved. It was determined that sufficient quantities of everything required were either available or could be made so at Leyte. All ships had to be provisioned before the training and rehearsal period, and topped off just before departure to the objective. Schedules were interrupted by foul weather and the late arrival of some of the ships from Iwo Jima. The distances from troop embarkation points to

6664-477: The sea, with the largest being only half a square mile in area. However, the reef runs roughly 20 miles (32 km) north and south by 10 miles (16 km) across, enclosing a vast anchorage with an average depth of 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 m). The anchorage was well situated, but there were no port facilities to repair ships or re-supply the fleet. The survey ship Sumner surveyed the lagoon and reported it capable of holding 700 vessels. Service Squadron 10

6762-456: The second contingent of oilers, which left on the 27th and reached Seeadler the 31st. Captain Ogden handled the assignment of the tankers and apportioned delivery of fuel and petroleum products. He similarly administered the supply of fresh and frozen foods, dry provisions, dry stores, ammunition, fresh water, medical items, fleet freight, aviation supplies, and last but not least, repair facilities. Following Argonne to Seeadler on 27 August were

6860-437: The ships in the task group and allowed the ships in the group to sail more closely together. The primary defense of the group against air attack was the group's own fighter cover. The individual primarily responsible for the development and operations of the task force was Admiral Mitscher. The overall command of the task force alternated between two very different admirals: Raymond Spruance and William "Bull" Halsey . Spruance

6958-504: The squadron. The Commander was referred to as ComServRon, with the title followed by the unit designation of his Squadron, such as ComServRon 10. Service Squadrons were slowly disbanded in the late 1970s as fleet combat support functions were shifted to civilian operated Military Sealift Command . Service squadrons played a vital role in the war in the Pacific during the Second World War. The Pacific Ocean with its vast reaches

7056-518: The thousands of miles back to a major US naval base. Ulithi was as far forward from the US naval base at San Francisco as the San Francisco base was from London , England. To have a fully functional major port in the middle of the Pacific was a significant aid to U.S. Navy operations. The commander of the service squadron was responsible for the operation of all the ships, docks and repair yards in

7154-453: The vessels operating in service squadrons were tankers , Fleet oilers , refrigerator ships, ammunition ships , supply ships , floating docks and repair ships . They provided diesel , ordnance, aviation fuel , food stuffs and all other supplies. Equally important at places like Ulithi were the portable piers and floating dry docks which allowed many ships damaged by enemy action or Pacific storms to undergo repair without having to travel

7252-560: The vicinity until afternoon of the 21st, when she went to Kossol Passage, joining Mauna Loa and Shasta . Next day the three were joined by Lassen , and all four issued replacement ammunition to retiring vessels. By the 27th, 66 ships of various types were in Kossol Passage. Because of the total lack of anchorages in the vicinity of Anguar and Peleliu, Kossol proved a roadstead where ships could await call to unload at Peleliu, and also where replenishment of fuel, stores, and ammunition

7350-636: The war on 2 September 1945. United States Third Fleet First established in 1943, the Third Fleet conducted extensive operations against Japanese forces in the Central Pacific during World War II . Deactivated in 1945, the fleet remained inactive until 1973, when it was reactivated and assumed its current responsibilities. The Third Fleet plans and executes naval operations in the Pacific Ocean. The fleet provides maritime homeland defense, regional security, and humanitarian operations support through integrated naval and coastguard forces acting as

7448-575: The war were signed on Missouri ' s deck. The Third Fleet remained in Japanese waters until late September 1945, when its ships were directed to proceed to the United States West Coast . On 7 October 1945, the Third Fleet was designated a reserve fleet and decommissioned from active status. On 1 February 1973, following a reorganization of the Pacific Fleet , the Third Fleet was recommissioned as an active fleet and assumed

7546-413: The warships a short distance from their combat operational areas. The result was something never seen before: a vast floating service station enabling the entire Pacific fleet to operate indefinitely at unprecedented distances from its mainland bases. Service Squadron 10's conversion of the lagoon at Ulithi to a major naval resupply and staging area was one of the most remarkable feats of the war. In terms of

7644-464: Was Prairie . The following ships were also present in July 1944: destroyer tenders Cascade , Piedmont , and Markab ; repair ship Hector ; repair ship landing craft Egeria ; floating drydocks ARD-13 , ARD-15 ; mobile floating drydock AFD-15 ; and floating workshop YR-30 . During July 1944 there were a large number of vessels present at Eniwetok. The daily average of ships present during

7742-539: Was 432, some—ships newly reporting from the United States—needing little attention, others considerable, especially amphibious craft returning from Iwo Jima. Of the floating drydocks, both brought forward from Kossol, ARD-16 was unavailable for the staging work because it contained the battle-damaged destroyer Renshaw . Consequently, ARD-17 carried most of this type of work, with Seventh Fleet facilities used on several occasions. To complete what would normally be

7840-487: Was a floating drydock of 3,500 tons and another smaller one, as the shore-base development planned for the area was not far enough advanced to meet the requirements. Later, when the Third and Fifth Fleets based there, Service Squadron Ten moved in with a large detachment to take care of the logistics without drawing upon the shore base for anything except the occasional use of the battleship drydock at Samar. Nearly all ships of

7938-476: Was a significant obstacle to overcome. In considering their war in the Pacific against the United States, the Japanese had counted on the fact that the size of the Pacific Ocean would in itself be a defense. For the US Navy to conduct operations against the Japanese, all actions would necessarily be far from their home ports. Travel to the area of combat would consume the fleet's supplies of fuel and food and limit

8036-547: Was able to join the fire-support group after repair, but California did not leave Espiritu until 18 September. Rehearsal for Phase I of STALEMATE for fire-support ships was held in the Cape Esperance area, Guadalcanal, 27 to 29 August. Sangay , with 2,936 tons of ammunition, arrived there from the west coast on 6 September, accompanied the group to the objective, and during the early hours of D-day, 15 September, lay off Peleliu Island ready to make issues. She remained in

8134-589: Was absorbed into Squadron 10. Captain Herbert Meyer Scull was reassigned as chief of staff for Rear Admiral Hoover, Commander Forward Area, Central Pacific. Captain Samuel Ogden in Cascade became representative "A" of Commander Service Squadron 10 in command of Kwajalein and Roi . Cascade remained at Kwajalein until May 1944 when she moved to Eniwetok . The United States captured Eniwetok in

8232-527: Was accomplished. It was used extensively through October and November 1944 as a staging area en route from New Morotai (Operation INTERLUDE); ammunition was supplied at a number of bases in the area, and from 5 ammunition ships which visited Hollandia and Woendi during August and September. Captain C.C. Laws, commanding the repair ship Prometheus , on 3 October became the Kossol Passage Representative of Service Squadron Ten. Ulithi

8330-427: Was also struck by a kamikaze , forcing him to have to change his flagship yet again. On 28 May 1945, Halsey arrived aboard USS  Missouri , his new flagship, whereupon he relieved Spruance, while McCain relieved Mitscher. Spruance and Mitscher returned to Pearl Harbor. Fifth Fleet once again became Third Fleet, and Task Force 58 became Task Force 38. Halsey remained in command until the Japanese surrender ended

8428-557: Was an area under the cognizance of the Seventh Fleet, which at that time did not come under the direct command of Admiral Nimitz, it was nevertheless a matter of brothers-in-arms cooperation to give support wherever possible. Therefore, because of shortage of the necessary service vessels in the Service Force Seventh Fleet, a detachment of Service Squadron Ten was sent to Leyte to help out. In this detachment

8526-490: Was announced by U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Scott Swift in 2015, but 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Nora Tyson said at the "WEST 2017" conference that the North Korean threat was a main driver behind this effort: "What we have done in the past really 18 months is we, 3rd Fleet, have worked very closely with 7th Fleet and PACFLT in developing our, 3rd fleet's, capability to command and control forces forward in

8624-425: Was calculating and cautious, while Halsey was more aggressive and known for taking risks. Most higher-ranking officers preferred to serve under Spruance; most common sailors were proud to serve under Halsey. Their commander was Admiral Chester Nimitz , who was responsible for all Pacific Ocean assets. When the force was part of Admiral Spruance's Fifth Fleet , the carrier task force was commanded by Mitscher and bore

8722-406: Was called upon to convert the lagoon into a serviceable naval station. On 4 October 1944 the vessels of Service Squadron 10 began leaving Eniwetok for Ulithi. At Ulithi pontoon piers of a new design were built, each consisting of the 4-by-12-pontoon sections, filled with sand and gravel, and then sunk. The pontoons were anchored in place by guy ropes to deadmen on shore, and by iron rods driven into

8820-429: Was completed in October, and Ocelot sailed via Eniwetok for Ulithi where she spent the next six months providing an administrative post at the advanced base. The movement of American forces closer to victory necessitated advancing support elements as well, and on 24 May 1945 Ocelot shifted to San Pedro Bay , Leyte . The logistic work of Service Squadron Ten at Leyte should perhaps be briefly explained. While that

8918-638: Was created on 6 January 1944 with Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher commanding, serving under the fleet command of Admiral Spruance in the Fifth Fleet. TF 38 continued to exist, but as a command structure only. TF 58 proved the success of the Fast Carrier TF concept with Operation Hailstone , a massive naval air squadrons and surface vessels attack on the Japanese ships and airfield at Truk Lagoon on 17–18 February 1944. The only time that any aircraft carriers were used to support operations in New Guinea in

9016-688: Was made up of 24 vessels and had its base in the South Pacific at the Naval Base Funafuti at the Funafuti Atoll , 1,000 miles (1,600 km) east of the Solomon Islands and 1,200 miles (1,900 km) south of the Marshall Islands . The destroyer tender Cascade , under the command of Captain Samuel Ogden, was the flagship for the squadron. The command included repair ships Phaon and Vestal . Some of

9114-579: Was operating as Task Force 57 of the Fifth Fleet when Halsey relieved Spruance of command in May 1945. Like the rest of the Fifth Fleet's ships, the British ships were resubordinated from Spruance's Fifth Fleet to Halsey's Third Fleet. The British Pacific Fleet then constituted Task Force 37 under the Third Fleet's operational command through the end of World War II on 15 August 1945. The Third Fleet's next major combat operation would have been Operation Olympic ,

9212-575: Was organizing the second service squadron, Service Squadron 10. Service Squadron 10 was commissioned on 15 January 1944 at Pearl Harbor. Service Squadron 10 was commissioned on 15 January 1944 at Pearl Harbor. Service Squadron 1 and Service Squadron 3 operated in the Pacific Ocean. Service Squadron 2 and Service Squadron 4 operated in the Atlantic Ocean . Service Squadron 10 worked with the United States Eighth Fleet in

9310-502: Was originally formed during World War II on 15 March 1943 under the command of Admiral William F. Halsey . Its on-shore headquarters at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii was established on 15 June 1944. The ships of the Third Fleet also formed the basis of the Fifth Fleet , formed on 26 April 1944, which was the designation of the "Big Blue Fleet" when under the command of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance . Spruance and Halsey alternated command of

9408-565: Was perfectly positioned to act as a staging area for the US Navy's western Pacific operations. The atoll is in the westernmost of the Caroline Islands, 360 miles (580 km) southwest of Guam , 850 miles (1,370 km) east of the Philippines and 1,300 miles (2,100 km) south of Tokyo . It is a typical volcanic atoll , with a coral reef , white sand beaches and palm trees . Ulithi's forty small islands barely rise above

9506-651: Was to administer its activities in rendering logistic support. An example was the requirement that 24 oilers be present there for the striking forces, and the further requirement that the Area Petroleum Office of ComServPac effect delivery of 4,150,000 barrels of fuel oil at Manus in equal amounts throughout September. On 20 August 12 oilers left Eniwetok for Seeadler, carrying approximately 1,200,000 barrels of naval special, 84,000 barrels of Diesel oil, and 4,500,000 gallons of aviation gasoline. Commander ServRon Ten at Eniwetok immediately began preparations to send

9604-623: Was under the command of Admiral Ralph Davison . Following the Battle of Leyte Gulf , Mitscher went on shore leave and planning duty, and Vice Admiral McCain took over as commanding officer of TF 38, which continued under Halsey and the Third Fleet. In January 1945 TF 38 raided the South China Sea and attacked Japanese positions in Formosa and Luzon. On 26 January 1945, Halsey and McCain went on shore leave and planning duty, while Spruance and Mitscher returned to their previous commands. Third Fleet became Fifth Fleet, and TF 38 became TF 58. They led

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