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The United States 7th Fleet is a naval military unit based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near South Korea and Japan. It is subordinate to Commander, Pacific Fleet. At present it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50–60 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 disaster or joint military operation,
- Operational command of all naval forces in the region, and
- Defense of the Korean Peninsula.
History
The 7th Fleet was formed on March 15, 1943 in Brisbane, Australia, during World War II. It served in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) under General Douglas MacArthur, and the 7th 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 during 1943–45. The 7th Fleet formed a large part of the Allied forces at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944, which is often said to have been the largest naval battle in history. After the end of the war, the 7th Fleet relocated to Japan.The fleet also participated in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and afterwards conducted operations near North Vietnam. Following this, its next major combat action was in the Persian Gulf War, wherein it was placed under the command of NAVCENT (Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command). After the war ended, it was returned to the Pacific Fleet.
Following the end of the Cold War, the two major military scenarios in which the 7th Fleet would be used would be in case of conflict in Korea or a conflict between The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Taiwan Straits.
Operations
Of the 50–60 ships typically assigned to Seventh Fleet, 18 operate from U.S. facilities in Japan and Guam. These forward-deployed units represent the heart of Seventh Fleet. The 18 permanently forward-deployed ships of the US 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 United States. It would take three to five times the number of rotationally-based ships in the United States to equal the same presence and crisis response capability as these 18 forward deployed ships. On any given day, about 50 percent 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 USS Coronado (AGF-11). Blue Ridge returned to duty 27 September 2004.Fleet Organization
For operational and administrative purposes the United States Seventh Fleet, as with other numbered fleets, is organized into several specialized task forces.- 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 cruisers and destroyers, and Carrier Strike Force 7th Fleet, made up of at least one aircraft carrier and its embarked air wing. The Battle Force is currently centered around the carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5).
- Task Force 72 — TF 72 is the Patrol-Reconnaissance Force of the Seventh Fleet. It is mainly composed of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft and maritime airborne surveillance platforms such as P-3 Orion and EP-3 reconnaissance planes operating on land bases.
- Task Force 73 — 7th Fleet's Logistics Force composed of supply ships and other fleet support vessels.
- Task Force 74 — 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.
- Task Force 76 — 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-class and Wasp''-class amphibious assault ships, and landing craft.
- Task Force 77 — Another designation for the Carrier Strike Force of the 7th Fleet. This, however, refers specifically only to the aircraft carrier(s) assigned to the fleet and its associated air wing.
- Task Force 79 — The Marine expeditionary unit or Landing Force assigned to the fleet, consisting of at least a reinforced Marine battalion and its equipment.
Forward-deployed 7th Fleet ships
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan
- USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
- USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)
- USS Cowpens (CG-63)
- USS Chancellorsville (CG-62)
- USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54)
- USS John S. McCain (DDG-56)
- USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62)
- USS Cushing (DD-985)
- USS Gary (FFG-51)
- USS Vandegrift (FFG-48)
- USS Mustin (DDG-89) (Sent for the North Korean Missile Crisis)
U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan
- USS Essex (LHD-2)
- USS Juneau (LPD-10)
- USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49)
- USS Tortuga (LSD-46)
- USS Guardian (MCM-5)
- USS Patriot (MCM-7)
- USS Safeguard (ARS-50)
Guam
- USS Frank Cable (AS-40)
- USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705)
- USS Houston (SSN-713)
Fleet Commanders
External links
"United States 7th Fleet"