![]() 6th Fleet Command Ship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and USS George Washington (CVN 73), delivering the first permanently forward-deployed nuclear aircraft carrier to Japan. After graduating nuclear power school, Thomas served as executive officer for both USS Dwight D. ![]() ![]() He earned a Master of Science in Information Technology from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.Ī carrier aviator in the E-2C Hawkeye, he served at sea as a division officer in Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 114 as ship’s navigator aboard USS New Orleans (LPH 11) and USS Essex (LHD 2) as a department head in VAW117 and as executive officer and commanding officer of VAW117 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He received his commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1986 with a degree in Management Systems. Karl Thomas is a native of Northern Virginia. Today, the US Pacific Fleet is still based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.Vice Adm. The fleet's involvement in America's wars didn’t end with World War II, as the nation soon found itself engaged in Korea and later, Vietnam. The Pacific Fleet Post-World War IIĪfter the war, the Pacific Fleet participated in Operation Magic Carpet, which returned American servicemen from the Pacific islands back to the US mainland. The first division was made up of the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), USS Arizona (BB-39), and USS Nevada (BB-36) the second included the USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS California (BB-44), and USS Oklahoma (BB-37) and finally, the third division comprised the USS Colorado (BB-45), USS Maryland (BB-46), and USS West Virginia (BB-48).Īll but the Arizona and Oklahoma survived the attack and continued fighting the war until its conclusion in 1945. Attack on Pearl Harbor Battleship Row December 7, 1941Īt the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Pacific Fleet comprised nine battleships, divided into three divisions. Though the Pacific Fleet had technically been disbanded and named the Battle Fleet with the creation of the Asiatic Fleet, on February 1st, 1941, it was reformed yet again, this time accompanied by the creation of the Atlantic and Asiatic Fleets. When he personally protested the idea, he was replaced by Admiral Husband E. Richardson, opposed the long-term use of Pearl Harbor as its base. The fleet's commander at the time, Admiral James O. San Diego was deemed too far from Japan should open hostilities break out.ĭuring the summer of 1940, the Battle Fleet was transferred to Pearl Harbor on Oahu, a part of the American Territory of Hawaii. ![]() In 1907, the two were merged to create the fleet, but within three years, the First Squadron of the Pacific Fleet separated to reconstitute the Asiatic Fleet.įrom the time of its inception until May of 1940, the fleet was stationed primarily at San Diego, but that changed when the Empire of Japan became very aggressive in its expansionism. The creation of the US Pacific Fleet came from an order to combine the Asiatic Squadron and the Pacific Squadron. Forming the Pacific Fleet Admiral James O. While the US Pacific Fleet played a prominent role in World War II, it has an extensive history that began long before the deadly events of December 7th, 1941. Not only was it the main focus of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor-the deciding factor in America’s decision to enter World War II-it also was the main defender against Japan’s expansion across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The Pacific Fleet was one of the most important branches of the United States Navy. ![]()
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