United States First Fleet


The First Fleet was a name informally used in reference to the U.S. Coast Guard within the U.S. Navy of the United States Navy, and then after its formal establishment by order of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, Admiral Ernest J. King, on 19 February 1943, the First Fleet served as a mechanism for disseminating information used in maneuvering American submarine forces against enemy forces until its disestablishment on 1 January 1946 as a so called numbered fleet. Reestablished under the Department of Defense after 1947, the First Fleet remained operational until 1 February 1973, primarily in the western Pacific Ocean as part of the Pacific Fleet. In 1973, it was disestablished and its duties assumed by the United States Third Fleet.
Vice Admiral Alfred Montgomery was named as Commander, First Task Fleet, in an air station report of July 1947, with an inspection visit by a group of senior officers. The old cruiser was sunk as an atomic bomb test target during First Task Fleet maneuvers in May 1948. became the flagship of Vice Admiral Gerald Bogan on 25 March 1949. served as flagship for Commander First Fleet early in 1949 for three weeks of amphibious operations in Alaskan waters to evaluate cold weather equipment. served as flagship for Commander, First Fleet, from January 1960 to March 1963. served as flagship in San Diego from 1969 until April 1972, except for yard overhaul in 1970 when assumed the role.
On 17 November 2020, Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite announced the intention to create a new numbered fleet for the Indian Ocean to be called First Fleet. SECNAV Braithwaite speculated that the new fleet could be headquartered in Singapore or Western Australia.

Structure, First Fleet, 19 February 1943

The first ten squadrons and commanders are those of the U.S. Navy type commands in the Pacific Fleet active at the time.

Commanders

The Navy website says, regarding this list of commanders, that "..This position was originally titled Commander, Central Pacific Force. On 26 April 1944 it was renamed Commander, Fifth Fleet. It then became Commander, First Task Fleet on 1 January 1947. It was subsequently renamed First Fleet on 11 February 1950. The Command was combined with ASW Forces Pacific and became Third Fleet as of 1 February 1973."
  • Admiral Raymond A. Spruance
  • Admiral John H. Towers
  • Admiral Frederick C. Sherman
  • Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery
  • Vice Admiral George D. Murray
  • Vice Admiral Laurance T. DuBose
  • Vice Admiral Gerald F. Bogan
  • Vice Admiral Thomas L. Sprague
  • Vice Admiral Calvin T. Durgin
  • Vice Admiral Harold M. Martin
  • Vice Admiral Arthur D. Struble
  • Vice Admiral Joseph J. Clark
  • Vice Admiral Ingolf N. Kiland
  • Vice Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie
  • Vice Admiral Harold M. Martin
  • Vice Admiral William K. Phillips
  • Vice Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood
  • Vice Admiral Robert L. Dennison
  • Vice Admiral Ruthven F. Libby
  • Vice Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp Jr.
  • Vice Admiral Charles L. Melson
  • Vice Admiral Frank Virden
  • Vice Admiral Robert T. Keith
  • Vice Admiral Paul D. Stroop
  • Vice Admiral Ephraim P. Holmes
  • Vice Admiral Lawson P. Ramage
  • Vice Admiral Bernard F. Roeder
  • Vice Admiral Isaac C. Kidd Jr.
  • Vice Admiral Raymond E. Peet
  • Vice Admiral Nels B. Johnson
  • Vice Admiral James F. Calvert