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Fleet Marine Force, Pacific

One of two maritime landing forces of the U.S. Marine Corps

Fleet Marine Force, Pacific

One of two maritime landing forces of the U.S. Marine Corps

FieldValue
unit_nameFleet Marine Force, Pacific
image_size250px
dates17 September 1944 – present
countryUnited States
command_structureUnited States Marine Corps
United States Navy
typemaritime general and special purpose landing force
roleAmphibious warfare, expeditionary warfare
current_commanderLtGen James F. Glynn
garrisonMCB Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, U.S.

Main article: Fleet Marine Force

United States Navy The Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC) is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at MCB Camp H. M. Smith, HI and directs and commands all the subordinate elements of the Navy Expeditionary Strike Force and Marine Air-Ground Task Force components that follow under the 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet and the Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC). The Commanding General of Marine Corps Forces, Pacific is dual-posted as the Commanding General of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. FMFPAC is under operational control of the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT), when deployed.

FMFPAC was established by General 'Howling Mad' Smith in 1944 to assume command of very large Marine forces in the Pacific theatre of World War II, of the order of 500,000. Since then, the forces commanded by FMFPAC have been the largest field command in the Marine Corps, representing two-thirds of its combat strength.

History

The provisional administrative headquarters of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, was established on 12 June 1944 as the reformation of the V Amphibious Corps, and it formally was designated as Headquarters Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, on 17 September 1944. On 12 July of the same year, Holland Smith became Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, after being appointed by Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.MARINE CORPS FORCES PACIFIC. Marine Corps University. Published 15 September 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2023. The force grew to a strength of six divisions and five aircraft wings by the end of the war.

The preceding units of the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, were mainly from the original Fleet Marine Force, established on 7 December 1933 by the Secretary of the Navy, Claude A. Swanson. It consisted of two brigades, one on the East Coast in Quantico, Virginia, and one on the West Coast in San Diego, California. In 1941 the Fleet Marine Force was reduced to a training command in the continental United States during the war, while two amphibious forces, one in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific, were created as field commands. In 1943 the Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, became V Amphibious Corps. In the spring of 1944, the commander of V Amphibious Corps had his role expanded to cover the III Amphibious Corps as well, and this position developed into the Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in September 1944. FMFPAC was created as a U.S. Navy type command responsible for organizing, training, and supporting Marine forces in the Pacific Fleet, as well as advising the Commander of the Pacific Fleet on all matters related to the Marine Corps. In December 1946, the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT) was created as the East Coast counterpart to FMFPAC.

FMF-PAC Insignia 1944-1946
[[File:FMF DOG PLATOON.pngcenterframeless167x167px]]

In July 1992, the Marine Corps established two service component commands to geographic unified combatant commands, including the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC). Since then, the Commander, MARFORPAC, has been dual-hatted as the Commanding General, FMFPAC.

Marine units from FMFPAC were deployed to China during the Chinese Civil War, and participated in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. It also sent units to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, because before 2005 the area covered by the U.S. Central Command was in the jurisdiction of FMFPAC. The head of MARFORPAC and FMFPAC was also nominally the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT), from 1992 until 2005, when that role was given to the commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Organization

Reporting directly to the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (CG FMFPAC) are the Commanding Generals of two Marine Expeditionary Forces (I MEF and III MEF), the Commanding Generals of two Marine Expeditionary Brigades (1st MEB and 3rd MEB), and the Commanding Officers of four Marine Expeditionary Units (11th, 13th, 15th, and 31st MEUs).

The Commanding General, I MEF, exercises operational control over the 1st Marine Division, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and the 1st Marine Logistics Group, while the Commanding General, III MEF, exercises operational control over the 3d Marine Division, the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, and the 3rd Marine Logistics Group.

Hierarchy of Fleet Marine Force units

Commander, United States Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT)

Camp H. M. Smith Aiea, Hawaii

Marine Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC)

Landing Force, Third Fleet (LF3F)
Task Force 36
Task Force 39
I Marine Expeditionary Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force

Marine Forces, Central (MARCENT)

Landing Force, Fifth Fleet (LF5F)
Task Force 56
Task Force 59
I Marine Expeditionary Force

Marine Forces, Korea (MARFORK)

Landing Force, Seventh Fleet (LF7F)
Task Force 76
Task Force 79
III Marine Expeditionary Force

List of commanders

No.CommanderTermRefPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm lengthCommanding General FMFPACCommanding General FMFPAC / Commander MARFORPAC / Commander MARCENTCommanding General FMFPAC / Commander MARFORPAC
order = 1military_rank = Lieutenant Generalimage = Holland-smith-USA-P-Marianas-p194.jpgofficeholder = Holland Smithofficeholder_sort = Smith, Hollandborn_year = 1882died_year = 1967term_start = 17 September 1944term_end = 3 July 194517 September 19443 July 1945}}31}}order = 2
order = 27military_rank = Lieutenant Generalimage = Stackpole LGENUSMC.jpgofficeholder = Hank Stackpoleofficeholder_sort = Stackpole, Hank C.born_year = 1935died_year = 2020term_start = 9 July 1992term_end = 22 July 199431 July 199222 July 1994}}ref =order = 28
order = 34military_rank = Lieutenant Generalimage = LtGen John F Goodman.jpgofficeholder = John F. Goodmanofficeholder_sort = Goodman, John F.born_year = 1945died_year =term_start = 5 August 2005term_end = 22 August 20085 August 200522 August 2008}}ref =order = 35

References

References

  1. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/19801 FMFPac celebrates 40th anniversary]. ''Hawaii Marine'', Vol. 13, No. 37. Published 13 September 1984. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. Swanson, Claude A. (7 December 1933). [https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Frequently-Requested-Topics/Historical-Documents-Orders-and-Speeches/The-Fleet-Marine-Force/ The Fleet Marine Force]. [[Marine Corps University]]. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. Heinl, R.D., Jr. (November 1947). [https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1947/november/u-s-marine-corps-author-modern-amphibious-war The U. S. Marine Corps: Author of Modern Amphibious War]. [[Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute]], Vol. 73/11/537.
  4. [https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/MARINE%20CORPS%20FORCES%20COMMAND.pdf MARINE CORPS FORCES COMMAND]. [[Marine Corps University]]. Published 6 June 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. "Display of WWII Insignia".
  6. Veterans' Medals Workshop - MOA Press. (2020-11-15). "Marine Corps Divisions and Marine Squadrons Shoulder Patches (Blazes or Shoulder Sleeve Insignia)".
  7. Dawson, David A. (12 May 2010). [https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA526159.pdf The Evolution of U.S. Central Command from Operational to Strategic Headquarters]. [[U.S. Army War College]] – p. 28. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
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  11. [https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Whos-Who-in-Marine-Corps-History/Scannell-Upshur/General-Lemuel-C-Shepherd-Jr/ General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.] Marine Corps University. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  12. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/16328 Gen. Harte's Finale]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 6 August 1954. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
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  15. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/16894 Retirement Parade Honors Lt. Gen. Megee Tomorrow]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 30 October 1959. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  16. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/17051 Lt. Gen. Shapley Assigned As FMFPac Commander]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 31 March 1961. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  17. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110516214808/http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Shapley_A.htm Lieutenant General Alan Shapley]. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  18. [https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Whos-Who-in-Marine-Corps-History/Paige-Russell/Lieutenant-General-Carson-Abel-Roberts/ Lieutenant General Carson Abel Roberts]. [[Marine Corps University]]. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  19. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/17346 New FMFPac CG Takes Helm Tomorrow]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 28 February 1964. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  20. [https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Whos-Who-in-Marine-Corps-History/Jackson-Lyle/Lieutenant-General-Victor-H-Krulak/ Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak]. [[Marine Corps University]]. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
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  22. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/18340 LtGen Wilson takes reins of FMFPac]. Published 1 September 1972. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  23. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/18657 LtGen. Wilson selected as new Commandant]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 2 May 1975. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  24. "Official Biography: Lieutenant General Thomas H. Miller".
  25. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/19037 Gen McLaughlin to retire soon]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 10 June 1977. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  26. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/19155 New CG slated for FMFPac post]. ''Hawaii Marine''. Published 8 September 1978. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
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  28. [https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Whos-Who-in-Marine-Corps-History/Gagnon-Ingram/Lieutenant-General-DWayne-Gray/ Lieutenant General D'Wayne Gray]. [[Marine Corps University]]. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
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  31. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/21008 FMFPac colors to change hands]. ''Hawaii Marine'', Vol. 20, No. 33. Published 22 August 1991. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  32. [https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/21211 Stackpole assumes command]. ''Hawaii Marine'', Vol. 21, No. 26. Published 9 July 1992.
  33. [https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Whos-Who-in-Marine-Corps-History/Scannell-Upshur/Lieutenant-General-HC-Hank-Stackpole-III/ Lieutenant General H.C. Stackpole III]. [[Marine Corps University]]. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
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