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Pacific Ocean Areas

January 07, 2023

Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War, and one of three United States commands in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz of the U.S. Navy, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, headed the command throughout its existence.

Pacific Ocean Areas
Map of Pacific Theater
Country United States
 Australia
 Netherlands
 United Kingdom
 New Zealand
 Canada
AllegianceAllies of World War II
AnniversariesMarch 30, 1942
EngagementsPacific War
Commanders
Historic commanderChester Nimitz

The vast majority of Allied forces in the theatre were from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. However units and/or personnel from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Fiji and other countries also saw active service.

Formation and composition

On 24 March 1942, the newly formed British and US Combined Chiefs of Staff issued a directive designating the Pacific theater an area of American strategic responsibility. On 30 March the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) divided the Pacific theater into three areas: the Pacific Ocean Areas (POA), the South West Pacific Area (SWPA), and the Southeast Pacific Area.[1][2][3] Details and transition, including whether Nimitz "appointed" or "nominated" the commander of the South Pacific Area, were worked out between 3 April and formal assumption of the overall Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Areas by Nimitz on 8 May 1942.[4][5]

The JCS designated Admiral Chester W. Nimitz as Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA), with operational control over all units (air, land, and sea) in that area. The theater included most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, but mainland Asia was excluded from the POA, as were the Philippines, Australia, the Netherlands East Indies, the Territory of New Guinea (including the Bismarck Archipelago) and the western part of the Solomon Islands. US strategic bomber forces in the theatre were under the direct control of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. All land forces in Alaska and Canada remained under the control of the US Army's Western Defense Command (see Aleutian Islands Campaign).

 
03 1905 APR 1942 message from COMINCH (Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, King) to CINCPAC (Commander-in-Chief, US Pacific Fleet, Nimitz) designating Nimitz Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Area (first of four part message).

In the separate South West Pacific Area, General Douglas MacArthur assumed command. The result of this split was the creation of two separate commands in the Pacific: POA and SWPA, each reporting separately to the Joint Chiefs, each competing for scarce resources in an economy-of-force theater, and each headed by a commander in chief from a different service. In particular, the division of the Solomons caused problems, since the battles of the Solomon Islands campaign in 1942–1943 ranged over the whole region, with the main Japanese bases in SWPA and the main Allied bases in SOPAC. However, MacArthur's Operation Cartwheel, which gave full operational command of naval and amphibious forces to SOPAC's Admiral William Halsey in the Solomons while MacArthur strategically directed the whole operation, was a resounding success due to the rapport and great personal relationship between MacArthur and Halsey. When Halsey operated in the Solomon Islands that was west of 159° east longitude he reported to MacArthur. When he operated east of 159° east longitude he reported to Nimitz. The middle of Santa Isabel Island is where 159° east longitude runs through.[6]

Sub-components

The Joint Chiefs further divided the Pacific Ocean Areas into the North, Central and South Pacific Areas. Nimitz designated subordinate commanders for the North and South Pacific Areas (NORPAC and SOPAC) but retained the Central Pacific Area (CENPAC), including the Army's Hawaiian Department, under his direct command.

During the 1942 Aleutian Islands campaign Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald commanded Task Force 8 afloat. Theobald as Commander North Pacific Force (ComNorPac) reported to Admiral Nimitz in Hawaii. Task Force 8 consisted of five cruisers, thirteen destroyers, three tankers, six submarines, as well as naval aviation elements of Fleet Air Wing Four.[7][8]

From 1942-1943, three Army infantry divisions (23rd/"Americal", 25th, 27th) and two Marine divisions (1st, 2nd) fought in the POA (the 1st and 3rd Marine Divisions also fought in the SWPA in 1943). From 1944-1945, five Army infantry divisions (7th, 27th, 77th, 81st, 96th) and six Marine divisions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th) served in the POA. An additional 15 Army divisions fought in the SWPA during this time.[9] Among allied land force formations was the 3rd New Zealand Division, which fought in the Solomon Islands campaign during 1943-44.

U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) operated in the POA under the Seventh, Thirteenth, and Twentieth Air Forces at various times. On 10 March 1944, the Department of War approved the activation of an additional AAF headquarters for the Pacific Ocean Areas.[10] To head this new command the Air Staff in Washington DC had decided as early as 16 April upon Lt. Gen. Millard F. Harmon, who, as commander of U.S. Army Forces, South Pacific Area (USAFISPA) had had long experience in the Pacific. By May the War Department proposed that Lt. Gen. Robert C. Richardson Jr., commanding U.S. Army Forces Central Pacific Area, be named Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas (USAFPOA), a command to incorporate both USAFICPA and USAFISPA, with Harmon under Richardson as Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas (AAFPOA). Harmon was finally made responsible to Nimitz for all matters regarding 'plans, operations, training, and dispositions' of his forces. In addition, as deputy commander of the Twentieth Air Force, Harmon was made responsible directly to Arnold in all matters affecting elements of the Twentieth Air Force in POA.

 
CinCPac-POA headquarters being built in Asan-Maina, Guam in January 1945, when it was moved forward from Honolulu

Activation of Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas at Hickam Field followed on 1 August 1944. The Seventh Air Force, formerly the senior command, was made "mobile and tactichi" on 15 August by the reassignment of 112 units of various types to AAFPOA. The VII Air Force Service Command, its former administrative functions having been assumed by Breene as AAFPOA deputy commander for administration, was transferred to ASC/AAFPOA, where it lost its identity as an operating agency. The Seventh Air Force was left only VII Bomber Command and VII Fighter Command. The other AAFPOA operating forces were XXI Bomber Command and the Hawaiian Air Defense Wing(?) (probable source misprint for 7th Fighter Wing). In preparation for the support of VHB units, the Hawaiian Air Depot was expanded and assigned directly to AAFPOA. For the forward or combat area, plans were laid for a Guam Air Depot (later, Harmon Air Force Base), which was established in November.

Allied air forces included units of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Commanders

Commanders, South Pacific Area

Commanders, North Pacific Area

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ Cressman 1999, p. April 3, Fri. entry.
  2. ^ Potter 1976, p. 45.
  3. ^ Williams 1960, pp. 30–31.
  4. ^ Morton 2000, pp. 244–256.
  5. ^ Nimitz & Steele 1942, p. Entries April 1942.
  6. ^ MacArthur Report, 21 April 2021, history.army.mil
  7. ^ Aleutians page 22 accessed November 2011, US Navy
  8. ^ WWII Midwaynavweaps.com
  9. ^ Mark R. Henry and Mike Chappell, The U.S. Army of World War II, Volume 1: The Pacific (Men at Arms Series, 342)(Osprey Publishing: 2000)
  10. ^ Craven and Cate, "The Army Air Forces in World War II: Vol. V: MATTERHORN to Nagasaki: June 1944 to August 1945, Chapter 17, pp.510-513, via [1]

Sources

  • Cressman, Robert J. (1999). "The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II". Contemporary History Branch, Naval Historical Center (now Naval History & Heritage Command). Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  • Morton, Louis (2000). The War in the Pacific—Strategy and Command: The First Two Years. United States Army In World War II. Washington, D. C.: Center Of Military History, United States Army. LCCN 61-60001.
  • Nimitz, Chester W., Admiral (USN); Steele, James M., Captain (USN) (1942). 'Gray Book' — War Plans and Files of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet; Running Estimate and Summary maintained by Captain James M. Steele, USN, CINCPAC staff at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, covering the period 7 December 1941–31 August 1942 (PDF). Vol. 1 of 8 volumes. Operational Archives, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  • Potter, E.B. (1976). Nimitz. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-492-9. LCCN 76-1056.
  • Toll, Ian W. (2011). Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941–1942. New York: W. W. Norton.
  • ——— (2015). The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942–1944. New York: W. W. Norton.
  • ——— (2020). Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944–1945. New York: W. W. Norton.
  • Williams, Mary H. (1960). Chronology 1941—1945. United States Army In World War II. Washington, DC: Center Of Military History, United States Army. LCCN 59-60002.
  • Willmott, H. P. (1983). The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies February to June 1942. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-535-3.

External links

  • . The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 72-4. Archived from the original on 2012-02-02. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  • Strategy and Command: The First Two Years
  • The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II, Appendix I

January 07, 2023
pacific, ocean, areas, major, allied, military, command, pacific, ocean, theater, world, four, major, allied, commands, during, pacific, three, united, states, commands, asiatic, pacific, theater, admiral, chester, nimitz, navy, commander, chief, pacific, flee. Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War and one of three United States commands in the Asiatic Pacific Theater Admiral Chester W Nimitz of the U S Navy Commander in Chief U S Pacific Fleet headed the command throughout its existence Pacific Ocean AreasMap of Pacific TheaterCountry United States Australia Netherlands United Kingdom New Zealand CanadaAllegianceAllies of World War IIAnniversariesMarch 30 1942EngagementsPacific WarCommandersHistoric commanderChester Nimitz The vast majority of Allied forces in the theatre were from the U S Navy U S Army and U S Marine Corps However units and or personnel from New Zealand the United Kingdom Australia Canada Mexico Fiji and other countries also saw active service Contents 1 Formation and composition 1 1 Sub components 2 Commanders 2 1 Commanders South Pacific Area 2 2 Commanders North Pacific Area 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Sources 5 External linksFormation and composition EditOn 24 March 1942 the newly formed British and US Combined Chiefs of Staff issued a directive designating the Pacific theater an area of American strategic responsibility On 30 March the US Joint Chiefs of Staff JCS divided the Pacific theater into three areas the Pacific Ocean Areas POA the South West Pacific Area SWPA and the Southeast Pacific Area 1 2 3 Details and transition including whether Nimitz appointed or nominated the commander of the South Pacific Area were worked out between 3 April and formal assumption of the overall Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Areas by Nimitz on 8 May 1942 4 5 The JCS designated Admiral Chester W Nimitz as Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Areas CINCPOA with operational control over all units air land and sea in that area The theater included most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands but mainland Asia was excluded from the POA as were the Philippines Australia the Netherlands East Indies the Territory of New Guinea including the Bismarck Archipelago and the western part of the Solomon Islands US strategic bomber forces in the theatre were under the direct control of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff All land forces in Alaska and Canada remained under the control of the US Army s Western Defense Command see Aleutian Islands Campaign 03 1905 APR 1942 message from COMINCH Commander in Chief United States Fleet King to CINCPAC Commander in Chief US Pacific Fleet Nimitz designating Nimitz Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Area first of four part message In the separate South West Pacific Area General Douglas MacArthur assumed command The result of this split was the creation of two separate commands in the Pacific POA and SWPA each reporting separately to the Joint Chiefs each competing for scarce resources in an economy of force theater and each headed by a commander in chief from a different service In particular the division of the Solomons caused problems since the battles of the Solomon Islands campaign in 1942 1943 ranged over the whole region with the main Japanese bases in SWPA and the main Allied bases in SOPAC However MacArthur s Operation Cartwheel which gave full operational command of naval and amphibious forces to SOPAC s Admiral William Halsey in the Solomons while MacArthur strategically directed the whole operation was a resounding success due to the rapport and great personal relationship between MacArthur and Halsey When Halsey operated in the Solomon Islands that was west of 159 east longitude he reported to MacArthur When he operated east of 159 east longitude he reported to Nimitz The middle of Santa Isabel Island is where 159 east longitude runs through 6 Sub components Edit The Joint Chiefs further divided the Pacific Ocean Areas into the North Central and South Pacific Areas Nimitz designated subordinate commanders for the North and South Pacific Areas NORPAC and SOPAC but retained the Central Pacific Area CENPAC including the Army s Hawaiian Department under his direct command During the 1942 Aleutian Islands campaign Rear Admiral Robert A Theobald commanded Task Force 8 afloat Theobald as Commander North Pacific Force ComNorPac reported to Admiral Nimitz in Hawaii Task Force 8 consisted of five cruisers thirteen destroyers three tankers six submarines as well as naval aviation elements of Fleet Air Wing Four 7 8 From 1942 1943 three Army infantry divisions 23rd Americal 25th 27th and two Marine divisions 1st 2nd fought in the POA the 1st and 3rd Marine Divisions also fought in the SWPA in 1943 From 1944 1945 five Army infantry divisions 7th 27th 77th 81st 96th and six Marine divisions 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th served in the POA An additional 15 Army divisions fought in the SWPA during this time 9 Among allied land force formations was the 3rd New Zealand Division which fought in the Solomon Islands campaign during 1943 44 U S Army Air Forces USAAF operated in the POA under the Seventh Thirteenth and Twentieth Air Forces at various times On 10 March 1944 the Department of War approved the activation of an additional AAF headquarters for the Pacific Ocean Areas 10 To head this new command the Air Staff in Washington DC had decided as early as 16 April upon Lt Gen Millard F Harmon who as commander of U S Army Forces South Pacific Area USAFISPA had had long experience in the Pacific By May the War Department proposed that Lt Gen Robert C Richardson Jr commanding U S Army Forces Central Pacific Area be named Commanding General of U S Army Forces Pacific Ocean Areas USAFPOA a command to incorporate both USAFICPA and USAFISPA with Harmon under Richardson as Commanding General Army Air Forces Pacific Ocean Areas AAFPOA Harmon was finally made responsible to Nimitz for all matters regarding plans operations training and dispositions of his forces In addition as deputy commander of the Twentieth Air Force Harmon was made responsible directly to Arnold in all matters affecting elements of the Twentieth Air Force in POA CinCPac POA headquarters being built in Asan Maina Guam in January 1945 when it was moved forward from Honolulu Activation of Headquarters Army Air Forces Pacific Ocean Areas at Hickam Field followed on 1 August 1944 The Seventh Air Force formerly the senior command was made mobile and tactichi on 15 August by the reassignment of 112 units of various types to AAFPOA The VII Air Force Service Command its former administrative functions having been assumed by Breene as AAFPOA deputy commander for administration was transferred to ASC AAFPOA where it lost its identity as an operating agency The Seventh Air Force was left only VII Bomber Command and VII Fighter Command The other AAFPOA operating forces were XXI Bomber Command and the Hawaiian Air Defense Wing probable source misprint for 7th Fighter Wing In preparation for the support of VHB units the Hawaiian Air Depot was expanded and assigned directly to AAFPOA For the forward or combat area plans were laid for a Guam Air Depot later Harmon Air Force Base which was established in November Allied air forces included units of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Commanders EditCommanders South Pacific Area Edit Vice Admiral Robert L Ghormley 19 June 18 October 1942 Vice Adm Adm William Halsey Jr 18 October 1942 15 June 1944 Vice Adm John H Newton 15 June 1944 13 March 1945 Vice Admiral William L Calhoun 13 March 2 September 1945 Commanders North Pacific Area Edit Rear Adm Robert A Theobald 17 May 1942 4 January 1943 Rear Adm Thomas C Kinkaid 4 January 11 October 1943 Vice Adm Frank J Fletcher 11 October 1943 2 September 1945 See also EditUnited States Navy in World War II US Naval Advance BasesReferences EditCitations Edit Cressman 1999 p April 3 Fri entry Potter 1976 p 45 Williams 1960 pp 30 31 Morton 2000 pp 244 256 Nimitz amp Steele 1942 p Entries April 1942 MacArthur Report 21 April 2021 history army mil Aleutians page 22 accessed November 2011 US Navy WWII Midwaynavweaps com Mark R Henry and Mike Chappell The U S Army of World War II Volume 1 The Pacific Men at Arms Series 342 Osprey Publishing 2000 Craven and Cate The Army Air Forces in World War II Vol V MATTERHORN to Nagasaki June 1944 to August 1945 Chapter 17 pp 510 513 via 1 Sources Edit Cressman Robert J 1999 The Official Chronology of the U S Navy in World War II Contemporary History Branch Naval Historical Center now Naval History amp Heritage Command Retrieved 24 May 2013 Morton Louis 2000 The War in the Pacific Strategy and Command The First Two Years United States Army In World War II Washington D C Center Of Military History United States Army LCCN 61 60001 Nimitz Chester W Admiral USN Steele James M Captain USN 1942 Gray Book War Plans and Files of the Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet Running Estimate and Summary maintained by Captain James M Steele USN CINCPAC staff at Pearl Harbor Hawaii covering the period 7 December 1941 31 August 1942 PDF Vol 1 of 8 volumes Operational Archives Naval History and Heritage Command Washington Navy Yard Washington D C Retrieved 24 May 2013 Potter E B 1976 Nimitz Annapolis Md Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 0 87021 492 9 LCCN 76 1056 Toll Ian W 2011 Pacific Crucible War at Sea in the Pacific 1941 1942 New York W W Norton 2015 The Conquering Tide War in the Pacific Islands 1942 1944 New York W W Norton 2020 Twilight of the Gods War in the Western Pacific 1944 1945 New York W W Norton Williams Mary H 1960 Chronology 1941 1945 United States Army In World War II Washington DC Center Of Military History United States Army LCCN 59 60002 Willmott H P 1983 The Barrier and the Javelin Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies February to June 1942 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 535 3 External links EditCentral Pacific 1941 1943 The U S Army Campaigns of World War II United States Army Center of Military History CMH Pub 72 4 Archived from the original on 2012 02 02 Retrieved 2010 08 17 Strategy and Command The First Two Years The Official Chronology of the U S Navy in World War II Appendix I Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pacific Ocean Areas amp oldid 1128929326, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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