United States Pacific Command

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United States Pacific Command
Official USPACOM Emblem
Active 1 January 1947-present
Country  United States of America
Type Unified Combatant Command
Headquarters Camp H.M. Smith, Hawai'i
Nickname(s) PACOM, USPACOM
Engagements Korean War, Vietnam War
Decorations Joint Meritorious Unit Award (9)175px
Commanders
Commander Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., USN
Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Anthony G. Crutchfield, USA
Chief of Staff Major General Eric P. Wendt, USA

United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. It is the oldest and largest of the unified combatant commands. Its commander, the senior U.S. military officer in the Pacific, is responsible for military operations in an area which encompasses more than 100 million square miles, or roughly 50 percent of the Earth’s surface, stretching from the waters off the west coast of the United States to the western coastal boarder of India, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The Commander reports to the President of the United States through the Secretary of Defense and is supported by Service component and subordinate unified commands, including U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific, U.S. Forces Japan, U.S. Forces Korea, Special Operations Command Korea, and Special Operations Command Pacific. The USPACOM headquarters building, the Nimitz-MacArthur Pacific Command Center, is located on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawai’i.

Mission

USPACOM Area Of Responsibility in blue

"United States Pacific Command protects and defends, in concert with other U.S. Government agencies, the territory of the United States, its people, and its interests. With allies and partners, we will enhance stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, fighting to win. This approach is based on partnership, presence and military readiness.

We recognize the global significance of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and understand that challenges are best met together. Consequently, we will remain an engaged and trusted partner committed to preserving the security, stability, and freedom upon which enduring prosperity in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region depends. We will collaborate with the Services and other Combatant Commands to defend America's interests."[1]

Geographic Scope

USPACOM's geographic area of responsibility encompasses the Pacific Ocean from Antarctica at 92°W, north to 8°N, west to 112°W, northwest to 50°N/142°W, west to 170°E, north to 53°N, northeast to 62°30’N/175°W, north to 64°45’N/175°W, south along the Russian territorial waters to the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic or Korea, and Japan; the countries of Southeast Asia and the southern Asian landmass to the western border of India; the Indian Ocean east and south of the line from the from the India/Pakistan coastal border west to 68°E, south along 68°E to Antarctica; Australia; New Zealand; Antarctica, and Hawai'i.

Force structure

Commanders

No. Image Name Start of Term End of Term
1. CINCPAC ADM Towers.jpg Admiral John H. Towers, USN 1 January 1947 28 February 1947
2. 75px Admiral Louis E. Denfeld, USN 28 February 1947 3 December 1947
3. CINCPAC ADM Ramsey.jpg Admiral DeWitt C. Ramsey, USN 12 January 1948 30 April 1949
4. CINCPAC ADM Radford.jpg Admiral Arthur W. Radford, USN 30 April 1949 10 July 1953
5. CINCPAC ADM Stump.jpg Admiral Felix B. Stump, USN 10 July 1953 31 July 1958
6. CINCPAC ADM Felt.jpg Admiral Harry D. Felt, USN 31 July 1958 30 June 1964
7. CINCPAC ADM Sharp.jpg Admiral Ulysses S. Grant Sharp, Jr., USN 30 June 1964 31 July 1968
8. CINCPAC ADM McCain.jpg Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., USN 31 July 1968 1 September 1972
9. CINCPAC ADM Gayler.jpg Admiral Noel A.M. Gayler, USN 1 September 1972 30 August 1976
10. CINCPAC ADM Weisner.jpg Admiral Maurice F. Weisner, USN 30 August 1976 31 October 1979
11. CINCPAC ADM Long.jpg Admiral Robert L.J. Long, USN 31 October 1979 1 July 1983
12. 75px Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr., USN 1 July 1983 18 September 1985
13. 75px Admiral Ronald J. Hays, USN 18 September 1985 30 September 1988
14. 75px Admiral Huntington Hardisty, USN 30 September 1988 1 March 1991
15. 75px Admiral Charles R. Larson, USN 1 March 1991 11 July 1994
16. 75px Admiral Richard C. Macke, USN 19 July 1994 31 January 1996
17. 75px Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, USN 31 January 1996 20 February 1999
18. 75px Admiral Dennis C. Blair, USN 20 February 1999 2 May 2002
19. 75px Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, USN 2 May 2002 26 February 2005
20. CDRUSPACOM ADM Fallon.jpg Admiral William J. Fallon, USN 26 February 2005 12 March 2007
21. 75px Timothy J. Keating, USN 26 March 2007 19 October 2009
22. CDRUSPACOM ADM Willard.jpg Admiral Robert F. Willard, USN 19 October 2009 9 March 2012
23. CDRUSPACOM ADM Locklear.jpg Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, USN 9 March 2012 27 May 2015
24. 75px Admiral Harry B. Harris, Jr., USN 27 May 2015 Incumbent

Humanitarian missions

In Asia, one of the most effective and impressive ad hoc multilateral efforts took place in the wake of the horrific December 2004 earthquake and tsunami that left some three hundred thousand people dead or missing, with upwards of a million more displaced in eleven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations. As devastating as the damage was, it could have been much worse if it had not been for the rapid response by the international community. At the height of the relief effort, some sixteen thousand U.S. military personnel were deployed throughout the areas most affected by tragedy; more than two dozen U.S. ships (including the aircraft Carrier Strike Group Nine, a Marine amphibious group, and a hospital ship) and more than one hundred aircraft were dedicated to the disaster-relief effort, along with forces from Australia, Canada, Japan, India, and the affected countries.[3]

US Air Force personnel deliver relief supplies to Burma

In May 2008, Commander, Marine Corps Forces Pacific was designated as Commander, Joint Task Force Caring Response, a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief effort for Burma, devastated by Cyclone Nargis. During a delivery by the 36th Airlift Squadron on 19 May 2008 to Yangon International Airport in Burma approximately 15,000 pounds (6.8 t) of water, water containers, rations, and mosquito netting were unloaded from the a C-130 Hercules aircraft.[4] Expeditionary Strike Group 7/TF 76/31st Marine Expeditionary Unit also stood by off the Myanmar coast for some time. However it was not allowed to deliver further aid.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), PACOM Supporting Japan in Time of Crisis
  3. ↑ Michael J. Green and Bates Gill, Editors (2009), Asia's New Multilateralism, Columbia University Press
  4. ↑ JTF Caring Response News Story

External links

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