United States Fourth Fleet

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Fourth Fleet


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dates= 1943-1950 2008 - Present
country= United States of America
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branch= United States Navy
type= Fleet
role= Direct Fleet Operations
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command_structure= U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)
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current_commander= Rear Admiral Joseph D. Kernan
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identification_symbol_2_label=The United States Fourth Fleet is a major command of the United States Navy in the South Atlantic, operating as a component of the joint U.S. Southern Command and is re-forming as of July 1, 2008 under the current command of RADM Joseph D. Kernan. Fourth Fleet is based at Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida and is responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South America. [ [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=36606 "Navy Reestablishes U.S. Fourth Fleet"] , US Navy, April 24 2008.]

The Fleet began operations again in the summer of 2008, but will not be fully staffed until 2009, in keeping with a manpower study conducted by U.S. Fleet Forces Command. According to the United States Department of Defense, the Fourth Fleet's aim will be to assist in narcotics interdiction efforts, humanitarian and goodwill interventions, and joint training with regional security partners. [ [http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11862 "Navy Re-Establishes U.S. Fourth Fleet"] , US DoD, April 24 2008.] This reactivation, without consulting regional partners, sparked concerns within their governments. The governments of Argentinaand Brazil made formal inquiries as to the fleet's mission in the region. [ [http://www.casamerica.es/es/horizontes/iberoamerica-general/quo-vadis-iv-flota ¿Quo vadis IV Flota?] ] [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Senado/brasileno/rechaza/reactivacion/IV/Flota/Naval/EE/UU/elpepuint/20080709elpepuint_24/Tes El Senado brasileño rechaza la reactivación de la IV Flota Naval de EE UU] ]

In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez accused the United States of attempting to frighten the people of South America by reactivating the fleet. [ [http://www.noticias24.com/actualidad/?p=15761 Chávez arremete contra la IV Flota en el inicio del desfile militar] ] Cuban ex-president Fidel Castro warned that it could be lead to more incidents such as the Colombian intervention in Ecuador. [ [http://www.radiolaprimerisima.com/noticias/alba/32547 IV Flota de intervención hacia Latinoamérica mañana - Radio La Primerísima - La Gente - Noticias desde Managua, Nicaragua ] ]

History

The Fourth Fleet was originally established in 1943, during World War II, along with the other numbered fleets. The fleet was later absorbed by U.S. Second Fleet and disbanded in 1950 prior to being re-established in 2008.

Fleet Components

"These are planned operational command transfers and are subject to change".
*USS|Kearsarge|LHD-3
*USS|Boxer|LHD-4

Commanders of the Fourth Fleet

* Jonas H. Ingram (1943 – Nov 1944)cite web
date = 2006-06-01
url =http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/cno/cnorpt_2.html
title =Second Report to the Secretary of the Navy
publisher = United States Navy ]
*William R. Munroe (Nov 1944 – 1945)
* Thomas Cooley (1945 – mid 1946) cite web
date = 2006-06-01
url =http://www.usswashington.com/coolbio.htm
title =Biography of THOMAS ROSS COOLEY
publisher = United States Navy ]
* Daniel E. Barbey (September 1946 – March 1947)cite web
date = 2006-06-01
url =http://www.history.navy.mil/ar/bravo/barbey.htm
title =Papers of Vice Admiral Daniel E. Barbey, 1941-1969
publisher = Naval Historical Center]
* Charles McMorris
* Rear Admiral Joseph D. Kernan (July 1, 2008 - present)

References

*Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, (Volumes 3 & 4?)

External links

* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/unit/fleet_n.htm Numbered Fleets by the Federation of American Scientists]
* [http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/04/SATURDAYnavy_4thfleet_042608w/ Navy Times: 4th Fleet returns, gunning for drug smugglers]