United States 2nd Fleet
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The 2nd Fleet of the United States Navy is responsible in peacetime for training the Atlantic battle fleet in war-fighting skills, developing and evaluating new naval tactics and maintaining theater battle group readiness. It was activated in the aftermath of the World War II, when it was recognised that a numbered fleet was needed for the Atlantic.
Second Fleet operates primarily in the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole and from the shores of the United States to the west coast of Europe. It also operates along both coasts of South America and part of the west coast of Central America. In all, it covers more than 38 million square miles (98 million km²). The force consists of a balanced mix of capabilities including aircraft carriers, surface combatants, submarines, surveillance assets, amphibious forces, marine landing and mobile logistic units.
The Fleet traces its origin to the reorganisation of the Navy following World War II in December 1945 and the formation of the Eighth Fleet. The Eighth Fleet's initial commander was Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher. In January 1947, Eighth Fleet was renamed Second Task Fleet. Three years later, in February 1950, the command was redesignated U.S. Second Fleet.
The current Second Fleet flagship is USS Wasp (LHD-1).
[edit] Sources
- U.S. Navy official websites, directly and via globalsecurity.org
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