7th Fleet

• The 7th Fleet was established on March 15, 1943, during World War II as part of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. • During the Korean War, the 7th Fleet played a key role in supporting United Nations forces and conducting amphibious landings. • In 1964, the USS Maddox, a destroyer belonging to the 7th Fleet, was involved in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident that escalated US involvement in the Vietnam War. • The 7th Fleet is headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan, and covers the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. • In 2017, the USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain, both part of the 7th Fleet, were involved in separate collisions with commercial vessels, resulting in the deaths of several sailors. • The 7th Fleet has been involved in various humanitarian missions, including providing aid after natural disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. • During the Cold War, the 7th Fleet frequently conducted operations to monitor and deter Soviet naval forces in the Pacific. • In 1983, the 7th Fleet played a key role in the rescue of passengers from the hijacked cruise ship Achille Lauro off the coast of Egypt. • The 7th Fleet played a crucial role in the response to the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, providing aid and support to affected areas. • As of 2021, the 7th Fleet is the largest of the US Navy's numbered fleets, with over 70 ships, 300 aircraft, and 40,000 personnel.