{{Short description|Part of the U.S. Navy from 1922 to 1941}} {{redirect|Battle Force|the film|The Greatest Battle}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{More footnotes|date=April 2009}} The '''United States Battle Fleet''' or '''Battle Force''' was part of the organization of the [[United States Navy]] from 1922 to 1941. It served as the Pacific fleet and included most of the Navy, including its most modern ships and all of its [[Aircraft carrier|aircraft carriers]].
==Organization== [[File:Battle Force wall with ship information LCCN2016878258.jpg|thumb|Battle Force wall with ship information, 1936]] The General Order of 6 December 1922 organized the [[United States Fleet]], with the Battle Fleet as the Pacific presence. This fleet comprised the main body of ships in the Navy, with the smaller [[Scouting Fleet]] as the Atlantic presence. Most [[battleship]]s, including the most modern ones, and new [[aircraft carrier]]s were assigned to the Battle Fleet. On 1 September 1923, the Battle Fleet was under the command of Admiral [[Samuel S. Robison]]. [[Battleships, Battle Fleet]] was under the command of Vice Admiral [[Henry A. Wiley]], with his flag aboard {{USS|New Mexico|BB-40|3}}.<ref>Stephen Svonavec, [http://www.fleetorganization.com/1923battlefleet.html The United States Fleet, July 1, 1923: Battle Fleet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007022146/http://www.fleetorganization.com/1923battlefleet.html |date=October 7, 2013 }}, accessed June 2012</ref> Battleship Division Three, under Rear Admiral [[Louis McCoy Nulton|Louis M. Nulton]], consisted of {{USS|New York|BB-34|3}} (F), {{USS|Texas|BB-35|3}} under Captain A. M. Proctor, {{USS|Oklahoma|BB-37|3}} under Captain W. F. Scott, and {{USS|California|BB-44|3}} under Captain H. H. Christy, which was also the Battle Fleet [[flagship]]. Battleship Division Four, under Rear Admiral [[William V. Pratt|William Veazie Pratt]], comprised {{USS|Arizona|BB-39|3}} (F), under Captain J. R. Y. Blakely, {{USS|Nevada|BB-36|3}}, {{USS|Mississippi|BB-41|3}}, and {{USS|Pennsylvania|BB-38|3}}. Battleship Division Five under Vice Admiral Wiley himself comprised {{USS|New Mexico|BB-40|3}}, {{USS|Idaho|BB-42|3}}, {{USS|Tennessee|BB-43|3}}, and {{USS|Maryland|BB-46|3}}. Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, under Captain [[Albert W. Marshall|A. W. Marshall]], comprised {{USS|Aroostook|CM-3|3}} (F), {{USS|Langley|CV-1|3}}, and the tender {{USS|Gannet|AM-41|3}}. Destroyer Squadrons, Battle Fleet, under Rear Admiral [[Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle|Sumner E. W. Kittelle]], comprised [[Destroyer Squadron 11]] and [[Destroyer Squadron 12]]. Submarine Divisions, Pacific, was under Captain A. Bronson, Jr.
In 1930, the name of the fleet was changed to "Battle Force", but the structure remained the same. In 1931, the force was based in Pearl Harbor and consisted of a majority of the United States' surface fleet: all of the newer battleships, all of the carriers, a light cruiser squadron and "three or four" destroyer squadrons were all a part of the Battle Force. In 1939, the Battle Force had five aircraft carriers, 12 battleships, 14 [[light cruiser]]s, and 68 [[destroyer]]s.<ref>Morison, 28.</ref>
On 1 February 1941, General Order 143 reorganized the United States Fleet with three separate fleets, the [[United States Atlantic Fleet]], the [[United States Pacific Fleet]] and the [[Asiatic Fleet]].
==Commander in Chief, Battle Fleet (COMBATFLT)== {| class=wikitable ! Date || Incumbent |- | 5 July 1921 - 30 June 1923 || Admiral [[Edward W. Eberle]] |- | 30 June 1923 - 14 October 1925 || Admiral [[Samuel Robison|Samuel S. Robison]] |- | 14 October 1925 - 4 September 1926 || Admiral [[Charles F. Hughes]] |- | 4 September 1926 - 10 September 1927 || Admiral [[Richard H. Jackson]] |- | 10 September 1927 - 26 June 1928 || Admiral [[Louis R. de Steiguer]] |- | 26 June 1928 - 21 May 1929 || Admiral [[William V. Pratt]] |- | 21 May 1929 - 24 May 1930 || Admiral [[Louis McCoy Nulton|Louis M. Nulton]] |- | 24 May 1930 - 1 April 1931 || Admiral [[Frank Herman Schofield|Frank H. Schofield]] |}
==Commander Battle Force (COMBATFOR)== {| class=wikitable ! Date || Incumbent |- | 1 April 1931 - 15 September 1931 || Admiral [[Frank Herman Schofield|Frank H. Schofield]] |- | 15 September 1931 - 11 August 1932 || Admiral [[Richard H. Leigh]] |- | 11 August 1932 - 20 May 1933 || Admiral [[Luke McNamee]] |- | 20 May 1933 - 1 July 1933 || Admiral [[William H. Standley]] |- | 1 July 1933 - 15 June 1934 || Admiral [[Joseph M. Reeves]] |- | 15 June 1934 - 1 April 1935 || Admiral [[Frank H. Brumby]] |- | 1 April 1935 - 30 March 1936 || Admiral [[Harris Laning]] |- | 30 March 1936 - 31 December 1936 || Admiral [[William D. Leahy]] |- | 2 January 1937 - 29 January 1938 || Admiral [[Claude C. Bloch]] |- | 29 January 1938 - 24 June 1939 || Admiral [[Edward C. Kalbfus]] |- | 24 June 1939 - 6 January 1940 || Admiral [[James O. Richardson]] |- | 6 January 1940 - 31 January 1941 || Admiral [[Charles P. Snyder (admiral)|Charles P. Snyder]] |- | 31 January 1941 - 20 September 1942 || Vice Admiral [[William S. Pye]] |- |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== Bibliography == *{{cite book|author=Morison, Samuel Eliot | title=Volume III, The Rising Sun in the Pacific |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |location=Boston and Toronto |year=1948 |id=<!--No ISBN's in 1948-->}}
[[Category:Fleets of the United States Navy]]