{{Short description|World War II Allied military command}} {{Merge from |1=South Pacific Area |target=Pacific Ocean Areas |afd=South Pacific Area |date =May 2026 }} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Pacific Ocean Areas | native_name = | image = Pacific Theater Areas;map1.JPG | image_size = 250px | alt = | caption = Map of Pacific Ocean Areas | start_date = March 30, 1942 | disbanded = September 2, 1945 | country = {{ubli | '''[[Allies of World War II|Allies:]]''' | {{flagcountry|United States|1912}} | {{flagcountry|Australia}} | {{flagcountry|Netherlands}} | {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}} | {{flagcountry|Dominion of New Zealand}} | {{flagcountry|Canada|1921}} }} | allegiance = | branch = | type = | role = | size = | command_structure = [[Asiatic-Pacific Theater]] | garrison = {{ubli | [[Honolulu]], Hawaii<br/>(1942–1945) | [[Asan-Maina, Guam|Asan-Maina]], Guam<br/>(1945) }} | garrison_label = | nickname = POA | patron = | motto = | colors = | colors_label = | march = | mascot = | anniversaries = March 30, 1942 | equipment = | equipment_label = | battles = [[Pacific War]] | battles_label = | decorations = | battle_honours = | battle_honours_label = | flying_hours = | website = <!-- Commanders --> | current_commander = | commander1 = Admiral [[Chester W. Nimitz]] | commander1_label = Commander in Chief | commander2 = | commander2_label = | commander3 = | commander3_label = | commander4 = | commander4_label = | commander5 = | commander5_label = | commander6 = | commander6_label = | commander7 = | commander7_label = | commander8 = | commander8_label = | commander9 = | commander9_label = | notable_commanders = {{ubli | '''North Pacific Area:''' | [[Robert Alfred Theobald|Robert A. Theobald]] | [[Thomas C. Kinkaid]] | [[Frank Jack Fletcher|Frank J. Fletcher]] | '''Central Pacific Area:''' | '''South Pacific Area:''' | [[Robert L. Ghormley]] | [[William Halsey, Jr.]] | [[John H. Newton]] | [[William L. Calhoun (admiral)|William L. Calhoun]] | '''Army Air Forces:''' | [[Millard F. Harmon]] }} <!-- Insignia --> | identification_symbol = [[File:USARPAC_insignia.svg|50px]] | identification_symbol_label = Shoulder sleeve | identification_symbol_2 = | identification_symbol_2_label = | identification_symbol_3 = | identification_symbol_3_label = | identification_symbol_4 = | identification_symbol_4_label = | identification_symbol_5 = | identification_symbol_5_label = | identification_symbol_6 = | identification_symbol_6_label = <!-- Aircraft --> | aircraft_attack = | aircraft_bomber = | aircraft_electronic = | aircraft_fighter = | aircraft_helicopter = | aircraft_helicopter_attack = | aircraft_helicopter_cargo = | aircraft_helicopter_multirole = | aircraft_helicopter_observation = | aircraft_helicopter_trainer = | aircraft_helicopter_utility = | aircraft_interceptor = | aircraft_patrol = | aircraft_recon = | aircraft_trainer = | aircraft_transport = | aircraft_tanker = | aircraft_general = }} {{Campaignbox World War II}} {{Campaignbox Pacific War}}
'''Pacific Ocean Areas''' ('''POA''') was a major [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] military command in the [[Pacific Ocean theater of World War II]]. It was one of four major Allied commands during the [[Pacific War]] and one of three [[United States]] commands in the [[Asiatic-Pacific Theater]]. Admiral [[Chester W. Nimitz]] of the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]], [[Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet|Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet]], headed the command throughout its existence.
The vast majority of Allied forces in the theatre were from the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]], [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] and [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine Corps]]. However units and/or personnel from [[New Zealand]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[Mexico]], [[Fiji]] and other countries also saw active service.
==Formation and composition== On 24 March 1942, the newly formed British and U.S. [[Combined Chiefs of Staff]] issued a directive designating the Pacific theater an area of American strategic responsibility. On 30 March the U.S. [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] (JCS) divided the Pacific theater into three areas: the Pacific Ocean Areas (POA), the [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|South West Pacific Area]] (SWPA), and the [[Southeast Pacific Area]].{{sfn| Cressman | 1999 |p=April 3, Fri. entry}}{{sfn|Potter|1976|p=45}}{{sfn| Williams | 1960 |pp=30—31}} Details and transition, including whether Nimitz "appointed" or "nominated" the commander of the South Pacific Area, were worked out between 3 April and formal assumption of the overall Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Areas by Nimitz on 8 May 1942.{{sfn| Morton | 2000 |pp=244—256}}{{sfn|Nimitz|Steele|1942|p=Entries April 1942}}
The JCS designated Admiral Nimitz as Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, with operational control over all units (air, land, and sea) in that area. The theater included most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, but mainland Asia was excluded from the POA, as were the [[Philippines]], [[Australia]], the [[Dutch East Indies|Netherlands East Indies]], the Territory of [[New Guinea]] (including the [[Bismarck Archipelago]]) and the western part of the [[Solomon Islands]]. U.S. strategic bomber forces in the theatre were under the direct control of the JCS. All land forces in [[Alaska]] and [[Canada]] remained under the control of the U.S. Army's [[Western Defense Command]]. [[File:03 1905 APR 1942 COMINCH-CINPAC.jpg|thumb|right|03 1905 APR 1942 message from COMINCH (Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, King) to CINCPAC (Commander-in-Chief, US Pacific Fleet, Nimitz) designating Nimitz Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Area (first of four part message).]] The JCS subdivided the Pacific Ocean Areas into the North, Central and [[South Pacific Area]]s. Nimitz designated subordinate commanders for the North and South Pacific Areas but retained the Central Pacific Area, including the Army's [[Hawaiian Department]], under his direct command.
General [[Douglas MacArthur]] assumed command of the [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|SWPA]]. The result of this split was the creation of two separate commands in the Pacific: POA and [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|SWPA]], each reporting separately to the JCS, each competing for scarce resources in an economy-of-force theater, and each headed by a commander in chief from a different service. In particular, the division of the Solomons caused problems, since the battles of the [[Solomon Islands campaign]] in 1942–1943 ranged over the whole region, with the main [[Japan]]ese bases in SWPA and the main [[US Naval Advance Bases|Allied bases]] in POA. However, MacArthur's [[Operation Cartwheel]], which gave full operational command of naval and amphibious forces to POA's Admiral [[William Halsey]] in the Solomons while MacArthur strategically directed the whole operation, was a resounding success because of the rapport and great personal relationship between MacArthur and Halsey. When Halsey operated in the Solomon Islands that was west of [[159th meridian east|159° east longitude]] he reported to MacArthur. When he operated east of 159° east longitude he reported to Nimitz. The 159° meridian east runs through the middle of [[Santa Isabel Island]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090122070951/http://history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/ch02.htm MacArthur Report], 21 April 2021, ''history.army.mil''</ref>
== Commanders ==
=== South Pacific Area === * Vice Admiral [[Robert L. Ghormley]] (19 June–18 October 1942) * Vice Adm./Adm. [[William Halsey, Jr.]] (18 October 1942 – 15 June 1944) * Vice Adm. [[John H. Newton]] (15 June 1944 – 13 March 1945) * [[William L. Calhoun (admiral)|Vice Admiral William L. Calhoun]] (13 March–2 September 1945)
=== North Pacific Area === * Rear Adm. [[Robert Alfred Theobald|Robert A. Theobald]] (17 May 1942 – 4 January 1943) * Rear Adm. [[Thomas C. Kinkaid]] (4 January–11 October 1943) * Vice Adm. [[Frank Jack Fletcher|Frank J. Fletcher]] (11 October 1943 – 2 September 1945)
== Forces == During the 1942 [[Aleutian Islands campaign]] Rear Admiral [[Robert A. Theobald]] commanded Task Force 8 afloat. Theobald as Commander North Pacific Force reported to Nimitz in Hawaii. Task Force 8 consisted of five [[cruiser]]s, thirteen [[destroyer]]s, three tankers, six [[submarine]]s, as well as [[naval aviation]] elements of [[PatWing|Fleet Air Wing Four]].<ref>[https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Aleutians/USN-CN-Aleutians-3.html#page22, Aleutians page 22] accessed November 2011, ''US Navy''</ref><ref>[http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Midway.htm WWII Midway]''navweaps.com''</ref>
From 1942 to 1943, three Army infantry divisions ([[23rd Infantry Division (United States)|23rd/"Americal"]], [[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th]], [[27th Infantry Division (United States)|27th]]) and two Marine divisions ([[1st Marine Division|1st]], [[2nd Marine Division|2nd]]) fought in the POA (the 1st and [[3rd Marine Division]]s also fought in the SWPA in 1943). From 1944 to 1945, five Army infantry divisions ([[7th Infantry Division (United States)|7th]], 27th, [[77th Infantry Division (United States)|77th]], [[81st Infantry Division (United States)|81st]], [[96th Infantry Division (United States)|96th]]) and six Marine divisions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, [[4th Marine Division (United States)|4th]], [[5th Marine Division (United States)|5th]], [[6th Marine Division (United States)|6th]]) served in the POA. An additional 15 Army divisions fought in the SWPA during this time.<ref>Mark R. Henry and Mike Chappell, ''The U.S. Army of World War II, Volume 1: The Pacific'' (Men at Arms Series, 342)(Osprey Publishing: 2000)</ref> Among allied land force formations was the [[3rd New Zealand Division]], which fought in the [[Solomon Islands campaign]] during 1943–44.
[[U.S. Army Air Forces]] operated in the POA under the [[Seventh Air Force|Seventh]], [[Thirteenth Air Force|Thirteenth]], and [[Twentieth Air Force|Twentieth]] Air Forces at various times. On 10 March 1944, the [[United States Department of War|Department of War]] approved the activation of an additional AAF headquarters for the Pacific Ocean Areas.<ref>Craven and Cate, "The Army Air Forces in World War II: Vol. V: MATTERHORN to Nagasaki: June 1944 to August 1945, Chapter 17, pp.510-513, via [https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/V/AAF-V-17.html]</ref> To head this new command the [[Air Staff (United States)|Air Staff]] in Washington DC had decided as early as 16 April upon Lt. Gen. [[Millard F. Harmon]], who, as commander of U.S. Army Forces, South Pacific Area, had had long experience in the Pacific. By May the War Department proposed that Lt. Gen. [[Robert C. Richardson Jr.]], commanding U.S. Army Forces Central Pacific Area, be named Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas. Harmon was made responsible to Nimitz for all matters regarding 'plans, operations, training, and dispositions' of his forces. In addition, as deputy commander of the Twentieth Air Force, Harmon was made responsible directly to Arnold in all matters affecting elements of the Twentieth Air Force in POA. [[File:Adm Nimitz headquarters on the Fonte Plateau, Guam (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet|CinCPac]]-POA headquarters being built in [[Asan-Maina, Guam]] in January 1945, when it was moved forward from [[Honolulu]]]] Activation of Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas (AAFPOA) at Hickam Field followed on 1 August 1944. The Seventh Air Force, formerly the senior command, was made "mobile and tactichi" on 15 August by the reassignment of 112 units of various types to AAFPOA. The VII Air Force Service Command, its former administrative functions having been assumed by Breene as AAFPOA deputy commander for administration, was transferred to ASC/AAFPOA, where it lost its identity as an operating agency. The Seventh Air Force was left only VII Bomber Command and VII Fighter Command. The other AAFPOA operating forces were [[XXI Bomber Command]] and the Hawaiian Air Defense Wing(?) (probable source misprint for [[7th Air Division|7th Fighter Wing]]). In preparation for the support of VHB units, the Hawaiian Air Depot was expanded and assigned directly to AAFPOA. For the forward or combat area, plans were laid for a Guam Air Depot (later, [[Harmon Air Force Base]]), which was established in November.
Allied air forces included units of the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]].
== See also == *[[United States Navy in World War II]] *[[US Naval Advance Bases]]
== Notes == {{Reflist}}
== References == * {{cite web |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1942.html |title=The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II |last=Cressman |first=Robert J. |year=1999 |publisher=Contemporary History Branch, Naval Historical Center (now Naval History & Heritage Command) |access-date=24 May 2013 }} * {{cite book |last=Morton |first=Louis |year=2000 |title=The War in the Pacific—Strategy and Command: The First Two Years |series=United States Army In World War II |publisher=Center Of Military History, United States Army |location=Washington, D. C. |lccn=61-60001 |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-Strategy/Strategy-F.html }} * {{cite book |last1=Nimitz |first1=Chester W., Admiral (USN) |last2=Steele |first2=James M., Captain (USN) |year=1942 |title='Gray Book' — War Plans and Files of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet; Running Estimate and Summary maintained by Captain James M. Steele, USN, CINCPAC staff at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, covering the period 7 December 1941–31 August 1942. |volume=1 of 8 volumes |location=Operational Archives, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/D/D7/nimitz_graybook1.pdf |access-date=24 May 2013 }} *{{cite book |last1=Potter |first1=E.B. |year=1976 |title=Nimitz |location=Annapolis, Md. |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=978-0-87021-492-9 |lccn=76-1056 |url=https://archive.org/details/nimitz00pott}} * {{cite book |last=Toll |first=Ian W. |author-link=Ian W. Toll |title=[[Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941–1942]] |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton |date=2011}} * {{cite book |last=Toll |first=Ian W. |author-mask=3 |title=[[The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942–1944]] |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton |date=2015}} * {{cite book |last=Toll |first=Ian W. |author-mask=3 |title=[[Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944–1945]] |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton |date=2020}} *{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Mary H. |year=1960 |title=Chronology 1941—1945 |series=United States Army In World War II |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Center Of Military History, United States Army |lccn=59-60002 }} * {{cite book |last=Willmott |first=H. P. |year=1983 |title=The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies February to June 1942 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=0-87021-535-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/empiresinbalance00will}}
== External links == *{{Cite book| url = http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72-4/72-4.htm| publisher = [[United States Army Center of Military History]]| title = Central Pacific 1941–1943| series = The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II| id = CMH Pub 72-4| access-date = 2010-08-17| archive-date = 2012-02-02| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120202165835/http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72-4/72-4.HTM| url-status = dead}} *[https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-Strategy/Strategy-11.html ''Strategy and Command: The First Two Years''] *[https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-I.html ''The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II, Appendix I'']
[[Category:Pacific War|*]] [[Category:Allied commands of World War II]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1942]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in the 1940s]]