View source for Task Force 76

{{short description|United States Navy task force}}
{{multiple issues|
{{Missing information|extensive history, and use of cited references as if only current nomenclature & formation is important|date=August 2013}}
{{prose|date=July 2020}}
{{more footnotes|date=July 2020}}
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{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Task Force 76 / Amphibious Force U.S. Seventh Fleet / Expeditionary Strike Group SEVEN
| image                         = ESG-7 logo.png
| caption                       = 
| dates                         = 1943 to present
| country                       = United States of America
| allegiance                    = 
| branch                        = [[United States Navy]]
| type                          = [[Expeditionary Strike Group]]
| role                          = [[Amphibious warfare|Amphibious Operations]]
| size                          = 
| command_structure             = [[United States Seventh Fleet]]
| garrison                      = White Beach Naval Facility
| garrison_label                = 
| equipment                     = 
| equipment_label               = 
| nickname                      = 
| patron                        = 
| motto                         = Forward From the Sea
| colors                        = 
| colors_label                  = 
| march                         = 
| mascot                        = 
| battles                       = 
| anniversaries                 = 
| decorations                   = 
| battle_honours                = <!-- Commanders -->
| current_commander             = [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Christopher D. Stone]]
| current_commander_label       = 
| notable_commanders            = <!-- Insignia -->
| identification_symbol         = 
| identification_symbol_label   = 
| identification_symbol_2       = 
| identification_symbol_2_label = 
}}

'''Expeditionary Strike Group SEVEN/Task Force 76 (Amphibious Force U.S. SEVENTH Fleet)''' is a [[United States Navy]] [[task force]]. It is part of the [[United States Seventh Fleet]] and the USN's only permanently forward-deployed expeditionary strike group. It is based at the White Beach Naval Facility at the end of the [[Katsuren Peninsula]] in [[Uruma City]], [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], Japan.

CTF 76 conducts operations throughout the [[U.S. Seventh Fleet]] area of operations, which includes the [[Western Pacific Ocean]] and the Indian Ocean.

== History ==
10 January 1943 – Southwest Pacific Amphibious Forces – later called the Seventh Amphibious Force is formed in Brisbane, Australia. Participated in [[Operation Chronicle]], the [[landing at Lae]], the [[landing at Scarlet Beach]] at [[Finschhafen]], [[Battle of Arawe]] and [[Battle of Cape Gloucester]] on the island of [[New Britain]],

1944 – Participated in the [[Battle of Hollandia|landing at Hollandia]], [[landing at Aitape]], [[landing at Saidor]] and [[Admiralty Islands campaign]].

1950 – Supported UN during [[Korean War]] by stationing ships at [[Inchon]] and [[Wonsan]].

1954 – CTF 76 participated in [[Operation Passage to Freedom]], the largest operation of its kind in history. The operation evacuated 310,000 people from communist-controlled North Vietnam to South Vietnam and carried 58,000 tons of cargo and humanitarian aid.

[[File:USS Princeton (LPH-5) with Amphibious Ready Group Alpha off Vietnam 1968.jpeg|thumb|[[Amphibious Ready Group]] Alpha with {{USS|Princeton|LPH-5}} off Vietnam, in 1968.]]

1965 – Participated in amphibious landings, assaults and demonstrations off the eastern coast of the Republic of Vietnam. Also cleared mines off the Vietnamese coast toward the end of the [[Vietnam War]]. [[Amphibious Ready Group]] Alpha, and its U.S. Marine contingent "Special Landing Force Alpha" or SLF-A (often referred to as the "Sluff", during the Vietnam era) formed Task Group 76.4. TG 76.4 consisted of various support vessels, such as [[Landing Platform, Helicopter]] (LPHs) such as the {{USS|Princeton|LPH-5}}, {{USS|Okinawa|LPH-3}} or {{USS|Iwo Jima|LPH-2}}. Other vessels included LSTs (Landing Ship Tank) or LSD (Landing Ship Dock) supported a reinforced Marine Corps battalion referred to as a Battalion Landing Team (BLT). The Marine elements of the Group were referred to as Special Landing Force Alpha which itself consisted of the BLT and a Marine Helicopter Squadron. The ARG also included an Amphibious Group Command Ship (AGC) or the Amphibious Communication and Command Ship (LCC) which carried the Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet and command and communications support facilities. Three AGCs and one LCC rotated to the Western Pacific and all four were involved in the amphibious landings by the LCC/AGC/SLF in Vietnam. The one LCC was {{USS|Blue Ridge|LCC-19}} and the three AGCs were {{USS|Eldorado|AGC-11}}, {{USS|Estes|AGC-12}} and {{USS|Mount McKinley|AGC-7}}.

1971 – Homeported to Okinawa, Japan

1975 – Rescued more than 100,000 people from Phnom Penh and Saigon (including in [[Operation Eagle Pull]]). Also assisted in recovery of the American-flagged [[SS Mayaguez|SS ''Mayaguez'']] after it was hijacked by the Cambodian [[Khmer Rouge]] in the [[Gulf of Thailand]].

1983 – Transited to [[Suez Canal]] to support multi-national forces in [[Lebanon]].

1999 – Belleau Wood Amphibious Ready Group completed no-notice five-month deployment to [[Persian Gulf]] for [[Operation Desert Fox]].

2000 – {{USS|Belleau Wood|LHA-3|6}} and {{USS|Juneau|LPD-10|6}} complete humanitarian mission to [[East Timor]] supporting Australian-led forces. Continued missions until East Timor became 191st member of United Nations in 2002.

2004 – {{USS|Essex|LHD-2|6}} and {{USS|Fort McHenry|LSD-43|6}} deploy to Indonesia in support of [[Operation Unified Assistance]] to provide support and aid to the victims of the 26 December tsunami in Southeast Asia.

2005 – Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group returns to [[Sasebo, Japan]] following unscheduled eight-month surge deployment to North Persian Gulf in support of [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] and the [[Global War on Terrorism]].

2005 – Forward Deployed ARG deploys for Fall Patrol. Conduct Amphibious Landing Exercise/Talon Vision (PHIBLEX/TV) 06 in the [[Republic of Philippines]] and then make a port visit to Hong Kong.

2006 – Forward Deployed ARG deploys for 5-month Spring Patrol, participating in TRUEX/MUEX in Guam, Balikatan 06 in the Republic of Philippines, [[Foal Eagle|Foal Eagle 06]] in the [[Republic of Korea]] (ROK) and Cobra Gold in the Kingdom of Thailand.

2006 – {{USS|Patriot|MCM-7|6}} and embarked Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5 Detachment (Det) 51 complete Summer Patrol throughout Southeast Asia, participating in Cobra Gold and WP-MCMEX in [[Malaysia]], while making port visits to [[Brunei]], Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong.<ref>[http://www.ctf76.navy.mil/Site%20Pages/Mission%20and%20History/History.aspx CTF 76 Website – History Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010211727/http://www.ctf76.navy.mil/Site%20Pages/Mission%20and%20History/History.aspx |date=10 October 2008 }}</ref>

2007 – Forward Deployed ARG participates in joint exercises with the Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Thailand, Australia, Japan, Kingdom of Cambodia, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Republic of the Philippines. Task Force 76 units also participated in Operation Sea Angel II, a disaster response mission in the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

2009 – Between 7 August and 18 October, Task Force 76 assigned forces supported Foreign Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations in Taiwan, Indonesia and the Republic of the Philippines.

2011 – Operation TOMODACHI: {{USS|Essex|LHD-2}}, {{USS|Tortuga|LSD-46}}, {{USS|Harpers Ferry|LSD-49}} and {{USS|Germantown|LSD-42}} were positioned off of north eastern Honshu to assist the disaster recovery efforts in conjunction with the Japan Self Defense Force.

2011 – {{USS|Tortuga|LSD-46}} assisted in flood relief efforts in Thailand along with elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

2012 – Task Force 76 and assigned units directly participated in 12 bi-lateral exercises including Balikatan, Amphibious Landing Exercise, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Exercise in the Republic of the Philippines, Cobra Gold in Thailand, Foal Eagle, Clear Horizon and Korean Interoperability Training Program in the Republic of Korea, Valiant Shied, Terminal Fury and Keen Sword in Japan.

== Forward-deployed CTF 76 ships and commands ==
CTF 76 consists of the following units:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amphib7flt.navy.mil/About-Us/|title = About Us}}</ref>

=== U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan ===
* {{USS|Blue Ridge|LCC-19}}

=== U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan ===
* Amphibious Squadron ELEVEN
* {{USS|America|LHA-6}}
* ''[[USS New Orleans (LPD-18)]]''
* {{USS|Green Bay|LPD-20}}
* {{USS|Rushmore|LSD-47}}
* {{USS|Ashland|LSD-48}}
* Mine Countermeasure Squadron SEVEN
* {{USS|Patriot|MCM-7}}
* {{USS|Pioneer|MCM-9}}
* {{USS|Warrior|MCM-10}}
* {{USS|Chief|MCM-14}}
*[[Naval Beach Group One|Naval Beach Unit SEVEN]]
*[[Assault Craft Unit 1|Assault Craft Unit ONE]], Detachment Western Pacific
*[[Assault Craft Unit 5|Assault Craft Unit FIVE]], Detachment Western Pacific
*[[Beachmaster Unit One|Beach Master Unit ONE]], Detachment Western Pacific

=== Okinawa, Japan ===
* Fleet Surgical Team SEVEN
* Tactical Air Squadron TWELVE, Detachment Western Pacific

=== Pohang, Republic of Korea ===
* [[Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14]], Detachment ONE

=== Guam, United States ===
* [[HSC-25|Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWO FIVE]]

=== Transiting Amphibious Ready Groups ===
United States-based [[Amphibious Ready Group]]s which pass through the [[U.S. Seventh Fleet]] area of operations fall under the operational control of CTF 76.

== Task Force / Amphibious Group Commanders to present==
{|
|&nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] Christopher D. Stone
|&nbsp;
|(9 June 2023 – Present)
|-
|&nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Derek A. Trinque]]||&nbsp;
| (15 June 2022 – 9 June 2023)
|-

|&nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Christopher M. Engdahl]]||&nbsp;
| (12 May 2021 – 15 June 2022)
|-

|&nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Fred W. Kacher]]||&nbsp;
| (May 2019 – 12 May 2021)
|-

|&nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Charles B. Cooper II]]||&nbsp;
| (22 January 2018 – May 2019)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Captain|Capt.]] [[Marvin Thompson (U.S. Navy) |Marvin "Ed" Thompson]] || &nbsp;
| (September 2017 – 22 January 2018)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Marc H. Dalton]] || &nbsp;
| (3 August 2016 – September 2017)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[John B. Nowell]] || &nbsp;
| (29 August 2015 – 3 August 2016)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Hugh D. Wetherald]] || &nbsp;
| (11 September 2013 – 29 August 2015)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Jeffrey A. Harley]] || &nbsp;
| (24 May 2012 – 11 September 2013)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[J. Scott Jones]] || &nbsp;
| (8 April 2011 – 24 May 2012)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Richard B. Landolt]] || &nbsp;
| (23 June 2008 – 8 April 2011)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Carol M. Pottenger]] || &nbsp;
| (7 November 2006 – 23 June 2008)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Victor G. Guillory]] || &nbsp;
| (1 October 2004 – 7 November 2006)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Gary R. Jones]] || &nbsp;
| (28 July 2003 – 1 October 2004)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Frederic R. Ruehe]] || &nbsp;
| (March 2002 – 28 July 2003)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Paul S. Schultz]] || &nbsp;
| (Jun 2000 – March 2002)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Harry M. Highfill]] || &nbsp;
| (March 1998 – June 2000)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Walter Doran]] || &nbsp;
| (June 1995 – December 1996)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[John Sigler]] || &nbsp;
| (1992 – 1995)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Dennis R. Conley]] || &nbsp;
| (1990 – 1992)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[George B. Shick Jr.]] || &nbsp;
| (1980 – 1982)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Don Whitmire]] || &nbsp;
| (1974–1976)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Wycliff D. Toole Jr]] || &nbsp;
| (July 1972 – 1973)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Walter D. Gaddis]] || &nbsp;
| (1970 - July 1972)
|-

| &nbsp; &nbsp; • [[Rear Admiral|Rear Adm.]] [[Daniel E. Barbey]] || &nbsp;
| (January 1943 - )
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/7thamphibcomdhist.htm Command History, Seventh Amphibious Force, 10 January 1943 – 23 December 1945]
* MacArthur's Amphibious Navy ~ Seventh Amphibious Force Operations 1943–1945, Vice Admiral Danie E. Barbey, USN (Ret), 1969
* Action Report – Iwo Jima, February, 1945
* [http://www.stripes.com/news/navy-amphibious-force-welcomes-new-commander-1.10066 Navy amphibious force welcomes new commander – Date: 7/28/2003]
* [http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=15413 Task Force 76 Holds Change of Command in Okinawa – Date: 10/22/2004]
* [http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=26740 ESG 7/CTF 76 Changes Command – Date: 11/27/2006]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151222093728/http://www.c7f.navy.mil/news/2008/06-june/03.htm Amphibious Force 7th Fleet Changes Command – Date: 6/23/2008]
* [http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=76461 Amphibious Force, US 7th Fleet Holds Change of Command Ceremony – Date: 9/10/2013]
* [http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=90851 Amphibious Force US 7th Fleet Holds Change of Command – Date: 8/31/2015]
* [http://www.c7f.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/900787/amphibious-force-7th-fleet-changes-command/ Amphibious Force 7th Fleet Changes Command - Date: 8/03/2016]
* [https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/01/24/new-commander-of-navy-7th-fleets-amphibious-forces-takes-over/ New commander of Navy 7th Fleet’s amphibious forces takes over - Date: 1/24/2018]

== External links ==
{{commons category|Task Force 76/Expeditionary Strike Group 7}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090414162739/http://www.news.navy.mil/local/ctf76/ Commander Task Force 76 News]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071210235258/http://www.ctf76.navy.mil/ Task Force 76/Expeditionary Strike Group 7 - &#91;Link no longer functioning&#93;]
* [https://eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/L.html Papers of John M. Lee, commanded the Amphibious Force of the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library]

[[Category:United States Navy task forces]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in the 1940s]]