Friday, September 30, 2011

U.S. 2nd Fleet to Disestablish Sept. 30

From U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet will hold a disestablishment ceremony here, Sept. 30, marking the end of 65 years of the organization's service to the fleet.

The ceremony is scheduled to be held outside of 2nd Fleet's maritime headquarters at Naval Station Norfolk, at 10:00 a.m., as the commander's flag is lowered for a final time.

U.S. 2nd Fleet's focus has been on safe fleet operations to achieve its mission in the C2F area of responsibility, providing trained and certified maritime forces for global assignment and teaming with allied and partner navies to execute the nation's maritime strategy.

The disestablishment of U.S. 2nd Fleet was announced Jan. 6, and is aligned with Department of Defense efforts to reduce overhead expenditures to protect force structure and invest in modernization. As U.S. 2nd Fleet disestablishes and merges with U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF), USFF will continue to provide the same level of performance and forces ready for tasking to combatant commanders.

U.S. 2nd Fleet traces its origin to the reorganization of the Navy following World War II and the creation of U.S. 8th Fleet headquartered in Norfolk, Va. Officially established March 1, 1946, the command was renamed 2nd Task Fleet in January 1947, and re-designated U.S. 2nd Fleet in February 1950.