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A3-1/ Serial 4168 COMMANDER SERVICE FORCE UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET RESTRICTED October 9, 1942. From: Commander Service Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet. To  : Pacific Fleet.   Subject: Organization of the Service Force, Pacific Fleet.     1.     The following organization of the Service Force, Pacific Fleet has been approved by the Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet.     2.     The Service Force is divided into four major divisions, Squadron Two, Squadron Six, Squadron Eight and Fleet Maintenance. As will be noted, Squadron Four has been deleted and Fleet Maintenance added. The Squadrons are organized in accordance with "Revision No. 2 to the Assignment of Vessels and Aircraft in the Organization of the Seagoing Forces of the United States, Fiscal year 1942". Fleet Maintenance has been added as a unit of Commander Service Force as directed by Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet despatch 270159 of 27 February 1942. As before, each squadron of the Service Force administers the following activities within the squadrons. (a)  Squadron Administration. (b) Squadron Gunnery. (c) Squadron Engineering. (d) Squadron C & R and Damage Control. (e) Squadron Communications. (f) Squadron Inspections. (g) Squadron Personnel.     3.     In addition, Commander Service Force and the Commanders of each Division or Squadron will administer the following special activities effecting other units of the Fleet: (A) SERVICE FORCE, PACIFIC FLEET (a)  Commander Service Force is directly responsible for all Service Force Administration and for the administration of such Service Force activities as are not specifically assigned to the other divisions of Service Force. (b) Commander Service Force administers the following: 1. War Plans. 2. Force Supply. 3. Force Personnel. 4. Force Policy and Military Characteristics of Service Force vessels. (B) SERVICE SQUADRON TWO (a)  The general function of Service Squadron Two is to provide non-military and non-logistic services to the Fleet. (b) Commander Service Squadron Two administers the following: 1. Fleet Motion Picture Exchange. 2. Administration of Hospital Ships and Mobile Hospitals. -1-

3.  Administration of Repair Ships and Tenders. 4. Mobile Salvage. 5. Fleet Mail. 6. Shore Patrol. 7. Fleet Personnel (through Service Force Subordinate Command).   (C) SERVICE SQUADRON SIX (a)  The general functions of Service Squadron Six are mine sweeping and planting, services for gunnery training, and mobile degaussing. (b) Commander Service Squadron Six administers the following services, all requests for which should be made direct: 1. Services for target practice firings, including surface targets and towing vessels, towing planes and sleeves, drones, and torpedo recovery ships. 2. Fleet Camera Party. 3. Fleet Machine Gun School. 4. Mine Assembly Base. 5. Mobile Degaussing Unit. 6. Pacific Fleet Mine and Bomb Disposal Units. (When such are attached to Pacific Fleet.) 7. Small Craft Disbursing Office.   (D) SERVICE SQUADRON EIGHT (a)  The general functions of Service Squadron Eight are the supply, transportation and distribution of fuel oil, diesel oil, lubricating oils, gasolines, provisions, general stores and ammunition to the Fleet and bases. (b) All Service Force oilers, provision ships, stores issue ships, ammunition ships and certain miscellaneous auxiliaries are assigned to Service Squadron Eight. Chartered tankers and chartered provision ships are also assigned to this squadron, and, at Pearl Harbor, self-propelled barges and small craft are included for the delivery to ships of fuels, provisions and stores. (c)  Commander Service Squadron Eight is directly responsible for the administration and operation of the Squadron to best meet the logistic requirements of the Fleet and bases and to comply with directives of the Commander Service Force. (d) Requests by ships at Pearl Harbor for fuels, provisions, stores and water will be made direct to Commander Service Squadron Eight, except where otherwise directed by current instructions.   (E) FLEET MAINTENANCE OFFICE (a)  Pacific Fleet Confidential Memorandum 28CM-42 of May 29, 1942, established a Fleet Maintenance Office under the general supervision of Commander Service Force, Pacific Fleet. The stated purpose was to relieve the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet of all details in connection with ship maintenance in order that he might concern himself primarily with operation of the Fleet. The organization does not include the Ships Maintenance Officers from the staffs of Commander Destroyers, Pacific Fleet, Commander Submarines, Pacific Fleet and Commander Amphibious Force, and Pacific Fleet. (b) The following specific duties and responsibilities have been delegated to The Fleet Maintenance Officer under the general supervision of Commander Service Force, Pacific Fleet: 1. Assign restricted availabilities at Navy Yards or private shipyards for emergency and urgent repairs and urgent approved alterations, after consultation with the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, if necessary. 2. Coordinate the dry-docking schedule for the Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor and for floating drydocks assigned to the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor. -2-

3. Assign alongside overhauls and other maintenance work to the repair ships of the Service Force, Pacific Fleet located in Pearl Harbor. 4. Issue priority of work letters to the Commandant, Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor arranging all vessels of the Fleet at the Yard in a priority list based on operating requirements. 5. Coordinate and schedule the regular overhauls of all vessels of the Pacific Fleet after consultation with operating forces, the Navy Yards, and the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet as necessary and after approval in each case by the Chief of Naval Operations. 6. Take final Fleet action on general Material Matters usually referred to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet such as the use and serviceability of Material service tests, suitability of items of equipage, standardization of Material, etc. 7. Take final Fleet action on all alterations involving a change in military charac-teristics of ANY ship of the Pacific Fleet after ascertaining the views of the Type Commander concerned and/or after consultation with the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet. 8. Take final Fleet action on all repairs and alterations (except alterations involving a change in military characteristics) for battleships, carriers, aircraft tenders, cruisers, and Service Force vessels, ascertaining the views of the Type Commanders concerned, if necessary. 9. Maintain engineering performance reports for battleships, carriers, aircraft tenders, and cruisers and promulgate to ships concerned such information or comment as may be necessary. (c)  The duties and responsibilities of The Fleet Maintenance Officer, cover a wide field and are not definitely limited. The expressed intent of Pacific Fleet Confidential Memorandum 28CM-42 contemplates that Fleet Maintenance assume duties and responsibilities in addition to those specifically listed, particularly matters primarily concerned with maintenance of ships, suitability of materials, improvements in design, utilization of equipment, and matters involving training, such as radar, fire-fighting, damage control, oiling at sea, etc. In this connection see Pacific Fleet Confidential Notice 20CN-42 and Cincpac confidential letter serial 02560 of 22 August 1942. (F) SERVICE FORCE SUBORDINATE COMMAND Headquarters - Federal Office Building - San Francisco, California. (a)  The Service Force Subordinaate Command is a shore-based liaison and logistics agency of the U. S. Pacific Fleet, operative only in time of war or national emergency. It functions: 1.  As a liaison between the Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, and Commander Western and Northwest Sea Frontier. 2. As a liaison between the Commander Service Force and District (11th, 12th, 13th) Commandants. 3. As administrative representative of the Commander Service Force in the operation and Maintenance of Service Force vessels as in Pacific Coast ports and waters. 4. As a logistic agency for the supply of Southern Pacific Bases, as directed by the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet or Commander Service Force, Pacific Fleet. In this capacity it is authorized to deal directly with Commander South Pacific Force and Service Squadron South Pacific Force. (b)  Under the general functional divisions of paragraph one (1) above, the following duties are prescribed: (1) FLEET - WESTERN AND NORTHWEST SEA FRONTIER LIAISON. 1. Transportation of officer and enlisted personnel via government conveyance. 2. Assembly and loading of Advance Base Material and equipment. -3-

3.  Liaison for loading of Service Force and Naval Transportation Service vessels. 4. Movement of freight and ammunition, and towing, by Service Force ships. (2)  SERVICE FORCE-NAVAL DISTRICT LIAISON. 1. Distribution of enlisted personnel, via Receiving Ships. 2. Transportation of officers and enlisted personnel via government conveyance. 3.  Allocation of space in Service Force ships to meet the needs of the 11th, 12th, and 13th Naval Districts. 4. Assist all Naval shipping centers in the determination of loading plans and of priorities of shipments. 5. Movement of freight and ammunition, and towing, by Service Force ships. (3)  ADMINISTRATION OF SERVICE FORCE VESSELS 1. Voyage and repairs that Commanding Officers can not handle unassisted. 2. During upkeep periods at West Coast ports. 3.  During overhauls at West Coast Navy and Commercial yards. 4. During interim dockings at West Coast ports. 5. Loading and despatch of Service Force oilers and certain allocated oilers as directed by Commander Service Squadron eight. (c) Action and information addressees are requested to forward direct to Commander Service Force Subordinate Command copies of all correspondence, including despatches, which may effect or be of interest to that command.   W. L. CALHOUN   DISTRIBUTION   List IV (P)   MAR14, NTS, XI, X2, X3,   X8, Zl, Z2, Z3, Z4, SP,   NA11, NA12, NA27, NA37,   NA54, NB18, NB49, ND11,   ND12, ND13, ND14, NY8,   NY9, NY10, EN3, 4, 5, 6, 9,   10, 11, 12.   E. P. Southwick,   Flag Secretary       -4-

SOURCE:
National Archives & Records Administration, Seattle Branch
Record Group 181, Commandant's Office Regular Navy Files, 1942-43

Transcribed by RESEARCHER @ LARGE. Formatting & Comments Copyright R@L.

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