Command History

The forward deployed naval assets encompassing CTF 76 are credible, shaped to meet any task at hand, and can quickly surge to meet emergent situations.

  • 1944 - Amphibious Group ONE is formed; participated in assault of Saipan, Tinan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Also seized Keramo Retto.
  • 1950 - Supported United Nations during Korean Conflict by stationing ships at Inchon and Wonson.
  • 1954 - CTF 76 participated in Passage to Freedom, the largest operation of its kind in history. Operation evacuated 310,000 people from communist-controlled North Vietnam to South Vietnam and carried 58,000 tons of cargo and humanitarian aid.
  • 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 conflict.
  • 1975 - Rescued more than 100,000 people from Phnom Penh and Saigon. Also assisted in recovery of American Flag Carrier Mayaguez after it was hijacked by Cambodian forces 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 Arabian Gulf for Operation Desert Fox.
  • 2000 - USS Belleau Wood and USS Juneau 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 and USS Fort McHenry deploy to Indonesia in support of Operation Unified Assistance to provide support and aid to the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami in Southeast Asia.
  • 2005 - Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group returns to Sasebo, Japan following unscheduled eight-month surge deployment to North Arabian 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 06 in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Cobra Gold in the Kingdom of Thailand.
  • 2006 - USS Patriot (MCM 7) 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.