United States Twelfth Fleet
The Twelfth Fleet was a unit of the United States Navy and was operational from October 1st, 1943. The fleet began demoblization in late 1945 was disestablished in 1946.
Twelfth Fleet was established from the U.S. naval forces under Commander Naval Forces Europe, Admiral Harold Stark when on September 9th, 1943 Admiral Ernest King ordered the consolidation of all U.S. naval forces in Europe under a new Twelfth Fleet. The fleet was actually organized earlier under Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk before all naval forces in Europe were combined. As a command under the United States Naval Forces Europe, the commanders were based from London, England.
Kirk was replaced by Admiral H. Kent Hewitt in August 1945. The fleet had the following commands:
- Task Force 122 under command of Rear Adm. Alan G. Kirk to control operations and training for the cross-Channel assault.
- Eleventh Amphibious Force
- Landing Craft and Bases, Europe, to receive and control the buildup of landing craft for the invasion.
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