United States Fleet Activities Sasebo

United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
Sasebo, Japan
 Flact sasebo insig.jpg
Type Military Base
Controlled by Japan
United States

U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo is a United States Navy naval base, in Sasebo, Japan, on the island of Kyūshū. It provides facilities for the logistic support of forward-deployed units and visiting operating forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and designated tenant activities.

Contents

History

Sasebo has been an important naval base since 1883, when Lieutenant Commander Tōgō Heihachirō nominated the tiny fishing village to form the nucleus of a mighty base for the Imperial Japanese Navy. In 1905 ships of the Japanese Navy under Admiral Togo sailed from Sasebo to take on the Russian Baltic Fleet. Admiral Togo's victory at the Battle of Tsushima is a classic in naval history.

The Imperial Japanese Navy had some 60,000 people working in the dock yard and associated naval stations at the peak of World War II, outfitting ships, submarines and aircraft. In those days, just as today, Sasebo was a favorite liberty port for navy personnel.

Danny Kaye entertains at Sasebo on October 25, 1945.

In September 1945, the U.S. Marine Corps' Fifth Division landed at Sasebo, and in June 1946, U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo was established.

When war broke out in Korea three years later, Sasebo became the main launching point for the United Nations and the U.S. Forces. Millions of tons of ammunition, fuel, tanks, trucks and supplies flowed through Sasebo on their way to the U.N. Forces in Korea. The number of Americans in Sasebo grew to about 20,000; and some 100 warships and freighters per day swelled the foreign populations still more.

After the Korean War ended, the Japan Self-Defense Forces were formed, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces ships began to homeport in Sasebo. The U.S. Fleet Activities continued to support ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. Service Force ships as well as minecraft made Sasebo their homeport.

The U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo provided heavy support to the expanded Seventh Fleet during the years of war in Southeast Asia. Repair work done by Japanese shipyards in Sasebo was then, and is still today, equal to the best in the world.[citation needed] In the mid-seventies, the U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo became the Naval Ordnance Facility Sasebo, and fleet visits dwindled to a very low level.

On 4 July 1980, this trend was reversed when U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo regained its name, and Seventh Fleet ships were once again forward-deployed to Sasebo.

U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo played a vital logistics role in Operation Desert Shield/Storm during 1990–91, by serving as a supply point for ordnance and fuel for ships and Marines operating in the Persian Gulf theater.

Current ships permanently forward deployed

Ships formerly permanently forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • United States Forces Japan — The United States Forces Japan, or USFJ (在日米軍, Zainichi Beigun?) refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and… …   Wikipedia

  • List of United States military bases — Map of the major U.S. military installations, ranges and training areas in the continental United States …   Wikipedia

  • United States Seventh Fleet — Seventh Fleet redirects here. For other uses, see Seventh Fleet (disambiguation). United States Seventh Fleet Seventh Fleet A …   Wikipedia

  • United States Forces Japan — Emblem der USFJ Unter dem Namen United States Forces Japan (USFJ, jap. 在日米軍, Zai Nichi Beigun, offiziell: 日本国における合衆国軍隊, Nihon koku ni okeru Gasshūkoku Guntai, dt. „Streitkräfte der Vereinigten Staaten in Japan“) unterhalten die Vereinigten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sasebo — may refer to: * Sasebo, Nagasaki, a city in Japan and a base of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the city, later of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force * United States Fleet Activities Sasebo, a post WWII United States Navy Base in the city… …   Wikipedia

  • Sasebo Naval Arsenal — nihongo|Sasebo Naval Arsenal|佐世保海軍工廠 Sasebo Kaigun Kosho was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. coord|33.168|N|129.735|EHistoryThe Sasebo Naval District was established at Sasebo, Nagasaki in… …   Wikipedia

  • American Forces Network — Service (AFRTS) for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide. Organization American Forces Network (AFN) is the operational arm of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS), an agency of the American… …   Wikipedia

  • Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy — The Judge Advocate General s Corps also known as the JAG Corps or JAG is the legal arm of the US Navy. Today the corps consists of a worldwide organization of more than 730 Judge Advocates, 30 limited duty officers (law), 500 enlisted members and …   Wikipedia

  • USS Callaghan (DDG-994) — Эсминец «Каллагэн» USS Callaghan (DDG 994) …   Википедия

  • USS Tarawa (CV-40) — Para otros buques con el mismo nombre, véase USS Tarawa. USS Tarawa (CV 40) El USS Tarawa a su paso por el Estrecho de Messina, Sicilia Banderas …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”