United States Army Forces, Pacific (AFPAC)

United States Army Forces, Pacific (AFPAC)
Unit name	United States Army Forces, Pacific
Caption	Distinctive unit insignia
Dates	1943–1947; reactivated 20XX–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Field army
Role	Theater-level command
Garrison	Fort Shafter
Nickname	AFPAC
Battle honours	Pacific Theater of World War II

Contents

United States Army Forces, Pacific (AFPAC) is a theater-level United States Army command responsible for Army operations across the Pacific Ocean and Asia-Pacific, coordinating joint activities with the United States Indo-Pacific Command, United States Pacific Command, and multinational partners. Established during World War II and reconstituted in later decades, AFPAC has links to historic formations such as United States Army Forces in the Far East, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), and theater staffs that supported campaigns like the Guadalcanal Campaign and Philippine Campaign (1944–45). Its leaders have often been senior officers who previously commanded formations including the Eighth United States Army, Sixth Army, and staffs at Hawaii and Manila.

History

AFPAC traces roots to pre-war commands such as Hawaiian Department, Philippine Department, and wartime entities like United States Army Forces in the Far East and South West Pacific Area. During World War II it coordinated with Admiral Chester W. Nimitz's Pacific Ocean Areas and General Douglas MacArthur's South West Pacific Area for operations including the Solomon Islands campaign, New Guinea campaign, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Postwar reorganizations tied AFPAC to occupation duties in Japan and Korea, linking to the United States Army Forces, Middle Pacific and later to commands influenced by the National Security Act of 1947. Cold War tensions involved interactions with SEATO, the Korean War, and units such as the 25th Infantry Division and 2nd Infantry Division. Recent decades saw AFPAC coordinate with Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, and partner exercises with Australia, Japan Self-Defense Forces, and Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

AFPAC's headquarters parallels theater staffs like those at United States Central Command and United States European Command, with directorates modeled on Joint Chiefs of Staff doctrine. Component commands have included the Eighth United States Army, 25th Infantry Division, 11th Airborne Division, and support elements drawn from U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), Army Special Operations Command, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Command relationships mirror agreements with United States Indo-Pacific Command and liaison arrangements with United States Marine Corps Forces Pacific, the United States Navy Pacific Fleet, and United States Air Forces Pacific. Senior commanders have held ranks equivalent to leaders of the United States Army Forces in the Far East and reported to authorities such as the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Army in matters of force posture and contingency planning.

AFPAC conducts theater-level planning, force projection, logistics, and security cooperation across regions including the Western Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Arctic approaches to the Pacific. It supports deterrence strategies with rotational brigade deployments, combined-arms integration with the U.S. Marine Corps, strategic lifts via the Military Sealift Command and U.S. Transportation Command, and cooperation with partners such as Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Australian Army, Philippine Army, and Royal Thai Army. AFPAC also provides civil support in coordination with agencies like United States Agency for International Development and disaster response frameworks used during events similar to Operation Tomodachi and responses to Typhoon Haiyan.

AFPAC elements have been employed in major campaigns from the Guadalcanal Campaign and Bougainville Campaign to the Philippine Campaign (1944–45), and later in contingencies connected to the Korean War and Vietnam War through logistics and personnel exchanges with units like the 1st Cavalry Division and 101st Airborne Division. In the twenty-first century, AFPAC coordinated multinational exercises resembling RIMPAC and operations supporting freedom of navigation in concert with the United States Seventh Fleet and allied navies. Humanitarian missions referenced include operations akin to Operation Tomodachi and multinational relief after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, involving coordination with United Nations agencies and regional militaries.

AFPAC's principal garrison has historically been at Fort Shafter and installations across Hawaii, Guam, Okinawa, and Aleutian Islands sites. It relies on port facilities like Pearl Harbor, airfields such as Andersen Air Force Base and Kadena Air Base, and logistics hubs at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam and Camp Zama. Engineering and sustainment are provided through commands akin to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Division and prepositioning akin to the Army Prepositioned Stocks program, with strategic lines of communication through the Trans-Pacific cable and maritime routes linking to Manila and Singapore.

AFPAC sponsors and coordinates large-scale exercises including variants of RIMPAC, Balikatan, Cobra Gold, and combined-arms drills with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Australian Defence Force, Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and New Zealand Defence Force. Training focuses on amphibious integration with the U.S. Marine Corps, airborne operations linking to the 11th Airborne Division, jungle and mountain warfare techniques used historically in New Guinea and Philippines campaigns, and joint logistics rehearsals with U.S. Transportation Command and Military Sealift Command. Professional military education aligns with institutions such as the Command and General Staff College and partnerships with regional defense colleges.

AFPAC's legacy encompasses contributions to victory in the Pacific Theater, postwar occupation of Japan and stabilization of the Korean Peninsula, and enduring security architectures that involve ANZUS and bilateral treaties with Japan and Philippines. Its doctrine influenced later commands like United States Indo-Pacific Command and informed force posture debates across administrations during crises like the Taiwan Strait Crisis and tensions in the South China Sea. Veterans and units formerly under AFPAC have been recognized with decorations such as the Presidential Unit Citation and have shaped commemorations at sites like the National World War II Memorial and Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

Category:United States Army Category:Pacific theatre of World War II