The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.
History The Central Pacific Area Fleet was a short-lived operational headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Navy, established on March 4, 1944. With United States Navy forces having driven the Japanese out of the Marshall Islands and Caroline Islands in late 1943 to early 1944, the remnants of Japanese naval forces from those areas regrouped under the direction of Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. The new Central Pacific Area Fleet was a combined operational command containing air (IJN 14th Air Fleet) and ground (IJA 31st Army) elements, and was tasked with the defense of the Mariana Islands and Palau, from its command center in Saipan.
With the fall of Saipan to American forces on July 8, 1944 and subsequent death of Admiral Nagumo and his staff, the Central Area Fleet ceased to exist.D'Albas, Death of a Navy
Transition Date Higher unit Lower unit and vessels 4 March 1944 (original) Combined Fleet 4th Fleet, 14th Air Fleet, Isuzu,No.5 Special Base Force, No.30 Base Force, No.4 Weather Observation Unit 8 July 1944 HQ was annihilated. 18 July 1944 disbanded
Commanders of the IJN Central Pacific Area Fleet Commander in chief Wendel, Axis History Database Rank Name Date Note, additional post1 Vice-Admiral/Admiral Chūichi Nagumo 4 March 1944 Commander of the 14th Air Fleet. KIA on 8 July 1944. Posthumously promoted to Admiral on same day.x vacant post 9 July 1944
Chief of staff Rank Name Date Note, additional post1 Rear-Admiral/Vice-Admiral Hideo Yano 4 March 1944 Chief of staff of the 14th Air Fleet. KIA on 8 July 1944. Posthumously promoted to Vice-Admiral on same day.x vacant post 9 July 1944
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