The fleet structure of the United States Navy has changed many times throughout its history. General Order of December 6, 1922, combined the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets into one United States Fleet and delineated the main body of ships as the Battle Fleet, assigned to the Pacific, and a lesser complement termed the Scouting Fleet, assigned to the Atlantic. (These were subsequently called the Battle and Scouting Forces.) There were also independent commands for coastal forces (called for a time Base Force), ships deployed in the Far East (long called the Asiatic Fleet, although its numbers were very small by comparison), and submarines.
General Order 143, issued on February 1, 1941, abolished the United States Fleet; reinstated the Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic Fleets; and designated a commander in chief for each. Executive Order 8984 of December 18, 1941, reestablished the post of commander in chief, United States Fleet, and gave the position operational command of all naval forces: the Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic Fleets and all coastal forces. Roosevelt appointed King to this position. When King relinquished command on October 10, 1945, the position of commander in chief, United States Fleet, was abolished, and its responsibilities were assumed by the chief of naval operations.