Vice Adm. Thomas B. Fargo
NOMINATED AS COMMANDER OF U.S. PACIFIC FLEET
He's expected to take over the Pacific Fleet's 200 warships
and 250,000 sailors and Marines in October.

Pacific Fleet
to have new leader

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Two of Hawaii's major military organizations will be getting new bosses later this year.

Vice Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, now deputy chief of naval operations for plans, policy and operations in the Pentagon, was nominated yesterday to replace Adm. Archie Clemins as commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Maj. Gen. William Ward will be the new commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, replacing Maj. Gen. James Hill.

Fargo, 50, is expected to assume his new job as head of the Pacific Fleet's 200 warships, two aircraft carriers and 250,000 sailors and Marines in October. Clemins is expected to retire shortly after that.

The new job means a promotion to a four-star rank for Fargo, whose nomination still must be approved by the U.S. Senate.

Fargo is a 1970 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and was trained as a submarine officer, commanded the USS Salt Lake City and has held other sea and shore commands, including head of the U.S. Naval Forces in the Central Command and commander of the Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Ward comes to Schofield Barracks after being chief of the Office of Military Operation in the American Embassy in Egypt. He will become the 40th commander of the 25th Division on Aug. 31.

Ward will be joined at Schofield Barracks by Col. David W. Barno, who will be the new assistant division commander in charge of operations. Barno is now with the Atlantic Command in Norfolk, Va.

Other changes at Pearl Harbor include the assignment of Rear Adm. Charles Kubic as commander of the Pacific Division of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. He will replace Rear Adm. Peter Marchall, who is being sent to the Pentagon as vice commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command.

At the Hawaii Air National Guard headquarters near Diamond Head crater, Col. Myron Dobashi was recently appointed as commander of the 2,500 reserve force. Dobashi becomes Air Guard commander after serving as head of the 201st Combat Communications Group.

He has been in the Hawaii Air National Guard since 1969.

Also promoted was Col. Edwin Miyahira as the Air Guard's new chief of staff.