US 7th Fleet commander on March 15 kicked off a series of celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the 7th Fleet at the place where the command was formed 75 years ago.

“7th Fleet Sailors have flown, sailed, operated and lived in the Indo-Pacific for 75 years,” said Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, Commander, US 7th Fleet, during a ceremonial speech at MacArthur Chambers in Brisbane, Australia. “While conflict is not inevitable, security doesn’t happen by itself either, and that’s why we’ll continue to prepare for any situation that requires our forces.”