Philip S. Davidson

File:U.S. INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY 6624934.jpg

A surface warfare officer, Davidson has deployed across the globe in frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers. Davidson's previous command assignments include Carrier Strike Group 8 (Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group), {{USS|Gettysburg|CG-64|6}}, and {{USS|Taylor|FFG-50|6}}. He also served as the commander of United States Sixth Fleet and the commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, while simultaneously serving as the deputy commander of United States Naval Forces Europe – Naval Forces Africa.

Ashore, Davidson has served in fleet, interagency, and joint tours as a flag officer; he was previously the director of maritime operations at United States Fleet Forces Command, the senior military advisor to the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP) at the State Department, and the deputy director for strategy and policy in the J-5 directorate of the Joint Staff. He served earlier in his career in policy, strategy, and operations billets on multiple tours with the U.S. Pacific Fleet staff, the Navy staff, and the Joint Staff, and as the Navy’s military aide to the Vice President of the United States.

Davidson is a distinguished graduate of the United States Naval War College. He has a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies and a Bachelor of Science in physics.

On March 5, 2020, Davidson ordered the aircraft carrier {{USS|Theodore Roosevelt|CVN-71|6}} to conduct its long-scheduled visit to Da Nang, Vietnam. The port call was politically important, to show United States military strength in a region increasingly unnerved by Beijing's growing territorial claims in the South China Sea.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/12/us/politics/coronavirus-roosevelt-carrier-crozier.html|title = 'There Will be Losses': How a Captain's Plea Exposed a Rift in the Military|newspaper = The New York Times|date = April 12, 2020|last1 = Gibbons-Neff|first1 = Thomas|last2 = Schmitt|first2 = Eric|last3 = Cooper|first3 = Helene|last4 = Ismay|first4 = John}} However, nearly three weeks prior, on February 14, the United States Navy had ordered all ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had made port calls to quarantine at sea for at least 14 days, the maximum incubation period for the novel coronavirus. The navy also directed the Seventh Fleet headquarters in Yokosuka, Japan to screen everyone accessing the fleet's warships and aircraft. Davidson chose to accept the risk of possible coronavirus infections, and allow the visit to proceed.{{cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/2020/04/us-aircraft-carrier-should-never-have-been-sent-to-vietnam/|title = US aircraft carrier should never have been sent to Vietnam|date = April 4, 2020}}

Within days of completing the port call, sailors aboard the Roosevelt began testing positive for the coronavirus. By April 13, nearly 600 sailors had tested positive, with one death, 4,000 sailors had been evacuated from the ship, and the ship's commander, Captain Brett Crozier, had been relieved of command.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/politics/theodore-roosevelt-sailor-coronavirus/index.html|title = Sailor aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt dies of coronavirus}}

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{{Commons category|Philip S. Davidson}}

• [https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Biographies/BioDisplay/Article/2236011/admiral-philip-davidson/ America's Navy > Biographies > Admiral Philip Davidson]

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{{s-bef|before=Kurt W. Tidd}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander of Carrier Strike Group 8|years=20??–2011}}

{{s-aft|after=Michael C. Manazir}}

{{s-bef|before=Frank Craig Pandolfe}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the United States Sixth Fleet|years=2013–2014}}

{{s-aft|after=James G. Foggo III}}

{{s-bef|before=William E. Gortney}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the United States Fleet Forces Command|years=2014–2018}}

{{s-aft|after=Christopher W. Grady}}

{{s-bef|before=Harry B. Harris Jr.|as=Commander of the United States Pacific Command}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command|years=2018–2021}}

{{s-aft|after=John C. Aquilino}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Philip Scot}}

Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:United States Naval Academy alumni

Category:Naval War College alumni

Category:United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War

Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Category:United States Navy admirals