FMFPAC is under operational control of the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT), when deployed.

FMFPAC was established by General 'Howling Mad' Smith in 1944 to assume command of very large Marine forces in the Pacific theatre of World War II, of the order of 500,000.

FMFPAC was created as a U.S. Navy type command responsible for organizing, training, and supporting Marine forces in the Pacific Fleet, as well as advising the Commander of the Pacific Fleet on all matters related to the Marine Corps.

[5] In December 1946, the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT) was created as the East Coast counterpart to FMFPAC.

It also sent units to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan,[1] because before 2005 the area covered by the U.S. Central Command was in the jurisdiction of FMFPAC.