August 1944 brought an important command transition. Admiral Halsey, who had held a sub-theater command (COMSOPAC) in the South Pacific since October 1942, was brought north to relieve Spruance. The changeover would occur at the conclusion of the Marianas campaign. Spruance and his staff would take a well-deserved leave in the States, and then return to Pearl Harbor to plan future operations. Halsey would command the fleet until January 1945, and then be relieved in turn by Spruance.
