United States European Command
Encyclopedia
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
s of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany. Its area of focus covers 21000000 square miles (54,389,750.3 km²) and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, and Israel. The Commander of EUCOM simultaneously serves as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) within NATO.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
, EUCOM was the lead command for potential operations. During the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq...
, EUCOM controlled the forces flying from Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base
The Incirlik Air Base is located in İncirlik, five miles east of Adana, Turkey's fifth largest city, and from the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S...
.
History and significant operations
EUCOM was established on 1 August 1952, to provide "unified command and authority" over all United States forces in Europe. For several years after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the services had maintained separate commands in Europe that reported directly to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
: Commander-in-Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe; Commander-in-Chief, United States Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (later became United States Naval Forces, Europe); and Commander-in-Chief, United States European Command (later became United States Army, Europe).
America's rapid post-war demobilization, followed by the end of the occupation of Germany in 1949, led many to question the United States' commitment to defend Western Europe against the spread of communism. Western nations questioned how they could provide for the common defense and simultaneously questioned America's role in such defense. In 1948–1949, the Berlin Blockade
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War and the first resulting in casualties. During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway and road access to the sectors of Berlin under Allied...
motivated Western Europe and the United States to create a military alliance. In 1949, the allies established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In early 1951, NATO established Allied Command Europe and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
(SHAPE). General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
was called from retirement to become the first Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The United States sent massive reinforcements to Europe designed to deter the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. From 1950 to 1953 United States military personnel in Europe grew from 120,000 to over 400,000. United States Air Forces in Europe grew from three groups with 35,000 personnel to eleven wings with 136,000 personnel. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean doubled to more than 40 warships. United States Army, Europe, grew from one infantry division and three constabulary regiments to two corps with five divisions (including two mobilized National Guard divisions) and in November 1950 activated a new field army, Seventh Army, at Patch Barracks, Stuttgart. The Army activated the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (North Carolina)
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
in 1952 and deployed it to Bad Töltz in November 1953 for unconventional warfare missions in the Soviet Bloc countries. To provide for national command within NATO and to help control this build-up of forces, Gen. Eisenhower proposed a separate command for all United States forces in Europe. Because the senior United States commander would continue as Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Eisenhower recommended giving "a maximum of delegated authority" to a four-star deputy.
Eisenhower returned to the United States just as the new command was established. The first United States Commander-in-Chief Europe (USCINCEUR) was Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
, former commander of Eighth Army and the Far East Command during the Korean War. His deputy was Gen. Thomas T. Handy
Thomas T. Handy
Thomas Troy Handy was a United States Army four-star general who served as Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army from 1944 to 1947; Commanding General, Fourth United States Army from 1947 to 1949; Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 1949 to 1952; Commander in Chief, U.S...
, former Army deputy chief of staff under Gen. George C. Marshall and commander of United States Army, Europe.
Headquarters EUCOM initially shared the I.G. Farben Building in Frankfurt, Germany, with Headquarters United States Army, Europe. In 1954, the headquarters moved to Camp des Loges, a French Army base west of Paris and a short distance from SHAPE. There, EUCOM prepared plans for the defense of Western Europe within the NATO framework against the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. EUCOM used the Military Assistance Program to help its NATO partners build their military capabilities, including after 1955 the German Bundeswehr. In 1955, EUCOM established a Support Operations Command Europe, soon renamed Support Operations Task Force Europe (later became Special Operations, Europe) for special operations missions. EUCOM also assumed responsibility for command and control of American nuclear forces. In 1961, EUCOM began operating an airborne command post, Operation Silk Purse.
Civil war broke out in Lebanon in 1958 due to mounting religious and political conflicts (see "1958 Lebanon crisis"). EUCOM conducted a major contingency operation, Operation Blue Bat, in response to Lebanon's request to restore stability within the government.
In 1966, disagreements within NATO over involvement in the Vietnam War prompted France to demand the removal of all US and NATO headquarters and forces from French soil. The following year, SHAPE moved to Mons, Belgium, while Headquarters EUCOM moved to Patch Barracks
Patch Barracks
Patch Barracks is a well-known US military installation in Stuttgart-Vaihingen in Germany. It is named after Alexander M. Patch.Patch Barracks was renamed from the German Kurmärker Kaserne in 1952; it was originally built for use by the German Army Wehrmacht in 1936/37...
in Stuttgart, Germany. Headquarters Seventh Army moved to Heidelberg, where it merged with Headquarters United States Army, Europe. At Patch Barracks, EUCOM renovated the buildings, built a new operations center, modernized communications infrastructure and improved the airfield.
EUCOM continued to prepare for the defense of Europe and began a series of annual REFORGER (Return of Forces to Europe) exercises in 1967. Cold War crises continued, including the 1968 Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
invasion of Czechoslovakia
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. But, because of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the number of the American forces in Europe slowly declined. Troop strength in Europe fell to 265,000 by 1970.
During the 1970s, force protection concerns in Europe increased as terrorist groups, such as the Red Army Faction
Red Army Faction
The radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
and the Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
, targeted American facilities and personnel with bombings, kidnapping and assassinations. Palestinian terrorist organizations conducted terror operations in Europe, such as the kidnapping of Israeli athletes
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
during the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich.
EUCOM and its components continued to provide military assistance throughout Europe, as well as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, noncombatant evacuation, support to peacekeeping operations, and other non-traditional missions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. For example, after the Congo
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
became independent in 1960, EUCOM joined in several multinational operations in that country, including peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, and noncombatant evacuation in 1960, 1964, 1967 and again in 1978. In the Middle East, EUCOM provided military assistance to Israel as well as noncombatant evacuation of American citizens in 1967, 1973, and 1982–1984.
In the late 1970s, the Soviet Union deployed SS-20 intermediate-range ballistic missiles into Eastern Europe and in 1979 invaded Afghanistan. NATO responded with a "two-track" decision to step up negotiations while deploying American intermediate-range Pershing II missiles and ground-launched cruise missiles to counter Soviet actions.
The Goldwater-Nichols Act
Goldwater-Nichols Act
The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 , , made the most sweeping changes to the United States Department of Defense since the department was established in the National Security Act of 1947 by reworking the command structure of the United States military...
of 1986, together with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
, Gen. Colin L. Powell, who served from 1989 to 1993, further strengthened the role of combatant commanders. Goldwater-Nichols also established United States Special Operations Command, which led to the activation of a new sub-unified command, Special Operations Command, Europe.
During the 1980s, negotiations continued with the Soviet Union on strategic and theater-level arms limitation. In 1987, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty called an end to the deployment of SS-20s, Pershing IIs and GLCMs. In 1990, NATO and Warsaw Pact members signed a treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE).
In 1989, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and other Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe collapsed and the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
came to an end. The citizens of a reunified Berlin tore down the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
on 6 November 1989. As a sign of reduced tensions, in 1991 EUCOM took its airborne command post off alert. Meanwhile in 1991, EUCOM and its components provided forces to CENTCOM
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
for Operation Desert Storm.
EUCOM supports programs in former Soviet Bloc countries such as the Joint Contract Team Program, NATO Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
and the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program
State Partnership Program
The National Guard State Partnership Program was established in 1993 in response to the radically changed political-military situation following the collapse of Communism and the disintegration of the Soviet Union....
. It was also active in operations in the Balkans, including Bosnia, Macedonia and Kosovo. During this time, EUCOM's assigned forces were lowered below 120,000.
Since 1990, EUCOM has hosted or co-hosted the annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference, the only one of its kind in the world, working to foster cooperation among religious leaders and understanding of religion as both a force for war and a force for peace.
Immediately after the terrorist attacks against New York and Washington, D.C., on 11 September 2001, NATO invoked Article V of the treaty and deployed NATO early warning aircraft to help monitor the skies over North America. EUCOM provided major forces for subsequent operations in Afghanistan and stepped up its efforts to protect United States interests in Europe and Africa. Subsequent terrorist attacks in the EUCOM theater in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Madrid, London and Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
prompted EUCOM to launch Operation Enduring Freedom Trans-Sahara in 2007 while continuing to provide rotational forces to Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2003, the headquarters reorganized to establish the EUCOM Plans and Operations Center (EPOC). From 2006 to 2008, EUCOM helped stand-up a new geographic unified combatant command, United States Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
(AFRICOM), which took over responsibility for Department of Defense activities in Africa on 1 October 2008.
Timeline
1 August 1952: U.S. European Command headquarters is established in Frankfurt, Germany.1953: Over 400,000 US troops stationed in Europe.
1954: U.S. European Command headquarters moves to Camp des Loges, France.
1967: U.S. European Command headquarters moves to Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany.
1970: 265,000 US troops stationed in Europe.
1980: 350,000 US troops stationed in Europe.
1983: U.S. Central Command is established and takes over responsibility for DoD activities in the Middle East from EUCOM.
1999: US troops stationed in Europe fall below 120,000.
7 December 2006: Army General Bantz J. Craddock becomes EUCOM's 14th Commander.
1 October 2008: U.S. Africa Command is established and takes over responsibility for DoD activities in Africa from EUCOM.
30 June 2009: Navy Admiral James G. Stavridis becomes EUCOM's 15th Commander and the first Navy Admiral to lead the HQ.
Operations
The following list details all operations in which EUCOM has been involved since its inception.1950s
- Lebanon Crisis 1958 – USEUCOM transported 2,000 troops and more than 4.5 million tons of equipment to Lebanon.
1960s
- Congo Crisis 1960 – USEUCOM transported UN troops and cargo to the Congo.
- Cyprus Crisis 1964 – USEUCOM positioned ships near the island to conduct evacuation of non military personnel and deterrent operations if needed.
- Congo Crisis 1964 – USEUCOM transported Belgian paratroopers in a rescue operation in the Congo.
- Cyprus Crisis 1965 – Airlifted UN peacekeepers and equipment to Cyprus.
- Congo Crisis 1967 – Provided airlift support for supplies, Congolese troops, and refugees.
1970s
- Jordan Hostage Crisis 1970
- Operation Nickel Grass 1973 – Support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War.
- Operation Night Reach 1973 – Transported UN peacekeepers to Middle East at end of Yom Kippur War.
- Cyprus Crisis 1974
- Operation Nimrod Spar 1974/1975 – Cleared the Suez Canal.
- Airlift 1978 – Airlifted multinational forces to Zaire to counter invasion by Angola.
1980s
- Iranian Hostage Crisis 1981 – Release of 52 hostages held for 444 days.
- Hostage Crisis 1982 – Italy – Release of Brigadier General James L. Dozier.
- Operation Arid Farmer 1983 – Supported in the Crisis in Chad.
- Beirut Bombing 1983 – USEUCOM coordinated evacuation and treatment of wounded Marines and identified and returned to CONUS the remains of 241 Marines killed.
- Beirut Air Bridge 1984–1998 – Provided administrative and logistical support the US Embassy in Beirut.
- Operation Eldorado Canyon 1986 – USAF and USN air strikes on Libya in retaliation for terrorist bombing of La Belle Disco in West Berlin.
1990s
- Operation Steel Box/Golden Python 1990 – Supported withdrawal of chemical munitions from Germany and coordination of delivery/transport to Johnson Atoll.
- Hostage Situation 1990–1992 – Hostage release support for Americans kidnapped and held in the Middle East.
- Desert Storm and Proven Force 1991 – War to remove Iraq from Kuwait.
- Provide Comfort II 1991 – Kurdish security zone in northern Iraq.
- Operation Restore Hope 1992–1994 – Assisted in US Somalian security efforts.
- Operation Deny Flight 1993–1995 – Support to UN/NATO enforcement of no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
- Operation Sharp Guard 1993–1996
- Operation Able Sentry/Sabre 1993–1999 – Task force attached to UN Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia to monitor border activity.
- Operation Vigilant Warrior 1994 – Response to Iraqi buildup along Kuwait border.
- Operation United Shield 1995 – Support of US withdrawal from Somalia.
- Operation Quick Lift 1995 – Support of NATO Rapid Reaction Force and Croatia forces deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
- Operation Nomad Vigil 1995 – deployment to Albania in support of Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
- Operation Deliberate Force 1995 – NATO air strikes on Bosnian Serb military forces.
- Operation Desert Strike 1996 – Missile Strikes on Iraq.
- Operation Northern Watch 1997–present – Enforcement of No Fly Zone over northern Iraq.
- Operation Assured Lift 1997 – In support of Liberian cease-fire monitoring.
- Operation High Flight 1997 – Search and Rescue effort at Windhoek, Namibia.
- Operations Phoenix Scorpion I & II 1997–1998 – support to UN weapons inspectors in Iraq.
- Operation Auburn Endeavor 1998 – relocation of uranium fuel from Tbilisi, Georgia.
- Operation Determined Falcon 1998 – Show of Force over Albania near Kosovo.
- Operation Calm Support 1998–1999 – Support to KDOM mission to Kosovo.
- Operation Resolute Response 1998 – Support to US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Operation Flexible Anvil/Sky Anvil 1998 – Planning for Balkan/Kosovo operations.
- Operation Eagle Eye 1998–1999 – Monitoring compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199, adopted on September 23, 1998, after recalling Resolution 1160 , the Council demanded that the Albanian and Yugoslav parties in Kosovo end hostilities and observe a ceasefire....
in Kosovo. - Operation Desert Fox 1998 – Air Strikes on Iraq.
- Operation Allied Forces JTF Noble Anvil 1999 – Air war over Serbia to withdraw forces from Kosovo.
2000s
- Operation Essential Harvest 2001 – Successful NATO program to disarm NLA in Macedonia.
- Operation Enduring Freedom 2001–present – USEUCOM theater planning and execution of the Global War on Terrorism.
- Operation Avid Recovery 2002 – Explosive Ordance Disposal support to Nigeria.
Composition
The main service component commands of EUCOM are the U.S. Seventh Army, U.S. Sixth Fleet and Third Air ForceThird Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
.
The Seventh Army
United States Army Europe
United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army and the land component of United States European Command. It is the largest American formation in Europe.-Invasion of Sicily:...
is based in Germany. It controls one corps, parenting four combat and one aviation brigade. Previously it had two divisions, although for almost all of the Cold War it controlled two corps of two divisions each.
The Sixth Fleet provides ships to NATO Joint Force Command Naples
Joint Force Command Naples
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
' Operation Active Endeavour
Operation Active Endeavour
Operation Active Endeavour is a maritime operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It operates in the Mediterranean Sea and is designed to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction. It has also collateral benefits in enhanced security of shipping in general...
, deterring threats to shipping in the Straits of Gibraltar and the remainder of the Mediterranean. Joint Task Force Aztec Silence
Joint Task Force Aztec Silence
Joint Task Force Aztec Silence is a United States Department of Defense task forceconducting anti-terrorism operations. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on 1 March 2005, then-United States European Command commander General James L. Jones said:The 'assets' at Sigonella are a...
, a special operations force established under the command of Commander, Sixth Fleet, has been involved in fighting Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara
Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara
Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara is the name of the military operation conducted by the United States and partner nations in the Sahara/Sahel region of Africa, consisting of counterterrorism efforts and policing of arms and drug trafficking across central Africa...
. It also has a growing role around the shores of West and East Africa, under the direction of United States Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
. It previously had a significant Mediterranean presence function against the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
's Fifth Squadron (Mediterranean Squadron), and for most of the Cold War was the most powerful maritime striking force along NATO's southern flank.
The HQ Air Command Europe
HQ Air Command Europe
HQ Air Command Europe was created to replace the Third and Sixteenth Numbered Air Forces as headquarters for United States Air Forces in Europe wings. Third Air Force inactivated and Sixteenth Air Force assumed the new role as the Warfighting Headquarters for USAFE...
, the Wing-support command, and the Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, USAFE's Warfighting Headquarters, both based at Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
in Germany form U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE). They are now much reduced from their high Cold War strength and provide a pool of airpower closer to many trouble spots than aircraft flying from the United States.
A subordinate unified command of EUCOM is SOCEUR (Special Operations Command Europe), headquartered at Patch Barracks
Patch Barracks
Patch Barracks is a well-known US military installation in Stuttgart-Vaihingen in Germany. It is named after Alexander M. Patch.Patch Barracks was renamed from the German Kurmärker Kaserne in 1952; it was originally built for use by the German Army Wehrmacht in 1936/37...
in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany. The commander of SOCEUR is Major General Michael S. Repass. Special forces units within the AOR include the 352nd Special Operations Group of the USAF, based at RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
in the UK, a U.S. Navy SEALs unit, and Naval Special Warfare Unit 2 and 1st BN, 10th Special Forces Group
10th Special Forces Group (United States)
The 10th Special Forces Group is an Active Duty United States Army Special Forces group. The 10th Special Forces Group is responsible for operations within the EUCOM area of responsibility, as part of the Special Operations Command, Europe , as well as parts of Africa and the Middle East.10th SFG...
located in Germany.
EUCOM is also headquartered at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
-Vaihingen
Vaihingen
Vaihingen an der Enz is located on the western periphery of the middle Neckar region, between Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, in southern Germany. Vaihingen is situated on the river Enz, and has a population of around 30,000. The city is within the administrative region of Stuttgart, and in the district...
, Germany. The Iceland Defense Force
Iceland Defense Force
The Iceland Defense Force was a military command of the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006. The IDF, created at the request of NATO, came into existence when the United States signed an agreement to provide for the defense of Iceland, which does not, and did not, have its own unified...
also formed part of EUCOM from 2002 to 2006, when it was transferred from Joint Forces Command
United States Joint Forces Command
United States Joint Forces Command was a former Unified Combatant Command of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno...
in the October 2002 Unified Command Plan change.
The Kaiserslautern Military Community
Kaiserslautern Military Community
Kaiserslautern military community is a community of Americans living in and around Kaiserslautern, Germany supporting United States armed forces and NATO installations, such as the Ramstein Air Base, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Kapaun Air Station, Vogelweh Housing Area, Pulaski Barracks,...
is the largest U.S. community outside of the U.S., while the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is an overseas military hospital operated by the United States Army and the Department of Defense. LRMC is the largest military hospital outside of the continental United States. It is located near Landstuhl, Germany, and serves as the nearest treatment center...
is the largest U.S. military hospital overseas, treating wounded Soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Service components
- United States Army EuropeUnited States Army EuropeUnited States Army Europe and Seventh Army, is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army and the land component of United States European Command. It is the largest American formation in Europe.-Invasion of Sicily:...
(USAEUR) (formerly the Seventh Army) (HeidelbergHeidelberg-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany):- V Corps (Fifth Corps) ("Victory Corps")
- 173rd Airborne Brigade
- 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment
- Army Flight Operations Detachment
- 1st Personnel Command
- 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command (GrafenwöhrGrafenwöhrGrafenwöhr is a town in the district Neustadt , in the region of the Upper Palatinate in eastern Bavaria, Germany. It is widely known for the United States Army military installation and training area, called Grafenwöhr Training Area, located directly south and west of the town.- Early History:The...
, Germany) - 7th Civil Support Command
- 21st Theater Sustainment Command21st Theater Sustainment CommandThe 21st Theater Sustainment Command provides theater sustainment throughout EUCOM and AFRICOM Areas of Responsibility in support of USAREUR and 7th Army. On order, deploys to support theater opening, distribution, and Reception, Staging, Onward Movement & enable Integration functions...
- 266th Finance Command
- 7th Army Soldiers Chorus
- 33rd Army Band
- United States Naval Forces EuropeUnited States Naval Forces EuropeUnited States Naval Forces Europe is the United States Navy component of the United States European Command and provides forces for United States African Command....
(NAVEUR) (Naples, Italy):- United States Sixth Fleet (Naples, Italy)
- Navy Region Europe (Naples, Italy)
- United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
(USAFE) (Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air BaseRamstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, Germany):- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
(Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air BaseRamstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, Germany)
- Third Air Force
- United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe (MARFOREUR) (StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany)
Subordinate unified commands
- United States Special Operations Command, Europe (Stuttgart, Germany)
Additional supporting units
- George C. Marshall European Center for Security StudiesGeorge C. Marshall European Center for Security StudiesThe George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies is a unique U.S. Department of Defense and German Defense Ministry security and defense studies institute...
(Garmisch, Germany) - Joint Analysis CenterJoint Analysis CenterThe Joint Analysis Center is a Joint Intelligence Center serving as a focal point of military intelligence for the United States European Command located at RAF Molesworth, Huntingdonshire, UK. The area of responsibility includes 77 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.-External links:*...
(RAF MolesworthRAF MolesworthRAF Molesworth is a Royal Air Force station located near Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom with a history dating back to 1917.Its runway and flight line facilities were closed in 1973 and demolished to support ground-launched cruise missile operations in the early 1980s...
, HuntingdonshireHuntingdonshireHuntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
, UK)
Commanders-in-chief / commanders
Previously, this position held the title "Commander-in-ChiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
(CINC), United States European Command". However, following an order dated 24 October 2002 by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, all CINCs in the United States military were retitled "Commanders" and the use of "CINC" as an acronym was forbidden.
| Name | Photo | Branch | Term began | Term ended | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | General Matthew Ridgway Matthew Ridgway Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side... |
 |
U.S. Army | 30 May 1952 | 11 July 1953 |
| 2. | General Alfred Gruenther Alfred Gruenther Alfred Maximilian Gruenther was the youngest World War II Major General and after the war, as a four-star General, served as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe from 1953 to 1956.-Biography:... |
 |
U.S. Army | 1 July 1953 | 20 November 1956 |
| 3. | General Lauris Norstad Lauris Norstad Lauris Norstad was an American General in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force.-Early life and military career:... |
 |
U.S. Air Force | 20 November 1956 | 1 January 1963 |
| 4. | General Lyman Lemnitzer Lyman Lemnitzer Lyman Louis Lemnitzer was a United States Army General, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1960 to 1962. He then served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO from 1963 to 1969.-Biography:... |
 |
U.S. Army | 1 January 1963 | 1 July 1969 |
| 5. | General Andrew Goodpaster Andrew Goodpaster Andrew Jackson Goodpaster was an American Army General. He served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe from July 1, 1969 and Commander in Chief of the United States European Command from May 5, 1969 until his retirement December 17, 1974... |
 |
U.S. Army | 1 July 1969 | 15 December 1974 |
| 6. | General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. |  |
U.S. Army | 15 December 1974 | 1 July 1979 |
| 7. | General Bernard W. Rogers Bernard W. Rogers Bernard William Rogers was an American general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and later as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander in Chief, United States European Command.... |
 |
U.S. Army | 1 July 1979 | 26 June 1987 |
| 8. | General John Galvin |  |
U.S. Army | 26 June 1987 | 23 June 1992 |
| 9. | General John Shalikashvili |  |
U.S. Army | 23 June 1992 | 22 October 1993 |
| 10. | General George Joulwan George Joulwan George Alfred Joulwan is a retired United States Army general, and is now a businessman. Joulwan, of Lebanese origin, studied at the United States Military Academy and Loyola University Chicago.... |
 |
U.S. Army | 22 October 1993 | 11 July 1997 |
| 11. | General Wesley Clark Wesley Clark Wesley Kanne Clark, Sr., is a retired general of the United States Army. Graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at West Point, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and later graduated from the... |
U.S. Army | 11 July 1997 | 3 May 2000 | |
| 12. | General Joseph Ralston Joseph Ralston Joseph W. Ralston is currently the United States Special Envoy for Countering the Kurdistan Workers Party and holds senior positions in various defense related corporations. He was the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.-Military career:Ralston has served in the military since 1965... |
 |
U.S. Air Force | 3 May 2000 | 17 January 2003 |
| 13. | General James L. Jones James L. Jones James Logan Jones, Jr. is the former United States National Security Advisor and a retired United States Marine Corps General.... |
 |
U.S. Marine Corps | 17 January 2003 | 7 December 2006 |
| 14. | General Bantz J. Craddock Bantz J. Craddock Bantz John Craddock is a retired United States Army four-star general. His last military assignment was as Commander, U.S. European Command and the NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe as well as the commanding officer of Allied Command Operations from December 2006 to June 30, 2009. He also... |
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U.S. Army | 7 December 2006 | 30 June 2009 |
| 15. | Admiral James G. Stavridis James G. Stavridis James G. Stavridis is a United States Navy admiral who serves as the current Commander, U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe . The first Navy officer to hold these positions, he assumed command in early summer 2009. He previously served as Commander, U.S... |
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U.S. Navy | 30 June 2009 | Incumbent |