United States European Command
United States European Command (EUCOM) is a geographically-oriented Unified Combatant Command(UCC). Its responsibilities include Europe, and the countries of North Africa and Middle East that are on the coast of the Mediterranean Se. United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is a sub-regional command of EUCOM.
A major part of NATO, European Command plans for regional contingencies, and when ordered, employs military forces within the region, either as a Standing Joint Force Headquarters, or through specialized Joint Task Forces.
EUCOM is the only regional combatant command with a headquarters forward deployed outside the United States.
History
EUCOM is a direct descendant of the World War II command, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) The administration and supply of U.S. forces in SHAEF were the responsibilities of the "European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army--Communications Zone (ETOUSA-COMZ)." General Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded both SHAPE and ETOUSA-COMZ.
Two weeks after the redesignation of ETOUSA-COMZ as "U.S. Forces, European Theater (USFET)" on 1 July 1945, SHAEF was inactivated (14 July 1945). USFET, however, never truly unified. The Army component staff duplicated the EUCOM staff.
The Berlin blockade=
The currency reform in the Western Zones of occupied Germany and the Western Sectors of Berlin, which took place on 20 June 1948, alarmed the Soviets and catalyzed the blockade of "West Berlin." The Berlin Blockade in turn inspired "Operation VITTLES," more commonly known as the Berlin Airlift (26 June 1948 -30 September 1949). The airlift clearly demonstrated the value of unified execution of operations. General Lucius D. Clay, the Military Governor (U.S.) and Commander-in-Chief, European Command observed in April 1949 that: "Among our Armed Forces, the Airlift has become a symbol of unity, with the Air Force, Army and Navy all cooperating to the limit to fulfill the highest expression of American will--Freedom."
These combined events led to the formation of NATO.
NATO and SACEUR
The Soviet blockade of the three western sectors of Berlin also catalyzed the signing of the treaty that established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on 4 April 1949 (effective date 24 August 1949).
On 19 December 1950, General Eisenhower became the first Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). He subsequently activated the Allied Command Europe (ACE) and established his headquarters at Roquencourt (Paris) on 2 April 1951.