page_title: Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
section_title: Initial command structure
hierarchical_section_title: Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe / History / Initial command structure
caption_attribution_description: 1952 organizational chart of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Allied Command, Europe.
context_page_description: Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Allied Command Operations. Since 1967 it has been located in Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons, but it had previously been located, from 1953, at Rocquencourt, next to Versailles, France. From 1951 to 2003, SHAPE was the headquarters of Allied Command Europe. Since 2003 it has been the headquarters of Allied Command Operations, controlling all NATO operations worldwide.
  SHAPE retained its traditional name with reference to Europe for legal reasons although the geographical scope of its activities was extended in 2003. At that time, NATO's command in Lisbon, historically part of Allied Command Atlantic, was reassigned to ACO. The commander of Allied Command Operations has also retained the title "Supreme Allied Commander Europe", and continues to be a U.S. four-star general officer or flag officer who also serves as Commander, U.S. European Command.
context_section_description: On April 2, 1951, General Eisenhower signed the activation order for Allied Command Europe and its headquarters at SHAPE. Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) was activated in Fontainebleau, France in 1953. On the same day, ACE's subordinate headquarters in Northern and Central Europe were activated, with the Southern Region following in June.
  By 1954 ACE's forces consisted of Allied Forces Northern Europe, at Oslo, Allied Forces Central Europe (Fontainebleau), Allied Forces Southern Europe (Paris/Naples) and Allied Forces Mediterranean at Malta.
  The commanders and commands in 1957 were:
  Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) – General Lauris Norstad, United States Air Force
  Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) – Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, British Army
  Chief of Staff (COFS) – General Courtlandt Van R. Schuyler, United States Army
  Allied Forces Northern Europe (AFNORTH) – Lieutenant General Sir Cecil Sugden, British Army
  Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) – Général d'Armée Jean-Étienne Valluy, French Army
  Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE) – Air Chief Marshal Sir George Mills, Royal Air Force
  Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) – General Sir Richard Gale, British Army
  Central Army Group (CENTAG) – General Henry I. Hodes, United States Army
  Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) – Admiral R.P.M. Bristol, United States Navy
  Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (STRIKFORSOUTH) – Vice Admiral Charles R. Brown, United States Navy
  Allied Forces Mediterranean (AFMED) – Admiral Sir Ralph Edwards, Royal Navy
caption: Organisation of ACE in 1952.
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