Eighth Fleet, which supported combined efforts in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), starting with the invasion of Sicily in 1943 and lasting through the end of the war.īy the end of 1945, the chief function of the U.S. The contributions of COMNAVEUR and the Twelfth Fleet were instrumental to victory in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). Kirk's task force was responsible for landing troops on D-Day and providing fire support during the Normandy Campaign. American Generals George Patton and Omar Bradley also worked in the headquarters building prior to the June 1944 invasion of France, and much of the planning and preparations for the cross-channel invasion of Normandy originated from commands co-located in the building.Īmong these commands was Task force 122, headed by Rear Admiral Alan Kirk, a former Naval Attaché to the British government. That operation’s success was largely credited to the constant stream of hydrographic and weather intelligence the Allied Forces received from commands working at the COMNAVEUR headquarters in London. In November 1942, the western Allies launched their first major combined effort during the invasion of North Africa. Following his appointment as COMNAVEUR, Admiral Stark was also given an additional responsibility as Commander, Twelfth Fleet, which operated naval forces in western European waters. After he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces in June 1942, General Eisenhower maintained his headquarters at 20 Grosvenor Square alongside Admiral Stark. The command also assisted in the planning and preparation of the invasions of North Africa and France. Numerous liaison channels were opened with the British Government and with Allied governments in exile. Naval Forces in Europe.īuilding on precedent set during World War I, the title and staff of Commander, Naval Forces, Europe (COMNAVEUR) was established to maintain American naval bases in the United Kingdom and to report intelligence and research data being provided by Allied intelligence organizations. 20 Grosvenor Square in London, England, and was marking the beginning of his leadership of U.S. On that occasion, Admiral Stark had just moved into his new headquarters at No. Stark used those words to describe his new mission to Army General Dwight Eisenhower on 1 April 1942. “The only real reason for the existence of my office is to assist the United States fighting in Europe.” Navy Admiral Harold R.
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