56th Artillery Command re-activates as Theater Fires Command in Wiesbaden

WIESBADEN, Germany – U.S. Army Europe and Africa re-activated the 56th Artillery Command as the Theater Fires Command Nov. 8 on Allen Field at Clay Kaserne. It will be headquartered with the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force on Mainz-Kastel.

The colors of the 56th were uncased and the 56th Artillery Command’s Command Sgt. Maj. Darrell Walls handed the colors to Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, who in turn handed them to Maj. Gen. Stephen J. Maranian, commanding general of the 56th Artillery Command, who accepted his command of the unit.

In his remarks, Cavoli said that the re-activation marks another milestone for the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Europe and Africa and is crucial in planning and coordinating the employment of multi-domain fires and effects.

Maranian thanked the 56th Artillery Command’s staff for their work during the past two years getting ready for their move to Wiesbaden, while performing exercises and thanked the Installation Management Command Europe and Wiesbaden garrison for the support provided during the command’s move here.

Prior to the ceremony, Maranian said, “The reactivation of the 56th Artillery Command will provide USAREUR-AF with significant capabilities in multi-domain operations.”

Maranian also said, “It will further enable the synchronization of joint and multinational fires and effects, and employment of future long range surface to surface fires across the USAREUR-AF area of responsibility.”

The 56th Artillery Command will plan and coordinate the employment of multi-domain fires and effects in support of U.S. Army Europe and Africa and/or a combined joint force land component command. The Theater Fires Command improves readiness and multinational interoperability by the integration of joint and multi-national fires in theater operations and exercises.

The 56th Artillery Command was initially activated as the 56th Coastal Artillery Brigade in September 1942 and saw combat during World War II in Belgium, Northern France, Central Europe and Rhineland.

It went through inactivations and activations throughout the years and was formally inactivated in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War.