Chièvres Air Base December 31, 1967 the Belgian authorities officially turned over Chièvres Airbase to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The Americans established the NATO/SHAPE Support Group (US) in 1968 at Caserne Daumerie adjacent to the air base and just east of the town of Chièvres to operate the base and provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. This small unit was part of Theater Army Support Command (TASCOM), which was part of U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). The NATO/SHAPE Support Group was later renamed 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group). The Airbase did serve as rehearsal and arrival point of
CENTAG wartime structure in 1989 command of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), which would employ the three corps' of First Army as needed. Three armored divisions of the First Army were based within Germany and held yearly maneuvers with their allies to train for the moment French units would be committed to CENTAG (see also: Structure of the French Army in 1989). The complete wartime structure of CENTAG in the fall of 1989 at the end of the Cold War follows below: The 56th Field Artillery Command was organized to always report directly to the highest commander in Europe at the time. Therefore, during