United States Naval Forces Germany (NAVFORGER) was a command of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, active from 1944 to 1958.Bestand der Dienststelle
/ref> It also had the designation Task Force 104 (TF-104).
/ref> NAVFORGER was responsible for all US naval activities in Germany. Its first commander was Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley (1944–45). After the formation of the command, it was first necessary to take under U.S. control the German warships assigned to the U.S. as

war prize A prize of war is a piece of enemy property or land seized by a belligerent party during or after a war or battle, typically at sea. This term was used nearly exclusively in terms of captured ships during the 18th and 19th centuries. Basis in inte ...

s (for example, the heavy cruiser ''Prinz Eugen''). To this end, in Bremerhaven, a

Naval Service Unit A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It inclu ...

(MDG) was established. After the initial, purely administrative order, the settlement of the German

Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with th ...

and the merchant navy was in cooperation with the other allies, finished, the command was greatly reduced. It was intended to completely dissolve the command in 1948. However, the American military governor General

Lucius D. Clay General Lucius Dubignon Clay (April 23, 1898 – April 16, 1978) was a senior officer of the United States Army who was known for his administration of occupied Germany after World War II. He served as the deputy to General of the Army Dwight ...

and since July 1948 COMNAVFORGER Rear Admiral Wilkes convinced the leadership in Washington to leave some naval forces in Germany. The now allotted backup and reconnaissance tasks were to deal with three main elements: the Naval Advanced Base Bremerhaven, the

Rhine River Patrol ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , sour ...

and the Intelligence Unit stationed in Berlin. The tasks also included the supervision and management of commercial shipping on the inland waters of the United States Zone.

Commanders

*Vice admiral Robert L. Ghormley (December 1944 – August 1945) *Vice admiral

William A. Glassford William Alexander Glassford (6 June 1886 – 30 July 1958) was a United States Naval officer with the rank of vice admiral, who is most noted for his service during World War II. Early Naval Career William Alexander Glassford was born on 6 June ...

(August 1945 - February 1946) *Rear admiral

Roscoe E. Schuirmann Roscoe, also spelled Rosco or Roscow, may refer to: People * Roscoe (name) Places United States *Roscoe, California (disambiguation) *Roscoe Township (disambiguation) *Roscoe, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Roscoe, Illinois, a village * ...

(June, 1946 - August 1948) *Rear admiral

John E. Wilkes John E. Wilkes (May 26, 1895 – July 20, 1957) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy, who served in World War I and World War II. In December 1941 he was appointed Commander of Submarines, Asiatic Fleet. In 1944 Wilkes was commander of all ...

(August 1948 – April 1951) *Rear admiral

Carl F. Holden Carl Frederick Holden (May 25, 1895May 18, 1953) was a decorated officer in the United States Navy who reached the rank of Vice Admiral. A veteran of both World Wars, he became an expert in Naval communications, graduating with Master's degree ...

(April 1951 – June 1952) *Rear admiral

Howard E. Orem Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also proba ...

(June 1952 - March 1954) *Rear admiral

Bertram J. Rodgers Bertram Joseph Rodgers (March 18, 1894 – November 30, 1983) was a highly decorated Vice Admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He received his Navy Cross as a Captain of USS ''Salt Lake City'' in the battle of the Komando ...

(March 1954 – November 1955)

References

{{Authority control Commands of the United States Navy Military units and formations established in 1944 Military units and formations disestablished in 1958 United States military in Germany