32nd AADCOM

The 32nd Army Air Defense Command (32nd AADCOM) was a key U.S. Army air defense unit in Europe during the Cold War. Activated in 1966, it was headquartered in Darmstadt, West Germany, and was responsible for commanding and controlling all U.S. Army air defense forces in the European theater, including Nike Hercules and later Patriot missile systems. The unit played a vital role in NATO's integrated air defense network, protecting allied forces and critical infrastructure from potential Soviet air attacks. The 32nd AADCOM was inactivated in 1991 following the end of the Cold War and restructuring of U.S. forces in Europe.