United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe
United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe | |
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General Carl Spaatz |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Usstaf-area-map.jpg/220px-Usstaf-area-map.jpg)
The United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF)[1] was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It became the overall command and control authority of the United States Army Air Forces in the European theater of World War II.
USSTAF had started as the Eighth Air Force, a complementary command to that of the smaller
With the in-depth Allied contacts and overall responsibility directly affecting the strategic bombing of industrial regions of Germany the Eighth's planning and intelligence staffs were the natural best choice to assert overall coordinated control with the
The USSTAF was established with the redesignation of the former VIII Bomber Command as the
Beginning in March 1944, Air Service Command, USSTAF progressively took over all base service functions.
There is some difference of opinion about the USSTAF insignia/emblem. Most sources state the letters stand for United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe. However, there is evidence indicating – at least initially – it was United States Strategic & Tactical Air Forces.[4]
Formation of USAFE
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Usafe-patch-1946.jpg/100px-Usafe-patch-1946.jpg)
Shortly after
Lineage
- Established as 8th Air Force on 19 January 1942
- Activated on 28 January 1942.
- Redesignated: Eighth Air Force on 18 September 1942
- Redesignated: United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe on 22 February 1944
Assignments (not complete)
- Air Force Combat Command, 28 January 1942
- Attached to 1st Air Force for training
Stations
- Savannah AAB, Georgia, 28 January – c. 20 May 1942
- Boston Port of Embarkation, 25–27 May 1942
- London, United Kingdom, 18 June 1942
- Camp Griffiss, Bushy Park, London, United Kingdom, 25 June 1942
- Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, 26 September 1944
Components (not exhaustive)
Commands
- Air Disarmament (Provisional): 15 September 1944 – 1 February 1945[5]
- Eastern, USSTAF: 20 August 1944 – 2 August 1945 (Operation Frantic bombing missions via Soviet-held territory)
- VIII Bomber (later, Eighth Air Force): 1 February 1942 – 16 July 1945
- VIII Ground Air Support (later, VIII Air Support): 28 August 1942 – 1 December 1943
- VIII Troop Carrier: c. July 1942-16 October 1943 (detached entire period)
- Air Service Command, United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (Major General Hugh J. Knerr)
Task Forces
- VIII Strategic (later, VIII Air Force Service Command), 9 November 1943 – 20 July 1945
- Eighth Strategic (Provisional) (later, VIII Air Force Service Command): 9 November 1943 – 20 July 1945
- Air Depot Areas: Advanced: 18 October 1943 – 1 March 1945
Divisions, Depots
- 1st Bombardment Division: 13 September 1942 – 22 February 1944
- 1st Fighter Division (Provisional): c. June 1943-13 November 1943
- 2d Bombardment Division: 13 September 1943 – 22 February 1944
- 402d Air Depot, activated 15 April 1943; redesignated 402d Base Air Depot, 17 July 1944; inactivated 24 November 1945.
See also
- Strategic bombing during World War II
- Far East Air Forces
References
- ^ Also known as United States Army Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USASTAF)
- ^ "Baverstock | American Air Museum in Britain".
- ^ HyperWar, Chapter 5: The Ninth Air Force, accessed February 2021.
- ^ Flight article. UK, April 1944; Armed Forces Insignia/Freedom’s War. Graphic on card, US Army photo. USA, 1944; Il Bombardemento Strategico. E. Bonaiti. Italy, circ.2006; Air Support in the Invasion. Air intelligence summary, w/e 18 June 1944. (Quoted in Trident Scholar report. US Naval Academy, Annapolis, 1994.)
- ^ See Frederick A. Johnsen, Captured Eagles: Secrets of the Luftwaffe, 71.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Office of Air Force History (1983) [1961]. Maurer, Maurer (ed.). Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Print. Off. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
- Cees Steijger (1991), A History of USAFE, Voyageur, ISBN 1-85310-075-7