Mouwembleem USAFE in Europe (Sleeve patch USAFE in Europe)

Shortly after VE-Day, the United States Army and Army Air Forces began to demobilze in Europe. In May 1945, USSTAF consisted of about 17,000 aircraft and about 500,000 personnel. In Europe the aim was to maintain a small USAAF organization, exclusively for communication and transport purposes. On 7 August 1945, the United States Strategic and Tactical Air Forces (USSTAF) was redesignated as the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and headquarters USAFE was relocated to Wiesbaden, Germany, on 28 September 1945.

USAFE was planned to be a small organization in Europe, exclusively for communication and transport purposes. By the end of 1946, the American Air Force in Europe was reduced drastically, to around 75,000 personnel and less than 2,000 aircraft.