USSTAF? USAFE? Expert opinions needed!

[astra44]

My old man served in USAAF/USAF from 1943 thru 1969. When I was a kid he gave me a patch of his: USSTAF. My dad told me it stood for"United States Strategic and Tactical Air Force". Seemed right to me. But many years later, I read in all the books that it really is "United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe". Now, this never made much sense to me, and my dad insisted he was right. The reference books said: No.

 

I asked a couple of AF vets that had served on the same base as him in England during & after WW2. They agreed: "Strategic and Tactical" -- not "Europe". But still the books and experts said these guys were wrong. Someone suggested to me their memories must be playing tricks on them.

 

But I came across the attached article just the other day. It's from a British publication called "Flight" -- the April 27, 1944 issue. Article is about the base my Dad was at in England during the war. See what it says: "U.S.S.T.A.F --US Strategic & Tactical Air Force".

 

Also, I was led to believe that USAFE superseded USSTAF. But I have an airman's (khaki) Ike jacket from the Berlin Airlift dated 1948 -- with an early USAFE patch (see picture). However, I also have a picture of my dad still wearing a USSTAF patch in 1951 on his USAF blues!

 

If USAFE "took over" from USSTAF, how come my old man is still wearing USSTAF insignia in 1951?

 

So, who is right?

My old man and the guys he served with (and the magazine printed during the war)?

Or the reference books?

 

Did USSTAF "change" into USAFE? Or did they co-exist for some years?

[astra44]

[/b]British publication called "Flight" -- the April 27, 1944 issue.[/b]

[Wailuna]

...Also, I was led to believe that USAFE superseded USSTAF. But I have an airman's (khaki) Ike jacket from the Berlin Airlift dated 1948 -- with an early USAFE patch...However, I also have a picture of my dad still wearing a USSTAF patch in 1951 on his USAF blues! If USAFE "took over" from USSTAF, how come my old man is still wearing USSTAF insignia in 1951?

I don't have time tonight to plow through my references. However, here is the short answer to your question about the USSTAF SSI shown on your father's left sleeve. With the advent of Blue uniforms in 1950, the USAF authorized wear of former wartime SSI on the left sleeve only. Link here to see the Forum's long-running thread showing many examples of this practice (and please post some pictures of your father there so as to add to the commonwealth of knowledge on that thread.) Can't help with your "USSTAF" ID mystery.

[Teamski]

Mauer and Mauer has it as the US Strategic Air Forces in Europe. It was redesignated as USAFE in August, 1945. It does beg the question of why the "T" in the designation. That said, the unit was strictly strategic in nature, being in charge of the 8th and 15th Airforces.

 

The reason your dad is wearing the USSTAF patch was that it was the combat unit he was with in WWII. You will see other army unit patches worn as combat patches on the left shoulder of USAF uniforms from the early 1950's

 

-Ski

[Wailuna]

And then we have this evidently reliable sighting of the U.S. Strategic and Tactical Air Force on Guam in 1945:

 

Caption: U.S. STRATEGIC & TACTICAL AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS, GUAM

Courtesy of T/Sgt. Jack Braden, USAAF (link here).

[astra44]

I don't have time tonight to plow through my references. However, here is the short answer to your question about the USSTAF SSI shown on your father's left sleeve. With the advent of Blue uniforms in 1950, the USAF authorized wear of former wartime SSI on the left sleeve only. Link here to see the Forum's long-running thread showing many examples of this practice (and please post some pictures of your father there so as to add to the commonwealth of knowledge on that thread.) Can't help with your "USSTAF" ID mystery.

 

Thanks ! Man, you guys are quick!

[astra44]

Mauer and Mauer has it as the US Strategic Air Forces in Europe. It was redesignated as USAFE in August, 1945. It does beg the question of why the "T" in the designation. That said, the unit was strictly strategic in nature, being in charge of the 8th and 15th Airforces.

 

The reason your dad is wearing the USSTAF patch was that it was the combat unit he was with in WWII. You will see other army unit patches worn as combat patches on the left shoulder of USAF uniforms from the early 1950's

 

-Ski

 

Thanks Ski...what are you? A walking reference book?!

[Teamski]

Thanks Ski...what are you? A walking reference book?!

 

 

No. I am a walking man with a large reference library.

 

 

-Ski

[Teamski]

And then we have this evidently reliable sighting of the U.S. Strategic and Tactical Air Force on Guam in 1945:

 

Caption: U.S. STRATEGIC & TACTICAL AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS, GUAM

Courtesy of T/Sgt. Jack Braden, USAAF (link here).

 

 

Um... The sign says United States Army Strategic Air Force.... Not one "Tactical" to be seen.... (unless you were joking)

 

Are we sure it's in Guam?????

 

-Ski

[astra44]

This from USAAF vet Ralph Scott, now 91 years old, who served in the same outfit as my Dad during WW2 (although they didn't know each other), regarding USSTAF patch at the end of the war:

 

 

 

 

".....as everything was done back then, those involved were usually the last to know. I wore a patch like that while I was on duty in London for six months. Some of our guys had them as well, others didn't. I was also told that it stood for Strategic & Tactical but never saw anything official about it.... It was all paper shuffling by then at any rate. We all continued to do the same jobs, except the highest brass. I guess the 8th AF had grown so by big that they couldn't deal with the paperwork so they reassigned some generals........Ralph"

[astra44]

Berlin Arlift, and another picture of my Dad with his USSTAF patch on right shoulder. Note that all the other airmen are still wearing Army chevrons, my old man the exception with the new blue USAF ones.

(May 1949, during Airlift.

Airmens Club, Celle, West Germany)

 

By the way, I am SHOCKED to see U.S. servicemen drinking what I suspect is alcohol, and smoking tobacco.

Whatever next? Poker? Women?

[Wailuna]

...Um...The sign says United States Army Strategic Air Force.... Not one "Tactical" to be seen.... (unless you were joking)...Are we sure it's in Guam????

"Um..."?

 

The link provided works. Why don't you read the material there and tell us if you think T/Sgt. Braden is sure he was in Guam in 1945. The picture and caption were provided by him; maybe he was joking.

[Teamski]

"Um..."?

 

The link provided works. Why don't you read the material there and tell us if you think T/Sgt. Braden is sure he was in Guam in 1945. The picture and caption were provided by him; maybe he was joking.

 

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as sarcastic. I just can't wrap my head around the fact that the USSTAF patch would of been worn in the Pacific.

 

-Ski

[Teamski]

Berlin Arlift, and another picture of my Dad with his USSTAF patch on right shoulder. (May 1949, during Airlift.

Airmens Club, Celle, West Germany)

 

Which makes perfect sense. Your dad was wearing either the AAF patch or the USAFE patch on his left shoulder. The other photo of him as an (I believe at the time) Airman 1st Class, was most likely done when he returned to the states and switched the USSTAF patch over to the left shoulder as a combat patch.

 

-Ski

[astra44]

Which makes perfect sense. Your dad was wearing either the AAF patch or the USAFE patch on his left shoulder. The other photo of him as an (I believe at the time) Airman 1st Class, was most likely done when he returned to the states and switched the USSTAF patch over to the left shoulder as a combat patch.

 

-Ski

 

Ski, Thanks once again for your input.

All the best to you,

Mark "astra44"

L.A.

 

P.S. I posted that 1951 picture on a thread elsewhere, mistakenly saying it was in England. When I checked, I see that indeed it was taken back in the US, at El Paso, TX. One thing though, my dad was never directly in combat, per se. He was ground crew during the war in England, but in an active war zone, of course.

[Wailuna]

Okay, here are the references that answer your earlier questions:

 

1. "Overseas war service patch" worn on left sleeve: AF Regulation 35-14, November 15, 1950 (this new requirement was picked up in the May 1951 edition of The Airman's Handbook (p. 230)).

 

2. The Air Force title of rank "Sergeant" changed to "Airman First Class": AF Regulation 39-36, April 24, 1952, however, the uniform regulation, AFR 35-14B, was not changed to reflect new Airmen titles for the lower four grades until November 7, 1952.

 

So, in your dad's 1951 picture in El Paso, Texas (Biggs Air Force Base?) he would still have been a sergeant and the USSTAF patch on his left sleeve is consistent with 1951.

[astra44]

Okay, here are the references that answer your earlier questions:

 

1. "Overseas war service patch" worn on left sleeve: AF Regulation 35-14, November 15, 1950 (this new requirement was picked up in the May 1951 edition of The Airman's Handbook (p. 230)).

 

2. The Air Force title of rank "Sergeant" changed to "Airman First Class": AF Regulation 39-36, April 24, 1952, however, the uniform regulation, AFR 35-14B, was not changed to reflect new Airmen titles for the lower four grades until November 7, 1952.

 

So, in your dad's 1951 picture in El Paso, Texas (Biggs Air Force Base?) he would still have been a sergeant and the USSTAF patch on his left sleeve is consistent with 1951.

 

Thank you very much for the information. Appreciate you researching this.

[Wailuna]

Caption: U.S. STRATEGIC & TACTICAL AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS, GUAM

Courtesy of T/Sgt. Jack Braden, USAAF (link here).

 

Here's a picture of Sgt. Braden back home, immediately after he was discharged in February 1946. Note that he is wearing the USSTAF SSI. According to his bio his entire overseas service was spent in the Pacific theater.

 

[astra44]

That sure is strange they used that same patch in the Pacific....wouldn't have believed it without seeing the pic!

[Mark1]

In the Pacific the United States Army Strategic Air Force Pacific was activated 7/18/45 in Guam. In Europe the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe activated 2/22/44 and renamed United States Air Forces in Europe 8/7/45. do not know if the they used the same patch?

 

Mark

[Wailuna]

...In the Pacific the United States Army Strategic Air Force Pacific was activated 7/18/45 in Guam...

During July [1945], further steps were taken to revise and strengthen the preparations and forces for the final operation against Japan. On the 10th, the JCS ordered the China-based XX and XXI Bomber Commands deactivated. The personnel and planes of the former were transferred to Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle's Eighth Air Force, which had deployed from Europe to Okinawa. XXI Bomber Command squadrons were transferred to Lieutenant General Nathan F. Twining's Twentieth Air Force, which was based in the Marianas. The Eighth and Twentieth together would comprise the

United States Army Strategic Air Force in the Pacific

(USASTAF), commanded by General Carl A. Spaatz. Strategic control of USASTAF would remain with the JCS in the same manner as it had controlled Twentieth Air Force, and similarly General Arnold would be its executive agent.

(source:

Victory and Occupation, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Chapter III-2, The Closing Days

.)

[juvatwad]

I also always thought it was :

 

USSTrategic AF

[Wailuna]

Gen. Spaatz's command in the Pacific was designated U.S. Army Strategic Air Forces (USASTAF). A good official account of USASTAF's establishment and brief existence can be found in Volume Five of The Army Air Forces in World War II by Craven and Cates (link here for full text copy on line).

[astra44]

Another example in print (see post #2) indicating USSTAF stands for........