It became the overall command and control authority of the United States Army Air Forces in the European theater of World War II.

Subsequently, the strategic bombing effort's intelligence, targeting and planning, co-ordination, including mission designation command and control were separated—not without controversy and opposition—from actual operations commands in direct control of air forces on 23 February 1944.

The USSTAF was established with the redesignation of the former VIII Bomber Command as the Eighth Air Force on 22 February 1944.

[4][page needed][5] Shortly after VE-Day, the United States Army Air Forces in Europe began to demobilize.

In Europe the aim was to maintain a small USAAF organization, exclusively for communication and transport purposes.