United States Forces European Theater

Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.

USFET War Room in the I.G. Farben Building, Frankfurt, Jan 1946 (Webmaster's collection)
(Click on image for higher resolution)

USFET - 17 July 1945

Theater Organization on 1 July 1946.

Gen. Joseph T. McNarney, who was both the Commanding General, U.S. Forces, European Theater (USFET), and the Military Governor of Germany was the commander of all U.S. forces in the European Theater. His military headquarters were in Frankfurt (I.G. Farben Hochhaus), while most military government functions were centered in the Office of Military Government for Germany (U.S.) (OMGUS), which operated in Berlin under Gen. Lucius D. Clay, the Deputy Military Governor. General and special staff officers were located in Frankfurt. The headquarters subordinate to the Theater Headquarters, which had operated between the Theater Commander and the chiefs of the services, had been eliminated. The field forces in Germany consisted of the Third U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Forces is Europe (USAFE). Western Base Section with headquarters is Paris was reaponsible for the logistical support of all forces outside of Germany and Austria, while Continental Base Section with headquarters in Bad Nauheim, Germany, was responsible for logistical support in the occupied areas (Germany and Austria).

The military forces retained responsibility for security and logistics, but OMGUS had assumed most of the functions having to do with German government or economics. This division of functions had been developed to permit the smooth transfer of military government functions from the Army to another governmental agency, should such a move be ordered.

USFET - 30 June 1946

Tram Line 39 (a.k.a. ROUNDUP) was a special tram line - here at the main train station
(Hauptbahnhof) stop - for US military personnel, 1946 (STARS & STRIPES)

Major Tactical Units, January 1947

Mom was a WAC in Frankfurt. She saved a 14 x 18 inch photo of a building in her scrapbook. Thank you big time for letting me identify the I.G. Farben administration bldg (also known as the "Hochhaus"). In return, would you like a scan of it?

I have a few photos from Frankfurt Invaders Football game (again your site helped make that connection). Think fall of 1945. One pic was published in the last issue of Overseas Woman in Jan 1946. Mom with mascot.

Documenting and making sense of the memorabilia, fragile bread crumbs, has been fun and frustrating. Have partial copy of MEMETO Vol.1, No.1 newspaper of WAC Detachment, Headquarters Command, USFET, September 29th, 1945 (see above). Wondering if full copy available or if there were any other issues ever printed? Ever heard of?

Have partial copy of "Dog Tag" newspaper (?) Friday 5 October 1945. Article about opening of Palmgarden Service Club. Invaders Band played there. Wondering if "Dog Tag" was the name of the publication. Cannot find any info anywhere. Hoping to track down full copy if possible.

Mom was a fencer, an artist and a WAC. With scanning and researching Mom's stuff I have fallen down the rabbit hole. Its all good, but someone with a flashlight is always appreciated. I will send the newspaper scans in separate emails. Anyway, I found some good info on the 12th Army Group which seems to follow what you suggested. See attached.

What I can glean from documents and photos is that Mom, then Sgt. Prencipe, departed the U.S. on 20-May-1945 on the USAT George Washington for EAME and arrived on 30-May-1945.

On 17-Mar-1946, she departed for US. I have a Menu from USAT George Washington, dated 21-Mar-1946. The ship arrived in the US on 26-Mar-1946 and mom eas separated from service on 30-Mar-1946.