HQ, Communications Zone was redes as HQ, Theater Service Forces, European Theater (TSFET) on Aug 1, 1945. Gen Lee, wartime commander of the Communications Zone, continues as Commanding General of the new set-up which continues to be an integral part of HQ USFET..

HQ TSFET will have headquarters at both Frankfurt and Paris. Under the new org, it has been proposed that staff chiefs will in general establish their main headquarters in Frankfurt. However, all sections will maintain representation in Paris. In time, as redeployment is accomplished and as operations can be closed out in liberated countries, it is intended to eliminate completely the Paris Headquarters.

Meanwhile, the Paris office will, in general, retain responsibility in respect to redeployment and other operations in liberated countries and serve as the normal channel of communication to the Zone of the Interior, ports of embarkation and the Army Service Forces. The Frankfurt office will be concerned chiefly with the administration and supply support of all U.S. forces remaining in the Theater. In addition, TSFET will be responsible for the coordination of the early liquidation of U.S. installations in the United Kingdom and the liberated countries. It will also have the responsibility of establishing and stocking U.S. installations for occupation in Germany and for settlement of claims during the process of liquidation.

Operating directly under TSFET will be the Chiefs of Administration and Supply Services, USFET and several service commands.

Chiefs of Admin and Supply Services, USFET:
Theater Chief Surgeon
Senior Chaplain
Engineer Chief
Transportation Corps Chief
Army Exchange Chief
Ordnance Chief
Information & Education Director
Fiscal Director
Judge Advocate
Special Service Officer
Claims Officer
Quartermaster Chief
Chief Signal Officer
Chemical Warfare Service Chief
Adjutant General
Provost Marshal

Service Commands:
UK Base Section
Chanor Base Section
Delta Base Section
Oise Intermediate Section
Seine Section
Assembly Area Command
Bremen Port Command

Soon after the end of combat, the Communications Zone lost its wartime title and on Aug 1, 1945, was redes Theater Service Forces, European Theater, a counterpart of the Army Service Forces in the United States.

After Dec 31, 1945, the most important functions of TSFET, except redeployment, were centered at Frankfurt.

As supply needs were reduced, TSFET became superfluous; it was discontinued on Feb 28, 1946.

(Source: Supply - Procurement, Storage, and Issue, OCCUPATON FORCES IN EUROPE)

Short-term Plans
SHAEF planning for the ECLIPSE period, estimated to be V-E Day plus 60, included clean-up operations, settling of the occupational forces in their final occupation areas, and termination of combined command.

ComZ plans called for a continuation of the operation of ADSEC and CONAD in Germany. Supply support to BREMEN and BERLIN was to come, first, from ADSEC through Ninth Army. (Temporary supply installations as originally installed by ADSEC, CONAD and the armies.)

At the end of the ECLIPSE period, ComZ functions in Germany, were to cease, except for operating the Bremen Enclave, and keeping the army installations filled. The new Theater Hqs (USFET) was to assume supply responsibility from there on, as directed by the plan of Supreme Hqs.

SHAEF ECLIPSE plans specified that the permanent supply installations in Germany would be operated by the military districts. ComZ assumed the responsibility of setting up and operating the permanent installations prior to the establishment of the military districts. Prior to V-E Day, ADSEC and CONAD made reconnaissance into the army areas to determine sites for the permanent installations.

Redeployment and the necessity for continued support for operations in Germany required that ADSEC and CONAD continue to operate essential depots, maintenance establishments, and other installations, and even establish new installations. However, all services were directed to plan for a gradual reduction and consolidation of these installations into permanent general areas (to be selected as a result of further reconnaissance).

Long-term Plans
ComZ plans were based on a gradual phasing out of the troops, over a fifteen month period, until the eventual OTB was reached. However, there were sudden and frequent changes in policy and ComZ disappeared much sooner than predicted.

Prior to the opening of Bremen, supply support for all U.S. forces in Germany and Austria would have to be furnished from existing installations in the liberated countries. Plans called for the following number of troops to be supported through the liberated countries:

(The goal was to supply all occupation troops through the German ports - Bremen and Bremerhaven - after V-E Day plus 60.)

Depot supply levels were to be established as follows:

By V-E Day plus 120, it was expected that the reserve supplies for the ultimate army of occupation would be established in Germany.

Depots in the Zone and in Berlin District would gradually be converted to a combination of filler-issue depot while those in the Bremen Enclave would be changed into base depots. Existing installations in the U.S. Zone were to be utilized to the maximum extent possible; only a minimum of construction was to be undertaken, and as far as possible by utilization of German labor and materials.

In the transition period immediately following V-E Day, supply of the armies in Germany was being carried on through ADSEC and CONAD forward dumps and from scattered army depots and supply points. Disadvantages of operating from the temporary installations:
- this put a heavy burden on truck transportation as units had to send their vehicles abnormal distances to draw supplies;
- it tended to keep army reserves low and
- it tended to keep most supplies in the open rather than in covered storage.

The above disadvantages made it desirable that a system of fixed installations be established as soon as possible for servicing the troops. The system was also to be limited to the US Zone, as all American forces located outside of the US zone of occupation would eventually have to be withdrawn into the Zone.

Consequently the supply efforts were directed toward setting up permanent reserves in the ultimate zone while maintaining in the other areas only those quantities needed for immediate operations.

During May steps were being taken to establish the permanent depot system under each military district and to liquidate Communications Zone functions in Germany.

In addition to depots in the military districts designed to store 45 days supply and, ultimately, to serve as filler depots, the development of base depots was planned in the Bremen Enclave for the storage of 15 days supply. By July 2 1945, Bremen Port Command reported that this depot structure was complete. As of Oct 1, depots had been established in the Bremen Enclave for Engineer, Medical, Ordnance, and Signal Class II and IV, QM Class I, II, III, and IV, and for TC supplies.

This depot and supply system for the permanent occupation forces in Germany developed during the summer in accordance with the plans. CONAD and ADSEC released depot control on June 10, but continued to support the armies until early in July, meantime gradually turning over their functions to the armies.

Initially logistical support of Austria was assigned to Third Army. That of Bremen and Berlin was at first a Ninth Army responsibility, then with the realignment into zones of occupation, was transferred to Seventh Army. Later Bremen Port Command was to assume this responsibility.

The transfer of supply activities in Germany from ComZ Hqs to army operation was a fairly difficult one involving a number of adjustments:
■ The whole operation of the depot system by the armies, using their organic service elements, turned out to be impossible. (Even with an influx of service troops following the inactivation of Ninth Army.)
■ After many discussions, the armies were able to retain most of the ADSEC and CONAD troops (which were supposed to be moved to France to support the Redeployment effort), while transferring many surplus army service troops to ComZ (most likely those located at installations marked for closure).

With the service troop issue resolved, the depot structure taking shape, and the final zones of occupation being set up, CONAD and ADSEC were dissolved on July 15.

With the French First Army taking charge of their zone (July 10), the reorg of Fifteenth Army (...), and the establishment of USFET (July 1), the new supply system went into effect.

Outstanding issues at the time:
■ A new standing operating procedure for requisitioning had to be formulated.
■ Because of lack of adequate storage space, revisions had to be made in the depot storage plan as originally worked out by the armies.

The plan prescribed:
► continuation of existing policies and procedures;
► continuation of existing levels of supply in inactive theaters;
► maximum disposition of surplus property following WD declarations.

In effect, the Theater supply plan for Period 2 provided for the implementation by TSFET of the following:
■ establishment of a permanent occupational supply basis;
■ declaration of all excess as surplus and for disposal;
■ closeout of supply installations to the maximum extent possible.

With the publication of the Revised SOP 7 on Sept 24, 1945, the depot system was now defined as containing base, key, and filler depots, and the (troop) issues being made by supply points under control of the armies for units in their respective military districts.

Base depots were to be in the Bremen Enclave, while the major portion of Theater stocks was to be stored in the filler depots in Eastern and Western Military District and in Berlin District.

Filler depots in the liberated countries were to continue as long as necessary to furnish supplies for troops awaiting redeployment and to dispose of surplus property either in Germany or by outshipment of sale.

On Sep 24, 1945 all supply installations that were supposed to be taken over by TSFET were transferred by the military districts to TSFET (Ltr, USFET, to major commands, subj: "Transfer of Base and Filler Depots, Base Maintenance Facilities, Major Equipment Collecting Points, and Fixed Hospitals from Armies/Military Districts to TSFET"). Further transfers and adjustments were made later (by Dec 1, Ord 4th echelon shops and some filler depots had not yet been turned over).