| Unit Name: | United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) Hukbong Katihan ng Estados Unidos sa Malayong Silangan |
| Dates: | 26 July 1941 – 30 June 1946 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Branch: | Regular Army |
| Command Structure: | United States Department of War |
| Garrison: | AMP Bldg., Brisbane, Australia Melbourne, Australia Malinta Tunnel, Corregidor No. 1 Calle Victoria, Manila |
| Battles: | World War II |
| Commander1: | BGen (Later LGen.) Richard K. Sutherland |
| Commander1 Label: | Chief of Staff |
| Commander2: | BGen (Later MGen.) Richard J. Marshall |
| Commander2 Label: | Deputy Chief of Staff |
| Commander3: | Col. Charles Stivers |
| Commander3 Label: | G1 Personnel |
| Commander4: | Col. (Later MGen.) Charles A. Willoughby |
| Commander4 Label: | G2 Intelligence |
| Notable Commanders: | General Douglas MacArthur Major General Richard J. MarshallMajor General Horace Fuller |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Emblem |
United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) (Filipino: Hukbong Katihan ng Estados Unidos sa Malayong Silangan; Spanish: Fuerzas del Ejército de los Estados Unidos en el Lejano Oriente) was a military formation of the United States Army active from 1941 to 1946. The new command's headquarters was created on 26 July 1941, at No. 1, Calle Victoria, Manila, Luzon, the Philippines, with General Douglas MacArthur as commander. The Chief of Staff was Brigadier General Richard K. Sutherland and the Deputy Chief of Staff was Lieutenant Colonel Richard J. Marshall. The core of this command (including MacArthur, Marshall, and Sutherland) was drawn from the Office of the Military Advisor to the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines.
Creation of this command led to the subordination of the headquarters of the Philippine Department of the U.S. Army, as a service command, since planning and tactical control were now under USAFFE control. MacArthur explains, "It became an administrative echelon. It was analogous to a corps area". MacArthur recommended that Philippine Department commander Major General Grunert be reassigned, as his services were no longer needed. On 23 October, Grunert returned to the United States and MacArthur was temporarily appointed as the Philippine Department's commander.
In January 1941, the intelligence officer (G-2) of the Philippine Department recommended, to his superior in Washington, D.C., that an American high command in the Far East be created, with the commander of the Philippine Department as its designated commander. It does not appear this idea was seriously considered until Douglas MacArthur suggested, to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, that such a command be created with MacArthur as the Far Eastern Commander.
On 6 June, Acting Chief of the War Plans Division Brigadier General Leonard T. Gerow noted that he saw no need for such a command, as US Forces in the Far East were concentrated in the Philippines. As such, Gerow argued that should a "crisis" occur, then MacArthur should become the commander of, not some new command, but rather, of the Philippine Department itself.
On 20 June, Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall informed MacArthur, "Both the Secretary of War (Stimson) and I are much concerned about the situation in the Far East. Your qualifications and experience make you the logical selection for the Army Commander in the Far East should the situation approach a crisis. The Secretary has delayed recommending your appointment as he does not feel the time has arrived for such action. At the proper time, he will recommend to the President that you be so appointed."[1]
On 17 July, Gerow made the following recommendations:
On 25 July, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson requested that President Roosevelt issue orders calling the military forces of the Commonwealth into active service for the United States. Stimson explains, "All practical steps should be taken to increase the defensive strength of the Philippine Islands".[2]
The following day, Roosevelt froze all Japanese assets within the United States and issued the orders to absorb the forces of the Philippine Army. That same day, the United States Department of War created the USAFFE command, with jurisdiction over the Philippine Department and the military forces of Commonwealth of the Philippines (seemingly the Philippine Army, with two regular and ten reserve divisions, and the Philippine Army Air Corps). At the same time, MacArthur was recalled to active duty, with the rank of lieutenant general, as the USAFFE commander, from his positions as military advisor to the Philippine government and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army.
On 4 November 1941 USAFFE formally created the North Luzon Force, South Luzon Force, and the Visayas-Mindanao Force. Actually all had been in existence for several months.
Following the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in December 1941, the short-lived American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) was formed on 1 January 1942, to control all Allied forces in South East Asia and the South West Pacific. ABDACOM nominally controlled USAFFE forces, although the latter was effectively an independent force.
In February 1942, the US Army established United States Army Forces in Australia under Lieutenant General George Brett under the authority of General MacArthur. Australia will the launching area for supplies and reinforcements in the Philippines. This expanded USAFFE to a theater of Operations command rather than being only within the Philippines. US Army Forces in Dutch East Indies under MGen. Elliot S. Thorpe, was also established as Air Fields are created for the fighters escorting ships or Cargo planes.
In March, due to the worsening Allied position in Asia and the Pacific, Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to relocate his command to Australia. MacArthur's famous speech regarding the Philippines, in which he said, "I came out of Bataan and I shall return" was made on 20 March at Terowie, South Australia during his first contact with the press in Australia.[3] General Jonathan Wainwright officially assumed control of the remaining forces in the Philippines, now known as United States Forces in the Philippines (USFIP) on 23 March.
On 18 April 1942, ABDACOM was replaced by General Headquarters (GHQ), Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) in Melbourne, including USFIP. MacArthur was appointed Supreme Commander, SWPA. USFIP, with the exception of some ad hoc guerilla and resistance outfits, had surrendered to Japanese by 8 May.
MacArthur formally reconstituted USAFFE in Australia in February 1943, to assume responsibility for all administrative staff duties pertaining to U.S. Army units in the SWPA, as well as control of guerrilla forces in the Philippines.
On 20 October 1944, the recapture of the Philippines commenced when Allied forces landed in Leyte Gulf. The campaign was declared completed on 4 July 1945 Major General Richard J. Marshall assumed command and MacArthur assumed Allied Powers in Asia Pacific command in preparation for the Invasion of Japan.
USAFFE was absorbed by US Army, Western Pacific under Lieutenant General Robert Richardson, even before end of war and since bulk of US Army was stationed in Japan it was formally dissolved in the lead-up to Philippine independence on 4 July 1946.
In 1947, the term was revitalized with the creation of Far East Command under General MacArthur in Tokyo. "General MacArthur, however, retained direct command of Army components, wearing a second hat as Commanding General, Army Forces Far East (CG AFFE)." "In 1952, after General MacArthur had left.. the headquarters of Army Forces Far East was fully staffed and placed on a par with the other two component commands, and the Far East Command was given a truly joint staff."
Total Strength—22,532 (1,434 officers—21,098 enlisted, including 11,937 Philippine Scouts)
Total Strength: 31,095 (2,504 officers and 28,591 enlisted, including 11,957 Philippine Scouts)
USAFFE received four Distinguished Unit Citations (later converted to Presidential Unit Citations) for the following time periods -
USAFFE also received the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.