United States Army Forces Far East

United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE)
Lt. Gen. Douglas MacArthur conducts a ceremony formally inducting the Philippine Army Air Corps into United States Army Forces in the Far East at Camp Murphy, Rizal on 15 August 1941. Behind MacArthur, from left to right, are: Lt. Col. Richard K. Sutherland, Col. Harold H. George, Lt. Col William F. Marquat, and Maj. LeGrande A. Diller.
Active	July 26, 1941 – June 30, 1946
Country	United States Of America Commonwealth of the Philippines
Branch	Regular Army
Part of	United States Department of War
Commanders
Notable commanders	General Douglas MacArthur

United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) was a military formation of the United States Army active from 1941 to 1946. The new command's headquarters was created on July 26, 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.

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 October 23, 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 had 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 the designated commander of said command. It does not appear this idea was seriously considered until Douglas MacArthur suggested, to the Army Chief of Staff, that such a command be created with MacArthur as the Far Eastern Commander.