Even with the active war in Korea raging, in the early 1950s Europe received a higher priority of air power than Korea by the Truman Administration and the Department of Defense.
Deterring the threat of a Communist takeover of Western Europe was considered more important to the long-term survival of the United States than a Communist victory in Korea.

In September 1950, NATO's Military Committee had called for an ambitious buildup of conventional forces to meet the Soviets, subsequently reaffirming this position at the February 1952 meeting of the Atlantic Council in Lisbon which had established a goal of ultimately fielding 96 divisions in the event of a conventional war in 1954.
In support of this, the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), which consisted of 16 wings totaling 2,100 aircraft, was programmed to expand to 28 wings, 22 of them in NATO's Central Region alone, backed by deployed Strategic Air Command units sent from CONUS.

The USAF reassigned combat wings from TAC to USAFE during the period from April 1951 through December 1954.
These were:
81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing
Reassigned to: RAF Bentwaters, United Kingdom
47th Bombardment Wing, Light
Deployed to: RAF Sculthorpe, United Kingdom
(Remained assigned to TAC's 49th Air Division)
20th Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: RAF Wethersfield, United Kingdom
406th Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: RAF Manston, United Kingdom
66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
Reassigned to: Sembach Air Base, West Germany
10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
Reassigned to: Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany
50th Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: Hahn Air Base, West Germany
21st Fighter Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France
48th Fighter Bomber Wing
Activated at: Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France
(Replaced ANG 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing)
388th Fighter Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: Etain-Rouvres Air Base, France
60th Troop Carrier Wing
Reassigned to: Dreux-Louvillier Air Base, France
465th Troop Carrier Wing
Reassigned to: Toul-Rosières Air Base, France
38th Tactical Bombardment Wing (Light)
Reassigned to: Laon-Couvron Air Base, France
These wings gave USAFE and NATO approximately 500 fighters, 100 light bombers, 100 tactical reconnaissance aircraft, 100 tactical airlift transports, and 18,000 USAF personnel.
Even with the active war in Korea raging, in the early 1950s Europe received a higher priority of air power than Korea by the Truman Administration and the Department of Defense. Deterring the threat of a Communist takeover of Western Europe was considered more important to the long-term survival of the United States than a Communist victory in Korea.
In September 1950, NATO's Military Committee had called for an ambitious buildup of conventional forces to meet the Soviets, subsequently reaffirming this position at the February 1952 meeting of the Atlantic Council in Lisbon which had established a goal of ultimately fielding 96 divisions in the event of a conventional war in 1954. In support of this, the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), which consisted of 16 wings totaling 2,100 aircraft, was programmed to expand to 28 wings, 22 of them in NATO's Central Region alone, backed by deployed Strategic Air Command units sent from CONUS.
The USAF reassigned combat wings from TAC to USAFE during the period from April 1951 through December 1954. These were:
81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing
Reassigned to: RAF Bentwaters, United Kingdom
47th Bombardment Wing, Light
Deployed to: RAF Sculthorpe, United Kingdom
(Remained assigned to TAC's 49th Air Division)
20th Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: RAF Wethersfield, United Kingdom
406th Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: RAF Manston, United Kingdom
66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
Reassigned to: Sembach Air Base, West Germany
10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
Reassigned to: Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany
50th Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: Hahn Air Base, West Germany
21st Fighter Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France
48th Fighter Bomber Wing
Activated at: Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France
(Replaced ANG 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing)
388th Fighter Bomber Wing
Reassigned to: Etain-Rouvres Air Base, France
60th Troop Carrier Wing
Reassigned to: Dreux-Louvillier Air Base, France
465th Troop Carrier Wing
Reassigned to: Toul-Rosières Air Base, France
38th Tactical Bombardment Wing (Light)
Reassigned to: Laon-Couvron Air Base, France
These wings gave USAFE and NATO approximately 500 fighters, 100 light bombers, 100 tactical reconnaissance aircraft, 100 tactical airlift transports, and 18,000 USAF personnel.
Tactical Air Command