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The 442nd Troop Carrier Group took part in the D-Day landings, the invasion of the South of France, Operation Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine.
The 442nd was one of twelve groups to join the Ninth Air Force direct from the United States in the first half of 1944. It spent most of its time acting as a normal transport unit, flying supplies to the battlefront and taking the wounded back. This was punctuated by the main airborne operations of the war.
On D-Day the group flew paratroops to Ste-Mere-Eglise. On D+1 it flew supplies to the same area. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its role in these battles.
In July a detachment from the group moved to Italy. After performing normal transport duties for a short time it took part in the invasion of the south of France, dropping paratroops and towing supply gliders to France on 15 August.
By September the group was reunited in Britain, from where it took part in Operation Market Garden, once again dropping paratroops in the initial assault and flying supplies afterwards.
In October the group moved to the Continent to come close to the front. In March it took part in the last major airborne operation of the war, flying paratroops across the Rhine.
After the war the group was used to evacuate POWs. It was disbanded in Germany on 30 September 1946.
Pending
1943-1946: Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-53 Skytrooper
| 25 May 1943 | Constituted as 442nd Troop Carrier Group |
| 1 Sep 1943 | Activated |
| March 1944 | To England and Ninth Air Force |
| 30 Sept 1946 | Inactivated in Germany |
Col Charles M Smith:
Sep 1943
Col John C Kilborn: 25 Sep
1945
Lt Col Paul A Jones: 4 Oct 1945-
1946
Col Bertram C Harrison, 1946-unkn
Sedalia AAFld, Mq: 1 Sep
1943
Alliance AAFld, Neb: Dec 1943
Pope Field, NC: Jan 1944
Baer Field, Ind:
c. 2-c. 8 Mar 1944
Fulbeck, England: c.
29 Mar 1944
Weston Zoyland, England: Jun 1944
Bonnetable, France: Oct 1944
St-Andrede-L'Eure, France: Nov 1944
Munich/Riem, Germany: Sep 1945-30 Sep
1946.
301st: 1945
303rd: 1943-46
304th: 1943-46
305th: 1943-46
306th: 1943-46
1944-45: 50th Troop Carrier Wing; IX Troop Carrier Command; Ninth Air Force
1945-46: 51st Troop Carrier Wing