443rd Troop Carrier Group

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History

The 443rd Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) supported the Allied troops fighting in Burma, and then took part in the efforts to fly supplies into China, ending the war operating directly within China.

The group was activated on 1 October 1943 in the United States and was allocated a first batch of squadrons and aircraft. However on 15 February 1944 the group was officially transferred to India, but without its original personnel or aircraft. New squadrons and personnel then joined the group in India. The reformed group was equipped with the C-47, and a number of gliders.

At the start of its active career the group was used to fly supplies to the Allied troops fighting in Burma, at first near the Indian border, but later during the successful reconquest of the country.

Until 20 June 1944 the group was part of Troop Carrier Command, Eastern Air Command, a multi-national force made up of the US 10th Air Force and RAF Bengal Command. On that date the EAC was restructured, and the group became part of the 10th Air Force, which became a combat command after a period as a administrative body only.

After the Allied capture of Rangoon the 443rd was one of five groups (along with two squadrons from a sixth) to be switched to the India-China Division to join the airlift of supplies into China. It took some time for the new units to get to grips with their task, but by July 1945 the new groups carried nearly 20,000 tons into China, out of a total of 70,000 tons.

In August 1945 the group moved to China. In September it moved 30,000 Chinese troops from Chihkiang to Nanking, and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its efforts.

The group returned to the US in December 1945 and was inactivated in the same month.

Books

Pending

Aircraft

1943: L-3, Douglas C-53 Skytrooper , Douglas C-47 Skytrain
1944-45: Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Timeline

25 May 1943 Constituted as 443rd Troop Carrier Group
1 Oct 1943 Activated
15 Feb 1944 To India
December 1945 To United States
26 December 1945 Inactivated

Commanders (with date of appointment)

Maj Elmer F Estrumse: 5 Oct 1943
Lt Col Charles D Farr: 13 Mar 1944
Lt Col Loren Cornell: 16 May 1944
Col Thomas J Schofield: 1 Nov 1944
Col Herbert A Bott: 12 Apr 1945
Col Frederick L Moore: 11 Sep 1945
Lt Col Jack F Marr: Dec-c. 26 Dec 1945

Main Bases

Sedalia AAFld, Mo: 1 Oct 1943
Alliance AAFld, Neb: 19 Jan 1944- 15 Feb 1944
Sylhet, India: 15 Feb 1944
Sookerating, India: 6 Jun 1944
Dinjan, India: 9 Jul 1944
Ledo, India: 8 Oct 1944
Dinjan, India: 11 May 1945
Chihkiang, China: 28 Aug 1945
Hankow, China: 25 Sep-30 Nov 1945
Camp Anza, Calif: 23- 26 Dec 1945

Component Units

1st: 1944-45
2nd: 1944-45
27th: 1944-45
309th: 1943-44
310th: 1943-44
315th: 1944-45

Assigned To

1944-1945: Tenth Air Force

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (18 December 2015), 443rd Troop Carrier Group, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/USAAF/443rd_Troop_Carrier_Group.html

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