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54th Troop Carrier Wing and the 11th Airborne Division
The 54th Troop Carrier Wing was established on 26 February 1943 [one day after the 11th A/B Div. at Camp MacKall] and commenced air transport and medical air evacuation operations in support of Fifth Air Force on 26 May 1943. advancing as battle lines permitted.
The unit took part in the airborne invasion of Nadzab, New Guinea in September 1943 by dropping the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, as well as Australian engineers and heavy equipment.
The wing employed C-47’s almost exclusively, but during late 1943 and much of 1944 also used 13 converted B-17E’s for armed transport missions in enemy-held territory. The 54th supported every major advance made by the allies in the Southwest Pacific Theater operating from primitive airstrips carved from jungles and air-dropping cargo where airstrips unavailable.
In July 1944, the wing dropped 1,418 paratroopers on Noemfoor Island to aid the allied invasion forces. Then assumed the task of handling all freight and personnel moving in troop carrier aircraft in the Southwest Pacific, in addition to scheduled and unscheduled air movement of cargo and troops, and air evacuation of wounded personnel.
In preparation for airborne operations in the Philippines, the 54th TCW conducted joint training with the 11th Airborne Division. August and September 1944 were held in Nadzab. Due to the demands of transport resources in building up Allied strength in Netherlands, New Guinea, the wing rotated the squadrons in Doboduru where they received refresher training in paradrops and aerial supply. The training proved to be of great value at Tagaytay Ridge, Corregidor and in the Cagayan Valley, Luzon, when the 11th A/B need a lift for their paratroopers and gliders.
Early December 1944, the 5th Air Force HQ was attacked as well as the 44th Station Hospital. The 187th HQ Company [Smitty was there], set up a perimeter. They stood there through the night, rifles ready. By morning there were 19 dead enemy soldiers. Col. Pearson sent out patrols that located another 17 Japanese hiding out in the rice paddies..
By late 1944 and during the early months of 1945, most wing missions were flown to the Philippines. In February 1945, the wing flew three more airborne operations, all in the Philippines, to help encircle Japanese concentrations. For the 11th A/B Division’s jump on Aparri in north Luzon, the first plane off the ground was piloted by Col. John Lackey. Wing C-47s dropped napalm on Caraboa Island in Manila Bay in March 1945.
When hostilities ended on Luzon, the wing moved the entire 11th Airborne Division (11,300 personnel) from the Philippines to Okinawa on short notice. It would take the 54th Troop Carrier Wing two days to transport the 11th Airborne using 351 C-46s, 151 C-47s and 99 B-24s; with their bombs removed and crammed with troopers. The planes had carted the men; 1,161,000 pounds of equipment and 120 special-purpose jeeps for communication and supply.
The 54th then began transporting occupation forces into Japan, beginning with General Swing, the 187th Regiment (and Smitty). On the first day, 123 aircraft brought 4,200 troopers to Atsugi Airfield. During September 1945, the wing also evacuated over 17,000 former prisoners of war from Japan to the Philippines.
The wing served as part of the occupation forces in Japan from 25 September 1945 to about 26 January 1946, while continuing routine air transport operations and a scheduled courier service. Beginning in December 1945 and continuing into mid-1946, most of the wing’s components were reassigned to other units or inactivated, and on 15 January 1946 the wing became a component of the Far East (soon, Pacific) Air Service Command.
Moving to the Philippines, the wing gained new components and flew scheduled routes between Japan, the Philippines, Australia, and the Hawaiian Islands. Replaced by the 403rd Troop Carrier Group on 31 May 1946 and was inactivated.
Further, more detailed information can be found in the publications by the IHRA.
This article incorporates material from the US Air Force Historical Research Agency, “The Angels: The History of the 11th Airborne Division” & “Rakassans”, both by Gen. E.M. Flanagan; Wikipedia and US Airborne Commando Operations.
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From: GP Cox to all my readers, friends and occasional drop-ins…
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
George ‘Pete’ Buckley – Salem, MA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, glider pilot
DeArmond Canada (100) – US Army, WWII
Forest M. Dickson – Cheyenne, WY; US Air Force, Korea, Airman 2nd Class
Walter Ferris – Armagh, No.IRE; British Royal Engineers, WWII / Indian Army, Bombay Sappers, CBI
Joseph M. Gasper (102) – Elwood City, PA; US Army, WWII, PTO, SSgt., 3 Bronze Stars
Frank ‘Buck-shot’ Kipp – St. Louis, MO; US Army, WWII, ETO, mine clearing
George Monthan – Tucson, AZ; US Navy, WWII, Comdr. VF-103, ‘Air Boss’ USS Saratoga / Joint Chief of Staff
Kenneth O’Hare – Ainsworth, NE; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, HQ Co./11th Airborne Division
Margaret (Callihan) Prince (100) – Doddridge County, WV; Civilian, WWII, Dupont/Manhattan Project
William Salley – Springfield, SC; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, Lt. Colonel (Ret.), Purple Heart
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Ordnance P-47 Thunderbolt in the Pacific
The P-47 Thunderbolt was not generally welcomed in the Pacific theatre. It was seen as too clumsy to compete with the very agile Japanese fighters and it did not have the range for operations over the vast expanses of the Pacific. Worse, the P-47 was best at the high altitudes at which American bombers operated over Europe. However, in Japan most combat occurred below 20,000 feet, where the P-47 was at its least maneuverable.
Despite these problems, General George C. Kenney, commander of the 5th Air Force in the SW Pacific, was determined to acquire as many aircraft as possible for his command. The Lockheed P-38 Lighting was popular with American pilots in the Pacific, but not available in sufficient numbers.
Fortunately for Kenney, the first Thunderbolt unit to reach him was the 348th Fighter Group, commanded by Col. Neel Kearby. He was very enthusiastic about the P-47, and had put some thought into the best way to take advantage of the big fighter. One of its strengths was a very high speed in the dive. He had put some thought into the best way to take advantage of the big fighter. One of its strengths was its very high speed in the dive. Kearby decided to take advantage of that.
Immediately after taking off, his P-47s would climb to a high altitude. At that height they would head towards their target, normally a Japanese base. Once close to the base they would dive into the attack. By the time they reached the target, they would be travelling at very high speed. Having made their attack, they would then use that high speed to climb back to high altitude before the Japanese could react.
These tactics would have been familiar to many British pilots of the Battle of Britain, having been used by pilots of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, who would reach high altitude over France, then swoop down on British fighters climbing to attack German bombers. They were particularly effective in the SW Pacific. Between August and December 1943 the 348th Fighter Group claimed over 150 victories while losing only 8 pilots. Kearby himself would become the highest scoring American P-47 Ace of the SW Pacific, with 22 confirmed kills.
The weak low level performance and limited maneuverability of the Thunderbolt was still a weakness. Kearby himself was killed on 6 March 1944 during a fighter sweep over Wewak, when he stayed at low level to confirm a probably kill and was caught by a Ki-43.
The P-47 was never popular amongst pilots who were used to the P-38 Lighting, although many were forced to fly it in early in 1944. The P-38 units had suffered relatively heavy losses in the fighting over Rabaul in November 1943, and P-38s were still in short supply. However, during 1944 the P-47 was slowly phased out in the SW Pacific. Suitable targets on New Guinea were in increasingly short supply. Those units that had converted from the P-38 were often able to convert back during the year. Early in 1945 even the 348th would move away from the Thunderbolt, moving onto the Merlin powered P-51D Mustang. By the end of the war the only Thunderbolt unit remaining in the Fifth Air Force was the 58th Fighter Group, a ground attack unit.
In mid-1944 the 7th Air Force finally received the Thunderbolt and the Mustang. This was just in time for them to take part in the invasion of Saipan, flying onto the island in June 1944. On Saipan the P-47 saw action in the ground attack role.
The capture of Iwo Jima and then Okinawa finally allowed the 7th’s Thunderbolts to see air to air combat. The two islands were used as bases during the increasingly heavy strategic bombing campaign over Japan. Both Thunderbolt and Mustang units saw service in the high altitude bomber escort role at which the Thunderbolt excelled. The same period saw the arrival of the long range P-47N, which had a range of close to 2,000 miles with drop tanks.
In terms of victories gained, the Thunderbolt’s best moment in the Central Pacific came in late May 1945. Kamikaze attacks were threatening Allied shipping around Okinawa, and so the 318th Fighter Group was allowed to fly fighter sweeps over southern Japan, with the aim of intercepting potential Kamikaze aircraft far from their targets. In 2 sweeps, on 25 and 28 May, the Thunderbolts claimed nearly 40 victories.
The career of the P-47 Thunderbolt in the Pacific is a good example of how important it was for the pilot to adjust their tactics to their aircraft. If a Thunderbolt pilot allowed himself to be dragged into a low level dogfight then they were in serious trouble.
Nicknamed as the “Jug” due to its silhouette looking like a milk jug,( some say it was named Jug, short for juggernaut ) Apart from US service, the P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft saw action as part of the British RAF, the French Air Force, Soviet Air Force and also as part of the contingent of pilots hailing from Brazil and Mexico who also participated as part of the Allied war effort.
The idea for this post came from Teagan Riordain Geneviene.
Research from: the Smithsonian Museum; Pacific Encyclopedia; History of War and War History on line.
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Elizabeth Brook – Galeburg, IL; US Navy WAVES, WWII, Lt.
Ethel Calabakas — Port Arthur, CAN; RC Army, WWII
John Hill – Webster, NY; US Navy, WWII, PTO, PT-boats
Michael Kormos Jr. – Wilkes Barre, PA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 406th Squadron
Cleveland Lemon Jr. – Baton Rouge, LA; US Army, WWII, PTO
Charles M. Lentz – Independence, MO; US Navy, Korea & Vietnam, (Ret. 22 y.)
Terrance B. Salazar – San Antonio, TX; US Army, Spc., 82nd Airborne Division
James A. Scott – Aiken, SC; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
Frederick Trader – Oriska, ND; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 2nd Lt., bombardier/navigator
Raymond R. Veckruise – Gary, IN; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Smoky and the Army Airborne
At the beginning of of 1944, Smoky, a Yorkshire terrier, was found by an American soldier with a stalled jeep in the New Guinea jungle where she had been abandoned in a foxhole. She did not respond to either English or Japanese commands. After taken to the soldier’s camp, in need of cash for a poker night, she was sold to Cpl. William A. Wynne for 2 Australian pounds. Smoky weighed 4lbs. and stood 7 inches.
For the next 2 years, Smoky accompanied Wynne on combat fights in the Pacific where temperature and living conditions were deplorable. Smoky shared his C-rations, and fearful of her contracting scrub typhus, was bathed in his helmet daily.
Wynne had a knack for training dogs and taught Smoky tricks like climbing ladders, going down slides, and walking tightropes while blindfolded. She entertained the troops in her spare time. “Yank Down Under” magazine named her “Champion Mascot of the Southwest Pacific” in 1944.
Wynne’s job was to photograph ‘search and rescue’ missions and Smokey slept through 12 combat missions hanging from the ceiling of a Catalina PBY5a. Smoky flew on 22- hour bombing missions so low, they threw grenades down on the Japanese. In all, Smoky survived 150 raids on New Guinea.
She managed to save Wynne and 8 men of the 5th Air Force 26th Photo Recon Squadron from incoming shells on their transport ship. The convoy of 2,300 headed to Luzon when a kamikaze attack destroyed part of the fleet. Smoky led Wynne to a Jeep just as the attack began. The attack went on around them, with 150 men killed, but they were unhurt.
When the squadron set up in Lingayen, about 80 miles NW of Manila, they asked Wynne if Smoky could pull a telephone line through a 70-foot long culvert under the airfield. After tying the cable to her collar, Wynne coaxed Smoky through the far end. She navigated through muddy, moldy pipes and climbed mounds of sifted sand every 4 feet. She did it in a few minutes. The feat earned her a steak and official “war dog” status.
When Wynne came down with dengue fever, Smoky was so popular, she was allowed to visit him in the hospital. She eventually accompanied the doctors and nurses on their rounds. She is the first recorded “therapy dog” in history.
Smoky wasn’t just dedicated and brave, she learned numerous tricks, that she performed for the troops of the Special Services in hospitals from Korea to Australia.
When orders came through to ship home, regulations did not allow the animals, but Wynne would not abandon Smoky. He hid her in his oxygen mask’s carrying case and smuggled her aboard the USS William H. Gordon. Sailors stashed larger dogs in a safe compartment. Despite threats from the commander, all the animals did receive permission to enter the United States.
Once at home, Smoky continued to entertain. She did 45 shows around the country without doing any repeated tricks. Cleveland recognized her as a celebrity and ran her 1957 obituary in the newspaper.
HERE – things go beyond coincidence…..
Former Army nurse Grace Guderian Heidenreich read the obit and contacted Wynne. In December 1943, as a LT. stationed in Australia, she received a Yorkshire puppy from her fiance. When the Lt.’s hospital unit was transferred to New Guinea, the Yorkie went with her. Unfortunately, at a USO show, the puppy wandered off.
Given that very few purebred Yorkshire terriers were registered during those years, she believed it was the same dog. After the war Grace married Capt. Heidenreich and they settled in Cleveland, just blocks away from where Smoky and Wynne resided.
Smoky was more than a dog; she was a dedicated soldier, the first therapy dog, a morale booster for injured soldiers, entertainer and what is most important – she was a hell of a friend!
Condensed from a story published in the “Voice of the Angels”, newspaper for the 11th Airborne Division.
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.
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Current News – BORN ON THE 4TH OF JULY!!
Help make a D-Day Veteran’s birthday the best yet!!
https://deplorablesunite.blog/2020/06/30/a-friend-asks-for-cards-to-make-veterans-birthday-special/
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Military Humor –
Testing – Even in boot camp!
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Farewell Salutes –
Richard Barkley – Naples, FL; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Matthew Bunker – Delavan, WI; US Army, West Point graduate
Charlie Ferrell – Dallas, TX; US Army, WWII, ETO, 3rd Army
Paul Gaines – Newport, RI; US Army, 2nd Armored Division / Mayor
Cindy Hughes – CT; Civilian, WWII, VA Psychiatric worker
Morris Lupton – Northland, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 431186, WWII, pilot
Raymond Molling – WI; US Navy, WWII, corpsman
Carl Reiner – Bronx, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Cpl., French Interpreter, USO, PTO
Margaret Shinners (100) – Newport, RI; US Navy WAVE, WWII, photographer
William Weidensaul – Eudora, KS; US Navy, WWII, airborne electronics / Boeing
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The 11th Airborne on Okinawa
Saturday, 11 August 1945, top secret orders were delivered to General Swing for the division to be prepared to move to Okinawa at any time. The division G-3, Colonel Quandt, called Colonel Pearson, “This is an Alert. Have your regiment [187th] ready to move out by air forty-eight hours from now.” Commanders throughout the 11th A/B had their men reassembled, even those on weekend passes had been found and brought back to camp.
The lead elements left Luzon immediately. At 0630 hours on the 13th, trucks brought the 187th to Nichols and Nielson Fields for transport and they landed at 1645 hours that afternoon at Naha, Kadena and Yotan Fields on Okinawa. They would remain on the island for two weeks.
It would take the 54th Troop Carrier Wing two days to transport the 11th Airborne using 351 C-46s, 151 C-47s and 99 B-24s; with their bombs removed and crammed with troopers. The planes had carted 11,100 men; 1,161,000 pounds of equipment and 120 special-purpose jeeps for communication and supply. Eighty-six men remained on Luzon long enough to bring the 187th’s organizational equipment to Okinawa by ship.
Okinawa, as one of the islands being “beefed-up” with supplies, men and materiel, quickly became significantly congested; it is only 877 square miles. One day would be unbearably hot and the next would bring the heavy rains that created small rivers running passed their pup tents. The troopers were back to cooking their 10-in-1, ‘C’ or ‘K’ rations on squad cookers or eaten cold.
A typhoon crossed the island and the men were forced to live on the sides of hills with their pup tents ballooning like parachutes and taking off in the wind. In the hills were numerous old Okinawan tombs that the Japanese troops had adapted into pillboxes and these helped to protect the men from the storms.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
James Bickel – Madison, TN; US Army, WWII, 85th Infantry
Douglas Clark – Portland, OR; US Navy, WWII, PTO
Roy Dillon – Auckland, NZ; RNZ Air Force, WWII
Jonathan R. Farmer – Boynton Beach, FL; US Army, Syria, Chief Warrant Officer, 3/5th Special Forces Group, 2 Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, KIA
Shannon M. Kent – NY; US Navy, Syria, Chief Cryptologic Technician, KIA
Wilsey Lloyd – Florence, CO; US Navy, WWII
Margaret Psaila – Louisville, GA; US Army WAC, WWII
William Schmitt – Anchorage, AK; USMC, WWII & Korea
Arthur Taylor – Mortlake, ENG; British Army, WWII, ETO, Dunkirk
Scott A. Wirtz – St. Louis, MO; Civilian, Dept. of Defense, Syria, former US Navy SEAL, KIA
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Lady Luck’s Unlucky Day
The 11th Airborne Division need not speculate any longer as the 5th Air Force prepares to move them to Okinawa!
Thanks to the historians of the IHRA, we can now have some answers.
After the atomic bombs were dropped, but before a Japanese surrender had been negotiated, V Bomber Command was busy moving troops and equipment to Okinawa. The 22nd and 43rd bomb groups were also enlisted to ferry troops, as all the C-46s and C-47s were already in use. While the B-24’s potential as a troop carrier may have looked good on paper, the logistics behind turning these bombers into transport aircraft subjected passengers to a potentially deadly situation. The ideal location for extra passengers would have been closer to the tail of the aircraft, but that would make the plane much more difficult to fly. Instead, passengers had to ride on precarious wooden seats installed in the bomb bay.
The 11th Airborne Division was selected to drop onto Atsugi Airdrome as part of the Army of Occupation if the Japanese were to surrender. First, though, they had to be moved from…
View original post 520 more words
Bombing of Hill 2380 – Luzon
While the fighting continued on Luzon, Gen. Kenney, Commander of the 5th Air Force, was requested to go to Washington. Plans for the operation (Olympic) to invade Japan were certainly in the works and had been for quite a while, Kenney told Gen. Marshall that they could land there any time they could get the ships to take in the troops.
He felt the Allies had enough troops, Navy and air power in the Pacific, and Japan was about through. He added that he did not believe it necessary to wait for Hitler to fold nor did they need help from the Russians to beat Japan. Marshall did not agree with him and added that they might have to land in China first.
Kenney retorted that the effort to go into China could be used for Kyushu. “It was common knowledge that the Japs had been putting out peace feelers for some time and I believed they would quit by the 1st of July or by September 1st at the latest.” The end result was decided that the occupation of Kyushu would be tentatively set for December 1945!!
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Carl Aiken – Rosman, NC; US Army Air Corps, 11th Airborne Division, Recon unit
Derek Boyd – Sussex, ENG; British Navy, WWII
Joseph ‘George’ Frumkin – Bronx, NY; US Air Force, Korea
Jack George – Juneau, AK; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Lt., B-24 pilot, 15th Air Force
Leonard Loffler – Washington DC; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, P-51 pilot
Clarence Michalis – NYC, NY; US Navy, WWII, USS Hall, Lt. (Lattington mayor)
Silas Peaslee – Yarmouth, ME; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
Theodore Perry – Buckfield, ME; US Navy, WWII, PTO
Anthony Silvia – Middletown, RI; USMC, WWII, PTO, Pfc, Co. G/2nd Batt/7th/1st Marine Division, Purple Heart, KIA
Murray Wallace – NZ; RNZ Navy # 5728, WWII
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Current News from GP Cox
Personal Note — Pacific Paratrooper and GP Cox will be offline while the computer is in for maintenance. Hopefully I will be able to pop in now and again on a friend’s laptop, but during my absence, I wish you all (even those abroad) a fun and safe (and spooky) Halloween.
In the meantime, I leave you this very interesting video and hope you find it interesting and informative. Thank you all for having always been here for me !!
The 5th Air Force, under Gen. George Kenney, in New Guinea 1942-1944
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