Officers and Enlisted Men gather in front of this unidentified Douglas Aircraft Co. (DK) Tulsa Oklahoma produced C-47 or Douglas, Santa Monica California (DO) produced C-53, assigned to the 306th TCS with the Radio Call Letter P. The aircraft has alternating white and black aerial recognition “invasion” stripes painted on the wings and fuselage, applied in late May or the first week of June 1944. The nose of this C-47 carries the artwork of Alberto Vargas, and what appears to be the name: "PRECIOUS CARGO". The aircraft serial number is not visible in this photograph. The absence of a large port side cargo door may indicate that this is 306th TCS C-53D-DO 42-68840. This photo was taken at RAF Barkston Heath and shows the Commanding Officer of the 52nd TCW, Brigadier General Harold Clark (facing away from the photographer, in the center of the group) visiting the 61st TCG. The Dalmatian in the photo was named “Major Jerry”, mascot of the 61st TCG. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron 442nd Troop Carrier Group England-France-Germany 1944-1945 |
This page is specifically for the aircraft assigned to the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron (7H), 442nd Troop Carrier Group, 50th Troop Carrier Wing, 9th Troop Carrier Command. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-5-DK 42-92418 with the tail radio call letter N (7H-N). This is the 2nd aircraft in the 306th TCS to carry the tail letter N. This photo is attributed to have been taken in Metz, France with the pilot being Roger W. Moser Jr from Washington D.C. The aircraft has been readied for pulling a glider and carries the Chalk number 44 on the side for OPERATION VARSITY, March 24th 1945. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-5-DK 42-92418 with the tail radio call letter N (7H-N). This is the 2nd aircraft in the 306th TCS to carry the tail letter N. This photo is attributed to have been taken in Metz, France with the pilot being Roger W. Moser Jr from Washington D.C. with his crew. The aircraft has been readied for pulling a glider and carries the Chalk number 44 on the side for OPERATION VARSITY, March 24th 1945. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-80-DL 43-15140 with the tail radio call letter K (7H-K). This aircraft flew on June 6th 1944, Mission Boston, Serial 26, Chalk 43, Pilot 1st Lt. James M. Myers. The aircraft has seven white squares with a cross through them for medical evacuation missions, painted above the first cargo area window. This aircraft served after WWII with the Illinois Air National Guard and was later civil registered as PK-AKJ. She later served with Fuerza Aerea Columbia as FAC-1122 and then HK-3176. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-80-DL 43-15132 7H-A Able “Droopy Drawers” |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-15-DK 42-92879 7H-T Tare “Uncle John The Kansas Jayhawker”. This aircraft has been re-assigned to the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron with her previous nose code being painted over and 7H applied. In front of and above the first cargo area window appears to be two parachutes and one white square with a cross through it for medical evacuation mission. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-80-DL 43-15137 with the tail radio call letter H (7H-H). This aircraft flew on June 6th 1944, Mission Boston, Serial 26, Chalk 40, Pilot 1st Lt. Buckley A. Maynard; September 17th 1944 Operation Market Garden, Serial A-10, Chalk 76, Pilot 1st Lt. Buckley A. Maynard and March 24th 1945 Operation Varsity, Serial A-20, Chalk 48, Pilot 1st Lt Rufus Y. Norris. Photo from (342-FH Box 76 A18095) National Archives. |
306th TCS C-47A-80-DL 43-15099 7H-O and C-47A-80-DL 43-15132 7H-A. This photo is believed to have been taken April 10th 1945, Operations Orders Number 100, Wg Mission #193, Command Mission #512, dispatch sixteen C-47 a/c to A-39 (Châteaudun, France) for the purpose of procuring gas loads and ferry to Airfield Y-67 (Gelnhausen, Germany). This photo is believed to have been taken at Airfield Y-67 (Gelnhausen, Germany), Gelnhausen Germany, a former Luftwaffe airbase. In this photo, nose art has been applied to the front of the aircraft. Photo from (342-FH Box 76 A18095) National Archives. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron 7H-R C-47A-15-DK 42-92865 C/N 12713 "Sack Time" "Acme Fast Freight" Top left and right photo: The photo to the above right shows 7H-R and 7H-S, which has been cropped from the original photo, flying over very high snow capped mountains. Both aircraft carry six Type A-5 parapack bundles under the aircraft. Alternating white/black invasion stripes, previously painted on the empennage, which have clearly worn off, with only the slightest remnants of black remaining. These markings known as "Invasion Stripes" were applied for the invasion of Normandy, France, June 6th 1944 and have been clearly cited as being present during "Operation Market" September 17th 1944, the airborne invasion of Holland. Both photos show a triangle with the last three digits of the aircraft serial number painted in white on the nose. 306th Troop Carrier Squadron 7H-R C-47A-15-DK 42-92865, bottom five photos. This shows 865 undergoing engine maintenance at an St Andre de L'Eure, April 1945. Clearly written under the co-pilot window is LT R I Ayers. LT Richard I. Ayers, also known as "Dick", was later killed in an A-20 Havoc crash in Northern Ireland, June 19th 1945. The aircraft clearly shows that the nose art preceded the addition of the words "Acme Fast Freight". The engine replacement photos, dated April 1945, do not have "Acme Fast Freight" painted on the side of the aircraft. Later photos show the additional markings applied to the fuselage side. Above left photo from SSgt Charles C. Smith, ASN 18116777, Headquarters Squadron, 442nd Troop Carrier Group. Above right photo courtesy, Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover Delaware. Above bottom five photos courtesy David Thomas via Richard Ayers estate. |
Another photo of 306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47 7H-T. The original photo, taken from a 306th TCS veteran, has the caption "Pearson T-Tare on the wing". The reference to "Pearson" is for Leonard E. Pearson of Otsego Michigan, who was assigned to the 306th TCS. Tare is the phonetic letter for "T". 306th Troop Carrier Squadron Veteran Sgt Earl (Jack) Thuneman, ASN 17133102, photo album via son Paul Thuneman |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47 7H. 306th Troop Carrier Squadron Veteran Sgt Earl (Jack) Thuneman, ASN 17133102, photo album via son Paul Thuneman |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47's. Multiple aircraft from the 306th TCS are shown in this photo. None of the aircraft have the diamond with last three digits of the serial number on the nose. Photo from "Ce Travail A Ete Concu A Paris Dans Le Souvenir De La Liberation De L'Europe Par Les G.I." Presented to Frank Ehrman by Col. Mike M. Smith, 442nd Troop Carrier Group for the Historical Files of the 50th Troop Carrier Wing. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 7H-U, above left and right photo. On September 17th 1944, during Operation Market - the airborne invasion of Holland, C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 7H-U was being flown by 1st Lieutenant Thomas H. Mills (Pilot), Flight Officer John K. Barber (Co-Pilot), with crew 1st Lieutenant Olin H. Jennings (Navigator), Staff Sergeant Rollin R. Bailey (Radio Operator) and Staff Sergeant Jessie H. Beal (Crew Chief). The aircraft deployed her paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division, Serial A-10 over Drop Zone B. During the return from the Drop Zone, 42-100874 was hit by flak and her pilot conducted an emergency landing in a field near Geel, Belgium. Flight Officer Barber and S/Sgt Beal bailed out before it was too low for a safe jump. The others, 1st Lieutenants Mills and Jennings with S/Sgt Bailey survived the actual crash. The aircraft managed to hit the only obstacle in the otherwise clear field: a 45 ton German Jagdpanther which had belonged to 1. Kompanie of the schwere Panzer-Jäger Abteilung 559 and was disabled sometime between September 10th - 12th, 1944. C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 had previously served with the 439th Troop Carrier Group for Mission Albany - Serial 12, Chalk 60, Pilot: 2nd Lt. James A. Schulze, June 6th 1944 – Normandy. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-90-DL 43-16048 7H-Y, above left and right photo. C-47A-90-DL 43-16048 previously served with the 27th Air Transport Group, as shown in the left photo. The aircraft carries the stripes for the 27th ATG on the top of the tail with 5A on the nose. The alternating white/black/white stripes have been painted on the empennage for use on June 6th 1944 through the Fall of 1944. C-47A-90-DL 43-16048 7H-Y in service with the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, right photo. The markings for the 27th ATG are no longer on the tail, and the radio call letter Y has been added above the aircraft serial number. In this photo, C-47A 43-16048 is shown ferrying prisoners of war. The photo is marked "Prints and negs. rec'd 17 April 1945 from BPR". Photo from National Archives, War Theatre #12 (Germany) Prisons and Prisoners |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-15-DK 42-92918 7H-S, above four photos. The top two photos, the aircraft carries six Type A-5 parapack bundles under the aircraft. The alternating white/black invasion stripes, previously painted on the empennage, which have clearly worn off, with only the slightest remnants of black are remaining. These markings known as "Invasion Stripes" were applied for the invasion of Normandy, France, June 6th 1944 and have been clearly cited as being present during "Operation Market" September 17th 1944, the airborne invasion of Holland. A triangle with the last three digits of the aircraft serial number 918 is painted in white on the nose. Top left and right photo courtesy, Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover Delaware. The second two photos are also of C-47A-15-DK 42-92918, previously 7H-S of the 306th TCS 442nd TCG, but the 7H has been painted-over on the nose with reassignment Z4 of the 301st TCS 441st TCG with the radio call tail letters AE. The 441st remained overseas after the war as part of United States Air Forces in Europe, performing occupation duty from Frankfurt Germany. The aircraft carries the 306th TCS name The Georgia Peach on the side of the cockpit with a white triangle painted on the nose with the only visible part of the serial number painted below: 8. The original photo on the left is marked "Peralta Looking Hot" and the photo to the right "The Peach taking a rest in Munich, Germany". It should be noted that a C-47 in the background has 7H painted on the nose. Above left and right photo from 306th Troop Carrier Squadron Veteran Sgt Earl (Jack) Thuneman, ASN 17133102, photo album via son Paul Thuneman |
An unknown 306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47 with 7H crudely painted over previous squadron markings. This aircraft serial number is currently unknown. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47 7H with Sgt Earl J. Thuneman. The aircraft serial number in the photo is currently unknown. 306th Troop Carrier Squadron Veteran Sgt Earl (Jack) Thuneman, ASN 17133102, photo album via son Paul Thuneman |
C-47A-80-DL 43-15134 7H-E, above three photos. The top photo shows 7H-E next to engine maintenance at an St Andre de L'Eure, April 1945. The bottom photo shows 7H-E in flight. The alternating white/black/white stripes on the fuselage, painted for the June 6th 1944 invasion of Normandy France, have completely worn off from the upper part of the fuselage. Photo courtesy David Thomas via Richard Ayers estate. The third photo is C-47A 43-15134 7H E in Nice, France July 26th 1944. The aircraft has ten white squares with a cross through them for med-evac missions, painted above the first cargo area window. |
Another photo of 306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47 7H-T. The nose art in this photo is a mermaid. Above photo courtesy David Thomas via Richard Ayers estate. |
306th TCS C-47A-80-DL 43-15138 7H-I, C-47A-10-DK 42-92743 7H-Q and C-47A-80-DL 43-15133 7H-D. This photo is believed to have been taken at Saltzburg Austria or Munich Germany, as written on the reverse of the photo. Photo courtesy David Thomas via Richard Ayers estate. |
C-47A-80-DL 43-15143, above left and right photo. First loss of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron: The Air Echelon of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron left Baer Field, Fort Wayne Indiana, its overseas destination on March 10th 1944. Seven of the thirteen C-47s that took off from Baer Field on March 10th 1944 arrived on the 27th of March 1944 at RAF Fulbeck, England. Enroute, one airplane crashed North of Dakar, North Africa. The remaining five aircraft lagged behind due to mechanical failures. By April 11, 1944 all aircraft had reached RAF Fulbeck, USAAF Station 488. The aircraft that crashed from the from the 306th TCS was C-47A-80-DL 43-15143 near Yundum Airfield, Gambia, West Africa, March 22nd 1944. The starboard engine of 43-15143 started losing oil pressure shortly after leaving Roberts Field, Liberia that morning. The engine finally stopped completely. An attempted emergency landing was made at nearest 'friendly' air strip, but overshot the runway. The aircraft crashed about 300 yards past runway and burst into flames with 8 personnel on board. Three Service Members were killed in the crash: 2nd Lt. George E. Wuenschel Jr. (Pilot); 2nd Lt. Daniel Morris Holenshade Jr. (Co-Pilot) and S/Sgt. William Dean S. Kincaid Jr. Two Service Members were pulled from the aircraft, but later died from their injuries: Sgt. William A. Cooper and Cpl Lester L. Zornes, (Radio Op). Sgt. William E. Richards, Sgt. Clemence D. Turbeville and the Navigator, 2nd Lt. James H. O'Brien Jr. survived the crash. |
The 306th Troop Carrier Squadron took off from Baer Field, Indiana for overseas movement on March 10th 1944. At this point, the squadron had thirteen aircraft assigned to it. The first stop in the South Atlantic Flight Route was Homestead Army Air Field, Homestead Florida. The aircraft arrived there on March 10th 1944, and were given Operations Orders Number 50 from Headquarters Station #8 CAR-ATC. The movement orders for the flight echelons were given Shipment Number 1601-EZ The rest of the squadron would travel via the Queen Mary: Shipment Number 1601-AZ |
This is a copy of the original Operations Orders Number 50, dated March 10th 1944, above two photos. The aircraft for the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron were assigned the following Shipment Numbers: - C-47A 43-15132 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 1 - Pilot: Major Royal S. Thompson O-411737, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. David F. Montgomery O-687617, Navigator: 2nd Lt. Robert D. Warrington O-707153, Engineer: Cpl Kenneth K. Keith 34360034, Radio Operator: S/Sgt Donald J. Turner 15017588 with passengers 2nd Lt. John Corsetti O-696556, 1st Lt. Therold J. Rathgeb O-576000 and 1st Lt. John V. Welling O-581337. - C-47A 43-15065 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 2 - Pilot: 2nd Lt. Thomas H. Mills O-755730, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Rufus Y. Norris O-696654, Engineer: Cpl. Jesse H. Beal 19005486 and Radio Operator: Cpl. Rollin R. Bailey 37477111 - C-47A 43-15134 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 4 - Pilot: Major Charles M. Smith O-348866, Co-Pilot: 1st Lt. Cornell C. Houston O-465211, Engineer: S/Sgt Sebastian T. Raffa 12015615, Radio Operator: Cpl. Charles F. Brown 11067632 with passengers Capt Thomas Bauch O-649153, T/Sgt Francis H. Christman Jr 32402037 and 2nd Lt. William A. Wright O-753478 - C-47A 43-15136 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 5 - Pilot: 1st Lt. Delbert J. Ervin O-740091, Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. William A. Atchison O-702742, Navigator: 2nd Lt. Richard P. Ward O-706992, Engineer: Sgt. Pedro P. Garcia 32628246, Radio Operator: Cpl. Andrew J. Bubenik 32873970 with passengers S/Sgt Howard R. Green 17077857, PFC Herbert C. D. Kelly 32726888 and Cpl. Don A. Eggspuechler 37668085 - C-47A 43-15090 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 6 - Pilot: 1st Lt. Robert E. Veatch O-677339, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Wilbourn I. McNutt O-686257, Engineer: Cpl. Jack Spicknell 33678342 and Radio Operator: Cpl. Stephen M. Cortman 32822219 - C-47A 43-15137 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 7 - Pilot: Major Alan D. Moore O-412184, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Elmer W. Ambler O-816197, Engineer: S/Sgt Francis A. Kline Jr 13145545, Radio Operator: Cpl. Vernon F. Coss 17098809 with passengers Major Paul Tison O-905945, 2nd Lt. Howard H. Baker O-756790 and WOJG Ruban C. Compton W-2130546 - C-47A 43-15138 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 9 - Pilot: 1st Lt. Murrell Van Blarcom O-678348, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. James D. Bahrt Jr O-808239, Navigator: 2nd Lt. Harry C. Ward Jr O-706990, Engineer: Cpl. Robert A. Glover 35090185, Radio Operator: Cpl. William J. Cronin Jr 33738277 with passengers S/Sgt Jay H. Moyer 6949630, 2nd Lt. Roy F. Weeks Jr O-756365 and Sgt. Morris Haber 32318655 - C-47A 43-15139 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 10 - Pilot: 2nd Lt. William J. McCormick Jr O-809016, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. William R. Miller O-693156, Engineer: Sgt. Nicholas J. Carone 32723487, Radio Operator: Cpl. J. B. Powell 18120997 with passengers S/Sgt. Robert W. Thomas 14061910, T/Sgt Edward F. Olechovsky 33293792 and 1st Lt. Livingston Platt Jr O-860861 - C-47A 43-15140 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 11 - Pilot: 1st Lt. James M. Myers O-522723, Co-Pilot: 1st Lt. Ardell C. Tiedeman O-441299, Navigator: 2nd Lt. William M. Stock O-706984, Engineer: Cpl. Thomas E. Brown 35352704, Radio Operator: Cpl. Norman E. Rose 39411788 with passengers S/Sgt Jack L. Graham 19038317, T/Sgt. Louis A. Flynn 14040757 and S/Sgt Anthony Salerno 37467889 - C-47A 43-15141 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 12 - Pilot: 1st Lt. Buckley A. Maynard O-529480, Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Samuel H. Bailey Jr O-816201, Engineer: Cpl. Roy A. Hermanson 32863005, Radio Operator: Cpl. Robert B. Waters 14092966 with passengers S/Sgt. Donald G. Schwartz 33557057, 1st Lt. William D. Smith Jr O-433333 and S/Sgt. Arnold L. Flato 32174529 - C-47A 43-15142 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 13 - Pilot: 2nd Lt. Charles B. Bachtell O-696533, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Billy Imboden Jr O-753360, Engineer: Cpl. Floyd H. Webb 36817248, Radio Operator: Cpl. Harry J. Williams Jr 34546017 with passengers S/Sgt Earl A. Bittner 15062999, Sgt. Richard F. Young 12134207 and 2nd Lt. Richard I. Ayers O-816199 NOTE: There are only eleven of thirteen aircraft listed on this document. Shipment Number 1601-EZ 3 and 1601-EZ 8 are not listed. |
This is a copy of the original second set of Operations Orders Number 50, dated March 10th 1944, above photo. This aircraft for the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron were assigned the following Shipment Numbers: - C-47A 43-15143 Shipment Number 1601-EZ 8 - Pilot: 2nd Lt. George E. Wuenschel Jr. O-808637, Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Daniel Morris Holenshade Jr. O-696465, Navigator: 2nd Lt. James H. O'brien O-800261, Engineer: Sgt. William A. Cooper 36565507, Radio Operator: Cpl. Lester L. Zornes 39463735 with passengers Sgt. William E. Richards 16101868, Sgt. Clemence D. Turbeville 34644662 and S/Sgt. William Dean S. Kincaid Jr. 15063774. It should be noted that the Navigator, 2nd Lt. James H. O'brien Jr., was assigned to the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron for this flight only and was instructed upon completion of this mission to return to his home station of Homestead Army Air Field Florida. Shipment Number 1601-EZ 3 is also not contained in this document. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron 7H-R C-47A-15-DK 42-92865 C/N 12713 "Sack Time" "Acme Fast Freight", above photo. |
306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47A-80-DL 43-15139, above photo. C-47A-80-DL 43-15139 was Chalk 45 flown into Normandy France Piloted by 2nd Lt. William J. McCormick Jr. On Monday September 18th, 1944 the aircraft was lost, flown by 1st Lt. William J. McCormick Jr. (Pilot) F/O Logan Atterbury (co-pilot), SSgt Nichalos J. Carone (engineer), SSgt James Powell (radio operator). The crew was rescued. Excerpt from McCormick, 1 Lt. William J, Jr.: Market Mission Narratives (442nd TCG/53rd TCW), RG 18, Entry 7, Box 118, USNARA.: 1st Lt. William J. McCormick Jr. of the 442nd TCG was pilot of C-47A 43-15139 on September 18th, 1944, on the first glider mission to Eindhoven. McCormick took off at 1240 hours on a glider tow mission towing a CG-4A Glider flown by F/O Herbert H. Bollum in Glider Chalk No. 64B. The objective was LZ W as prescribed in Field Order No. 4, located north of Eindhoven in Holland. About twenty-eight miles away from target, at Breda, Holland at 1600 we ran into an intense concentration of light flak and my left engine was hit. I couldn’t see any signs of smoke or fire at this time because of the position where the aircraft was hit, but F/O Bollum, whom I was towing, told me afterwards that smoke was pouring out of my left engine, from the time we were hit at Breda. I flew on to the LZ and released the glider over the objective at 1615. All this about the time the left engine was “running rough”. About twenty-two miles from the Dutch coast on the way back from the LZ, over the Channel at 51 degrees 49’ N-03 degrees 12’ E, my left engine went out. |
An unknown 306th Troop Carrier Squadron C-47, as seen through another C-47 window. The aircraft does not appear to have any nose art. Also missing are post-June 1944 "Invasion Stripes" on the fuselage. The aircraft also does not have a triangle painted on the nose as seen on later WWII 306th Troop Carrier aircraft. |
In 2018, after 10 years of research and consolidation of information, some of which is shown on this webpage, "History of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron 1943-1945" was published. This 8 1/2" x 11", 614 page book contains the daily history of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron from September 1943 through July 1945. The book also contains the individual service history of each member of the 306th TCS as well as the individual history and mission data for each aircraft assigned to the squadron. This includes OPERATION OVERLORD, June 6th 1944 Normandy France, OPERATION MARKET, September 17th-21st 1944 Holland and OPERATION VARSITY March 24th 1945 Germany The book is available on Amazon for $21.99 http://www.amazon.com/History-306th-Carrier-Squadron-1943-1945/ |
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 306TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON: |