437th Troop Carrier Group

Group
C-47 Skytrains of the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group. media-408756.jpg FRE 3385 C-47 Skytrains of the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group. C47 No 42-100578 'WAGS WAGON' so called as the first pilot was 1st Lt Frank W Wagoner (SN )-801350), possibly the man standing far left with hands in pocket. Commanded by Lt Wagoner the A/c participated in Mission Detroit the 437th's initial glider tow into Normandy on June 6th 1944. Flying Formation Position 9, the Co-Pilot was FO Kenneth L A Gavin (SN T-122873), Navigator 2d Lt Ernest B Lampron (SN 0-1017653), Crew Chief T/Sgt Francis J Fallon (SN 37152383) and Radio Operator S/Sgt James W Rudd (SN 34447203). Roger Freeman Collection

Neil Stevens

Object Number - FRE 3385 - C-47 Skytrains of the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group. C47 No 42-100578 'WAGS WAGON' so called as the first pilot was 1st Lt...

Constituted as the 437th Troop Carrier Group on 15 April 1943, it was activated on 01 May 1943 in Dunnellon, FL. They trained with C-46 and C-47 aircraft for duty overseas with the Ninth Air Force. They moved to England during January and February of 1944 and begin preparing for the Normandy invasion (Operation Neptune in support of Overlord).



The group released gliders near Cherbourg early on June 6, 1944. They flew follow up missions on 06 and 07 June carrying reinforcements of troops, anti-aircraft pieces, ammunition, rations and other supplies for the 82nd Airborne Division; they received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for these actions in France.



A detachment was sent to Italy in July 1944 for the invasion of southern France (Operation Dragoon) in August. They dropped paratroops over the assault area on 15 August, flew a resupply mission on the following day and then hauled freight to bases in Italy until they returned to England on 24 August.



During the airborne attack on Holland (Market Garden), 17 to 25 September 1944 the group released gliders carrying troops and equipment and flew several resupply missions to provide reinforcements. In December 1944 they flew supply missions in support of the troops in Bastogne.



They moved to France in February 1945 for action during the air assault across the Rhine (Operation Varsity); each aircraft towed two gliders over the east bank and released them near Wesel on 24 March 1945.



They flew numerous missions in March and April to carry gasoline, food, medicine, and other supplies to ground forces pushing across Germany. When not participating in one of the major airborne operations, the organization continually transported ammunition, rations, clothing, and other supplies as well as evacuating wounded personnel to rear zone hospitals. They evacuated prisoners of war and displaced persons to relocation centers. After the V-E Day they returned to the US in August 1945. On 15 November 1945, the unit was inactivated.



The 437th Operations Group (437 OG) is an active United States Air Force unit. It is the flying component of the Eighteenth Air Force 437th Airlift Wing, stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina.The unit's World War II predecessor unit, the 437th Troop Carrier Group was a C-47 Skytrain transport unit assigned to Ninth Air Force in Western Europe. During the Normandy campaign, the group released gliders over Cherbourg and carried troops, weapons, ammunition, rations, and other supplies for the 82nd Airborne Division in Operation NEPTUNE.

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group Headquarters (437th Troop Carrier Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-22528
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Group Commander
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group Headquarters (437th Troop Carrier Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-22422
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: MILITARY | COLONEL | COMMANDER 437TH TCG - 12 June 1944 THROUGH 1945 | 437TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP Born on 12 November 1914 in Minnesota; Died on 12 August 2005 in California

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Ramsbury 5 February 1944 - 25 February 1945

Based

Coulommiers 25 February 1945

Based

Balderton 5 February 1944

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 439th Troop Carrier Group 85th Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39118494
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Glider Mechanic
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 85th Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35671582
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Crew Chief
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 86th Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38216003
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-124538
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Glider Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: C-47 Skytrain
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron
C-47 Skytrains of the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group.
  • Aircraft Type: C-47 Skytrain
  • Nicknames: Wags Wagon
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: C-47 Skytrain
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: C-47 Skytrain
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group
  • Aircraft Type: C-47 Skytrain
  • Unit: 437th Troop Carrier Group 84th Troop Carrier Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Corrected dates that the group were based at each airfield to bring the information in line with 'Air Force Combat Units of WWII', edited by M. Maurer: https://archive.org/details/AirForceCombatUnitsOfWorldWarIi

Date
Contributorjaxticotribute
Changes
Sources

25 April 2018 - extract from Wikipedia entry for 437th OG

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Contributorjaxticotribute
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437th TCG Association Reunion books

Date
Changes
Sources

Stations added with details from:
- "Battle Colors Volume III - Insignia and Tactical Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War Two' by Robert A. Watkins;

Date
Contributorjaxticotribute
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US Air Force Combat Units of World War II - ISBN 0-912799-02-1

Date
Contributorjaxticotribute
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Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II - ISBN 0-912799-02-1

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Contributorjaxticotribute
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Air Force Combat Units of World War II - AFD-100921-044
Action of the Tiger, Frank Guild, Jr

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Contributorjaxticotribute
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Their unit designation

Date
Contributorjaxticotribute
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Sources

437th TCG Mission orders #1 and #2 for the 'Detroit' (Serial #28) and 'Elmira' (Serial #30) Missions; they identify by serial # the aircraft and gliders that flew in each position - the Americans referred to the CG-4A as the 'WACO' - they were designed by the Weaver Aircraft Company

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

437th Troop Carrier Group: Gallery (23 items)