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438th Troop Carrier Group

Group

  • Lieutenant Gilbert Estelle (centre), a pilot of the 438th Troop Carrier Group with his crew and their C-47 Skytrain nicknamed

    Lieutenant Gilbert Estelle (centre), a pilot of the 438th Troop Carrier Group with his crew and their C-47 Skytrain nicknamed "Sugar Puss" at Greenham Common. Image via Gilbert Estelle. Written on slide casing: '438 TCG.'

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  • T/Sgt John 'Jack' R Hillmer 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF.

    T/Sgt John 'Jack' R Hillmer 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF.

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  • Flight Officer John Edmund Wright Glider pilot and acting C-47 Co-pilot 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF.

    Flight Officer John Edmund Wright Glider pilot and acting C-47 Co-pilot 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF.

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  • 1st Lt Mercer W Avent 89th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF.

    1st Lt Mercer W Avent 89th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF.

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  • Flt. Officer John Edmund Wright

    Flt. Officer John Edmund Wright

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  • The hulk of C-47 Q7-O of the 438th TCG - 90th TCS Somewhere in France.

    The hulk of C-47 Q7-O of the 438th TCG - 90th TCS Somewhere in France.

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  • Crew pose in front of C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day. Barney Blankenship (Navigator) is kneeling bottom left, John M Donalson (Pilot) is stood behind him. The Crew who flew the aircraft on D-Day were: Lt. Col. John M. Donalson, Command Pilot (438th Troop Carrier Group Commander) Lt. Col. David E. Daniel, Pilot (87th Squadron Commander) 1st Lt. Barney Blankenship, Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt. John N. Shallcross, Navigator, S.Sgt. Harry A. Chalfant, Crew Chief 2nd Lt. Robert G. Groswird, 2nd Navigator, S.Sgt. Woodrow S. Wilson, Radio Operator (wounded by flak during the D-Day mission).

    Crew pose in front of C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day. Barney Blankenship (Navigator) is kneeling bottom left, John M Donalson (Pilot) is stood behind him. The Crew who flew the aircraft on D-Day were: Lt. Col. John M. Donalson, Command Pilot (438th Troop Carrier Group Commander) Lt. Col. David E. Daniel, Pilot (87th Squadron Commander) 1st Lt. Barney Blankenship, Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt. John N. Shallcross, Navigator, S.Sgt. Harry A. Chalfant, Crew Chief 2nd Lt. Robert G. Groswird, 2nd Navigator, S.Sgt. Woodrow S. Wilson, Radio Operator (wounded by flak during the D-Day mission).

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  • C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day. Arrow indicates the distinctive dome housing the SCR-717 radar underneath the belly.

    C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day. Arrow indicates the distinctive dome housing the SCR-717 radar underneath the belly.

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  • C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day. The photo shows some of the paratroopers wearing helmets covered with fabric scrim strips for camouflage. The soldier in the bottom right hand corner is carrying his reserve parachute on his upper chest or

    C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day. The photo shows some of the paratroopers wearing helmets covered with fabric scrim strips for camouflage. The soldier in the bottom right hand corner is carrying his reserve parachute on his upper chest or "rezzie" and below that is his musette pack which was very loved by airborne, tankers, officers, marines and any soldier that could find one. They were better than the M1928 haversack which was standard issue for the infantry where the entrenching tool "spade" was attached to it and couldn't be used with a parachute and was very uncomfortable sitting down in an aircraft or apc "armored personnel carrier" because the entrenching tool shaft would dig into your back.

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  • C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day.

    C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day.

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Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Welford February 1944 – March 1944
Based Greenham Common March 1944 – February 1945
Based Prosnes February 1945 – 8 May 1945

Connections

People

  • George Addis

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 87TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Piloted C-47A 42-100745 from US to ETO. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Mercer Avent

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. On mission to Denain / Pouvry, France went into an inverted dive and crashed into the ground at Jacobs Well, Guildford. It seemed the 5,000lb of cargo had shifted, disrupting the aircraft's Centre of Gravity. 25...

  • Barney Blankenship

    Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Co-Pilot of C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day.

  • Robert Brown

    Military | Captain | Glider Pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 88TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Under tow by C-47A 42-100756, broke through overcast and tow rope released prematurely, in manoeuvring cut wing tip off on adjacent A/C's tow rope. Lost control and span in 6 miles NW Bruges. Killed in Action (KIA)...

  • Alfred Buckner

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Glider pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 90th TCS, 438th TCG, 9AF USAAF. Crashed structural failure 1/2 mile W of Newbury/Sta 486, Died non Battle (DNB), 12-Dec-44. Awards: AM (OLC), EAME (2 x bronze stars), PH.

  • George Buhl

    Military | Flight Officer | Glider Pilot | 437th Troop Carrier Group
    He entered the service on 19 August 1941 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enlisted as a Private in the Air Corps; he had four years of high school education, was single, without dependents and his civilian occupation was listed as: "Architects". ...

  • Carl Cary

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) glider tow mission to Eindhoven, Holland. Hit by flak in port engine and wing, left formation released glider from tow and went into dive from which it did not recover. Crashed Retie, Belgium...

  • Robert Casperson

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio operator | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 88TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) re-supply mission to Bastogne, on run in to DZ, for reasons unknown, A/C went into a power dive and crashed. 23-Dec-44. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 11024 Awards: AM (OLC), PH.

  • Harry Chalfant

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Crew Chief | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Crew Chief of C-47 Skytrain 42-92847 'That's All Brother' of 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AF. Lead ship of Mission Albany the air dropping of 6600 US paratroops into Normandy, France on the eve of D-Day.

  • Harry Croke

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 438th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 90th TCS, 438th TCG, 9AF USAAF. Crashed structural failure 1/2 mile W of Newbury/Sta 486, Died non Battle (DNB), 12-Dec-44. Awards: AM (OLC), PH.

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Aircraft

  • 42-100770 'Little Jo'

    C-47 Skytrain
    Belonged to the 89th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 438th Troop Carriers Group that was at the start of the D-Day invasion, dropping the 101st Airborne at Drop Zone A near St. Mere-Eglise. Later took part in the Southern France invasion and Operation...

  • 42-24102

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 88TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Operation Varsity [Rhine crossing]. A/C was taking small arms and anti aircraft fire over DZ, paratroopers dispatched, A/C still intact. Seen to veer away from the formation and dive,...

  • 42-79442

    CG-4A Haig
    Assigned to 88TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Under tow by C-47A 42-100756, broke through overcast and tow rope released prematurely, in manoeuvring cut wing tip off on adjacent A/C's tow rope. Lost control and span in 6 miles NW Bruges. 7 x Killed in Action ...

  • 42-92087

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 88TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) re-supply mission to Bastogne, on run in to DZ, for reasons unknown, A/C went into a power dive and crashed with the loss of the crew. 23-Dec-44. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 11024. ...

  • 43-15500

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 90TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) St Dizier Over the Channel and on approach to French coast on instruments and in icing conditions crashed 15 miles SE of Saint-Valery-en-Caux. 3-Dec-44. 4 x Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 10533...

  • 43-40145

    CG-4A Haig
    Assigned to 88TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Whilst landing in field in LZ, took small arms fire, no one emerged from glider. 3 x Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 6269. ...

  • 42-92847 'That's All Brother'

    C-47 Skytrain
    Lead aircraft of Mission Albany the US airborne drop on the eve of D-Day. Led 432 aircraft dropping 6,600 paratroopers behind enemy lines on the Cotentin Peninsula of Normandy. ...

  • LJ132

    Horsa
    Airspeed Horsa glider LJ132, assigned to 90th TCS, 438th TCG, 9AF USAAF. Crashed 1/2mile W of Newbury/Sta 486. Structural failure, port elevator tore loose from the horizontal stabilizer, pilot 2Lt A C Buckner and copilot 2Lt H R Croke Died non Battle...

  • 42-24190 'Sugar Puss'

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 90TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Damaged by Flak, limped back to RAF Warmwell after Crew Chief Sgt Porto spliced fuel lines in the air !! Sold post war into civilian hands and served on US, Canadian and Peruvian airlines.

  • 42-100766 'Lilly Bell II'

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Participated in the invasion of South France[Op Dragoon] initially dropping paratroopers and then towing reinforcements in gliders. ...

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Citations

None

Air Force
9th
Type
Not yet known
Type category
Not yet known
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
10 February 2017 11:56:58 general ira snapsorter Changes to stations
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 Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:45 AAM AAM ingest
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)

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