Constituted as 2nd Air Commando Group on 11 Apr 1944 and
activated on 22
Apr. Trained for operations with P-51, C-47, and L-5
aircraft. Moved to
India, Sep-Nov 1944. Between Nov 1944 and May 1945
the group dropped supplies
to Allied troops who were fighting the
Japanese in the Chindwin Valley in
Burma; moved Chinese troops from
Burma to China; transported men, food,
ammunition, and construction
equipment to Burma; dropped Gurkha paratroops
during the assault on
Rangoon; provided fighter support for Allied forces
crossing the
Irrawaddy River in Feb 1945; struck enemy airfields and
transportation
facilities; escorted bombers to targets in the vicinity of
Rangoon;
bombed targets in Thailand; and flew reconnaissance missions. After
May
1945 the fighter squadrons were in training; in Jun the group's
C-47's
were sent to Ledo to move road-building equipment; during
Jun-Jul most of its
L-5's were turned over to Fourteenth AF. The group
returned to the US during
Oct-Nov 1945. Inactivated on 12 Nov 1945.
Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948.
Squadrons. 1st Fighter: 1944-1945. 2nd Fighter: 1944-1945.
127th
Liaison: 1944-1945. 155th Liaison: 1944-1945. 156th Liaison:
1944-1945.
317th Troop Carrier: 1944-1945.
Stations. Drew Field, Fla, 22 Apr-28 Sep 1944; Kalaikunda,
India, 12 Nov
1944-4 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 11-12 Nov 1945.
Commanders. Capt L H Couch, 22 Apr 1944; Col Arthur R
DeBolt, 1 May
1944; Col Alfred Ball Jr, 15 May 1945-unkn.
Campaigns. India-Burma; Central Burma.
Decorations. None. Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986 |
