Air Force Combat Units of WWII

306 AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR I1Aug 1943; Col William B Whitacre, 29Nov 1943; Lt Col Ben A Garland, 17 Dec1944; Lt Col Frank W Hansley, 15 Sep1945; Col Adriel N Williams, I Oct 1945-31 Jul 1946. Col Wallace L Linn, I May1951; Lt Col Jack F Linn, 20 Feb 1952-I Feb 1953.CAMPAIGNS. American Theater; Normandy;Northern France; Rhineland;Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.DECORATIONS. Distinguished Unit Citation:France, [67] Jun 1944. FrenchCroix de Guerre with Palm: 61 Jun 1944;20-28 Aug 1944. French Fourragere.INSIGNE. Shield: Or, in chief a pair ofstylized wings erect and conjoined azure,between a chevronel reversed gules; issuingfrom base a demi-sphere with land markingsazure, longitude and latitude linesargent, thereover a parachute of the last;the sphere surmounting the apex of thechevronel. (Approved 10 Oct 1952.)43 5 th TROOP CARRIER GROUPConstituted as 435th Troop CarrierGroup on 30 Jan 1943. Activated on 25Feb 1943. Used C-47’s and G53’s inpreparing for duty overseas with NinthAF. Moved to England, Oct-Nov 1943,and began training for participation inthe airborne operation over Normandy.Entered combat on D-Day 194 by droppingparatroops of IoIst Airborne Divisionnear Cherbourg; towed Wac0 andHorsa gliders carrying reinforcements tothat area on the afternoon of D-Day andon the following morning; received a*.:DUC for its part in the Normandy invasion.Began transport services followingthe landings in France and intermittentlyengaged in missions of this typeuntil V-E Day; hauled supplies such asserum, blood plasma, radar sets, clothing,rations, and ammunition, and evacuatedwounded personnel to Allied hospitals.Interrupted supply and evacuation missionsto train for and participate in threemajor airborne assaults. A detachmentthat was sent to Italy in Jul 1944 for theinvasion of Southern France dropped paratroopsover the assault area on 15 Augand released gliders carrying troops andequipment such as jeeps, guns, and ammunition;flew a resupply mission overFrance on 16 Aug; and then transportedsupplies to bases in Italy before returningto England at the end of the month. InSep 1944 the group participated in the airattack on Holland, dropping paratroopsof 82d and IoIst Airborne Divisions andreleasing gliders carrying reinforcements.Moved to France in Feb 1945 for the airborneassault across the Rhine; each air-