Commando 44-77853

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77853

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33249

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1785

FATE: Unknown

  February 1945 to September 1947

  44-77853 - USAAF (USA)

---

February 1945

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 349^th Troop Carrier Group, 314^th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Bergstrom AAF, TX.

12 March 1946

Crew member Bartholomew F. McCarthy injured onboard during a mission 24 km northeast of San Angelo, TX.

  September 1947 to November 1965

  44-77853 - USAF (USA)

---

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 2472^nd Air Force Reserve Training Center based at Tinker AFB, OK.

30 March 1958

Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

  November 1965 to May 1967

  N57369 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)

---

22 November 1965

Transferred.

18 April 1966

Departed Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for Miami, FL. [AIIMF?]

  May 1967 to December 1967

  N57369 - TRADEWINDS CARGO INC. (USA)

---

8 May 1967

Registered.

Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.

29 June 1967

Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.

  December 1967 to February 1970

  VT-DWS - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)

---

7 December 1967

Registered.

Operated by the Aviation Research Center (ARC) of India with the technical support of the CIA as part of operation Oak Tree.

Based at Charbatia AB, Odisha, India, flying clandestine missions over Chinese-occupied Tibet.

  February 1970 to April 1973

  44-77853 - USAF (USA)

---

28 February 1970

Returned to the USAF.

Assigned to the 56^th Special Operations Wing based at Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand.

1 April 1973

Struck off charge.

Fate unknown, probably never left India.