Commando 42-96721

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96721

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30383

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU919

FATE: Written off

  August 1944 to January 1945

  42-96721 - USAAF (USA)

30 August 1944

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

28 September 1944

Assigned to ATC India-China Division, 1333rd AAF Base Unit, based in Chabua, Assam, India.

6 January 1945

Went missing over the China-Burma-India theatre (13/13 missing).

Crew:
2^nd Lt Sidney L. Murphy, Pilot
2^nd Lt Delmar K. Brown, Copilot
PFC Edmund T. Murphy, Crew Chief
Cpl Alvin P. Palecek, Radio Operator

The Commando was operating a cargo flight from Kunming, Yunnan, China to Chabua, Assam, India. The crew was last contacted by radio, and after that was neither seen nor heard from again. It was noted along the route that planes were experiencing severe icing.

7 January 1945

Condemned for salvage.