Commando 42-96721
Aircraft Identification
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
Operational Record
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:
2nd Lt Sidney L. Murphy, Pilot
2nd 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.