The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-96773

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96773

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30435

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU971

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  September 1944

  42-96773 - USAAF (USA)


6 September 1944

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

  September 1944 to January 1947

  39558 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)


6 September 1944

Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.

11 September 1944

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

November 1944

Assigned to VMR-252, supported the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

June 1945

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-21.

October 1945

Assigned to MAG-21 Service Squadron (Servron-21).

November 1945

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-21.

January 1946

Assigned to VMR-353, probably based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

February 1946

Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).

1 April 1946

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

29 April 1946

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-33.

ca June 1946

Assigned to MAG-33 Service Squadron (Servron-33).

24 July 1946

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-25, based at NAS San Diego, CA.

August 1946

Assigned to MAG-25 Service Squadron (Servron-25).

31 October 1946

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

31 January 1947

Struck off charge as surplus.