The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-46983

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-46983

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 54

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK31

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  September 1944 to February 1945

  43-46983 - USAAF (USA)


1 September 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.

5 October 1944

Assigned to ATC India-China Division, Assam Wing, 1337th AAF Base Unit, based at Sookerating, Assam, India.

6 February 1945

Went missing somewhere over the China-Burma-India theatre (4/4 missing).

Crew:
1st Lt. Bernard A. Byers, Pilot
1st Lt. Joseph F. Huba, Copilot
Sgt. William P. Boley, Radio Operator
Pvt. Hugh D. Cummings, unknown role

The Commando was operating a cargo flight between Kunming, Yunnan, China and Sookerating, Assam, India with four crewmembers onboard. After airborne, they were contacted once by radio and were subsequently not seen nor heard from again. The entire crew was lost.

8 February 1945

Condemned for salvage, missing.