Commando 44-77713

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77713

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33109

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1645

FATE: Written off

  January 1945 to September 1947

  44-77713 - USAAF (USA)

January 1945

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

  September 1947 to September 1951

  44-77713 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 437^th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 86^th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Brady AB, Japan.

27 September 1951

Damaged beyond repair 40 km southwest of Tachikawa AB, Japan in a CFIT (14/14 fatalities).

Crew:
Maj Gordon G. Bell
S/Sgt Paul Bettman
2^nd Lt Charles A. Brewer
Cpt John W. Brown, Pilot
Maj Wallace E. Crawford
M/Sgt Michael A. Doherty
T/Sgt James T. Lilley
Cpt William E. Maher
Lt Gerald A. Martin
Pfc Cruz J. Martinez
Cpl Dario C. Monza
T/Sgt Donovan C. Morrison
Sgt Thomas A. Mulhern
2^nd Lt Lawrence J. Sassu

The Commando was returning from a supply mission to Korea. While approaching runway 19 at Tachikawa AB, Japan, it hit the slope of Mount Tanazawa. The aircraft was destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.