349th Troop Carrier Group
October 1943 to September 1946
United States of America
TYPE: USAAF unit
IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil
HEADQUARTERS: Sedalia AAF, MO (1943-1944), Alliance AAF, NE (1944), Pope Field, NC (1944-1945), Baer Field, IN (1945), RAF Barkston Heath, UK (1945), Roye-Amy, France (1945), Bergstrom AAF, TX (1945-1946)
FORMER NAME: Nil
SUBSEQUENT NAME: 349th Troop Carrier Group, Medium (when reactivated 1949)
Commandos operated, squadron or station unknown:
The 349th Troop Carrier Group was established on 23 October 1943, and activated on 1 November 1943 at Sedalia AAF, MO. It was a mixed C-47 Skytrain and C-46 Commando group, and was also assigned Waco gliders. The group spend over a year in the USA, training for troop carrier operations under I Troop Carrier Command, participating in maneuvers and practicing paratroop drops, glider towing, and flying training, mainly from Pope Field, NC. It was finally deployed to Europe in March 1945, and alternatively became part of the 50th and 52nd Troop Carrier Wings, under IX Troop Carrier Command. It flew exclusively non-combat missions, centered around the transportation of vehicles, gasoline, and supplies. At the end of the war, the group evacuated patients and former allied POWs before returning to America in July and August 1945. The 349th was inactivated on 7 September 1946, after a period training Chinese crews to operate the Commando.
The 349th Troop Carrier Group was composed of the following troop carrier squadrons, which were equipped at some point with Commandos: