314th Troop Carrier Squadron

  October 1943 to July 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: 314^th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (when reactivated 1949)

The 314^th Troop Carrier Squadron was established on 23 October 1943, and activated on 1 November 1943 at Sedalia AAF, MO. It was assigned through 1951 to the 349^th Troop Carrier Group. It was initially a C-47 Skytrain squadron, with the C-46 Commando being introduced in 1944. The squadron spend over a year in the USA, training for troop carrier operations, 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, where its mission was the transportation of vehicles, gasoline, and supplies. It did not take part in combat operations, but did transport supplies and equipment to the front-line ground forces primarily into Germany and evacuated casualties to rear areas.

At the end of the war, the squadron took part in Operation Doomsday, and carried elements of the British 1^st Airborne Division to Norway which acted as a police force for the newly liberated country. Later, the squadron evacuated patients and former allied POWs before returning to America in September 1945. The 314^th was inactivated on 31 July 1946.

1944 to July 1946

• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77507, 44-77624, 44-77642