The Curtiss Commando Page
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India-China Wing / Division

  December 1942 to February 1946

  United States of America

TYPE: USAAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: New Delhi, India

FORMER NAME: India-China Ferry Command

OTHER NAMES: India-China Wing (1942-1944), India-China Division (1944-1946)

Commandos operated, group or station unknown:

Probably assigned to the India-China Wing / Division, group or station unknown:

Air Transport Command's India-China Wing was formed from a consolidation of equipment and personnel of former units of the disbanded India-China Ferry Command in December 1942. The latter had been established in July 1942 by the 10th Air Force to transport materiel to China over the Himalaya Mountains ("The Hump").

The India-China Wing's mission was the air transport of supplies, personnel, equipment and aircraft within India and China during World War II. It was one of nine overseas transport wings of ATC's Air Transportation Division, reporting directly to Division headquarters and not subject to control by theater commanders. It was also one of the few ATC wings to have its own assigned aircraft under the direct command of the wing commander. On 29 January 1944 the India-China Wing became the first non-combat organization to be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, at the personal direction of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for its efforts flying the Hump.

On 1 July 1944, ATC reorganized worldwide and the nine wings became divisions, the India-China Wing becoming the India-China Division, subdivided into the Assam Wing & India Wing. From 1 December 1944, a China Wing and a Bengal Wing were added to the division. The India-China Division was inactivated on 15 February 1946.

Between 1 December 1942 and 1 December 1943, the India-China Wing's flying components were transport groups and squadrons. After that ATC discarded the standard group & squadron structure and adopted a more flexible system, identifying its units by their station number. The list of groups below thus only pertains to the early days of the India-China Wing, whereas station numbers later assigned are listed in the airport section of this website:

Categories

  • 1st Transport Group

      1 July 1943 to 1 December 1943

      United States of America

    TYPE: USAAF unit

    IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

    HEADQUARTERS: Chabua, Assam, India

    FORMER NAME: 1st Ferrying Group

    SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

    Commandos operated, squadron unknown:

    Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Commando: 41-12411, 41-12413, 41-12414, 41-12417, 41-12423, 41-12425

    Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando: 41-24666

    The 1st Ferrying Group and its three squadrons were activated on 7 March 1942 in the USA. They moved on 17 March to Karachi, Sindh, India, where they reported to the 10th Air Force. The group moved to Dinjan, Assam, India for a short period, then it transferred over to Chabua in the summer of 1942 and started "Hump" operations. In December 1942, the group was transferred to the newly-created Air Transport Command India-China Wing. The first Commandos were received in the spring of 1943, as a complement to C-47s. On 1 July 1943, the unit was renamed 1st Transport Group. It was composed of the following squadrons:

  • 22nd Transport Group

      1 July 1943 to 1 December 1943

      United States of America

    TYPE: USAAF unit

    IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

    HEADQUARTERS: Jorhat, Assam, India

    FORMER NAME: 22nd Ferrying Group

    SUBSEQUENT NAME: Station 4 & 1330th AAF Base Unit (Jorhat)

    The 22nd Ferrying Group was activated on 22 February 1943 at Chabua, Assam, India. In April 1943, it moved to Jorhat, and was renamed 22nd Transport Group on 1 July 1943. It was composed of three squadrons:

  • 28th Transport Group

      21 June 1943 to 1 December 1943

      United States of America

    TYPE: USAAF unit

    IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

    HEADQUARTERS: Tezpur, Assam, India

    FORMER NAME: Nil

    SUBSEQUENT NAME: Station 5 & 1327th AAF Base Unit (Tezpur)

    Commandos operated, squadron unknown:

    Suspected:

    Curtiss C-46-CU Commando: 41-5175

    The 28th Transport Group was activated on 21 June 1943 at Tezpur, Assam, India. It was composed of three squadrons:

  • 29th Transport Group

      21 June 1943 to 1 December 1943

      United States of America

    TYPE: USAAF unit

    IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

    HEADQUARTERS: Sookerating, Assam, India

    FORMER NAME: Nil

    SUBSEQUENT NAME: Station 7 & 1337th AAF Base Unit (Sookerating)

    Commandos operated, group or station unknown:

    Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando: 41-12321

    Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Commando: 41-12398, 41-12430 (NTU)

    The 29th Transport Group was activated on 21 June 1943 at Sookerating, Assam, India. It was composed of four squadrons:

  • 30th Transport Group

      22 June 1943 to 1 December 1943

      United States of America

    TYPE: USAAF unit

    IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

    HEADQUARTERS: Mohanbari, Assam, India

    FORMER NAME: 6th Transport Squadron

    SUBSEQUENT NAME: Station 9 & 1332nd AAF Base Unit (Mohanbari)

    Commandos operated, group or station unknown:

    Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando: 41-12322, 41-12327

    Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando: 41-24654, 41-24659, 41-24665

    The 30th Transport Group was activated on 22 June 1943 at Mohanbari, Assam, India. It was derived from the 1st Transport Group's 6th Transport Squadron, until then based at nearby Chabua. It was composed of three squadrons: