43rd Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium

  July 1942 to January 1955

  United States of America

TYPE: USAAF & USAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Bowman Field, KY (1942), Florence AAF, SC (1942), RAF Aldermaston, England (1942-1943), Blida, Algeria (1943-1944), RAF Spanhoe, England (1944-1945), Amiens, France (1945), Waller Field, Trinidad (1945), Langley AFB, VA (1947-1948), Brady AB, Japan (1952-1955)

FORMER NAME: 43^rd Transport Squadron

SUBSEQUENT NAME: 43^rd Tactical Airlift Squadron (when reactivated 1971)

The 43^rd Troop Carrier Squadron was the 4 July 1942 redesignation of the newly created 43^rd Transport Squadron. It was assigned to the 315^th Troop Carrier Group with an all Douglas C-47 Skytrain fleet. After training in the USA with I Troop Carrier Command, it deployed to England in December 1942. It participated in the North African campaign in 1943-1944, and then to all major airborne assaults of the liberation of Europe, from the Normandy landings to the crossing of the Rhine. After victory in Europe, the Squadron moved briefly to Trinidad where it was deactivated in July 1945.

The 43rd was briefly reactivated in the USA on 19 May 1947 in the wake of the Cold War. However it was not manned, and inactivated again on 10 September 1948.

The Squadron was reactivated for good on 23 May 1952 with the Far East Air Force based at Brady AB, Japan. It was still part of the 315^th Troop Carrier Group, Medium and converted to the Curtiss C-46D Commando. As a combat resupply and transport squadron during the Korean War, it provided aerial transportation between Japan and Korea. The Squadron was inactivated on 18 January 1955.

1952 to 1955

• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77506, 44-77584, 44-77620, 44-77622, 44-77668, 44-77717