Constituted as 50th Transport Wing on 8 Jan 1941 and activated on 14
Jan. Assigned to Office, Chief of the Air Corps. Transported personnel,
supplies, and materiel in the US, Alaska, and the Caribbean area. Assigned
to Air Transport Command (later I Troop Carrier Command) in Apr 1942.
Redesignated 50th Troop Carrier Wing in Jul 1942. Functioned as a training
organization. Moved overseas, Sep-Oct 1943, and assigned to Ninth AF.
Operated in the European and Mediterranean theaters until after the war.
Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in Sep 1945.
Remanned and re-equipped. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1946.
Groups. 439th: 1944-1945. 440th: 1944-1945. 441st: 1944-1945. 442d:
1944-1945. (Numerous other groups assigned for training or operations,
1941-1944.)
Stations. Wright Field, Ohio, 14 Jan 1941; Camp Williams, Wis, 25 May
1942; Knobnoster, Mo, 9 Sep 1942; Camp Mackall, NC, 27 Apr 1943; Pope
Field, NC, 28 Jul-29 Sep 1943; Cottesmore, England, 17 Oct 1943;
Bottesford, England, 18 Nov 1943; Exeter, England, 26 Apr-1 Oct 1944; Le
Mans, France, 1 Oct 1944; Chartres, France, Nov 1944-29 Sep 1945; Pope
Field, NC, 29 Sep 1945-31 Jul 1946.
Commanders. Lt Col Fred S Borum, 14 Jan 1941; Lt Col P R Love, 8 Dec
1941; Col Harold L Clark, 29 May 1942; Lt Col Julian M Chappell, 2 Nov
1942; Col P R Love, 20 Nov 1942; Brig Gen Julian M Chappell, 4 Apr 1943-31
Jul 1946.
Campaigns. American Theater; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France;
Southern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Decorations. None.
Insigne. Shield: On a blue diamond edged in gold, a transport aircraft
with stylized wing surmounting a pile voided of the second, issuing from
sinister and extending to dexter base. Motto: Nobis Volandum Est - It will
be flown by us. (Approved 22 Sep 1942.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986 |
