Capt. Frank McDougall was our first operations officer and it was under his guidance that most of our training was completed.  Those C-47s looked mighty big to some of us and mighty slow to others, but we all took it in our stride and it wasn't long before we got to like the old plane a lot better than we had anticipated.

     Four flights were set up and it was in those flights that we flew our formation, night and day cross-countries, and the other phases of our training.  Short field landings were shot at Utica -- tower or no tower, crash truck or no crash truck. After the Fulton bivouac, some of our planes could be seen shooting night landings there -- tower or no tower, runway lights or no runway lights.

     The operations office was in a tent at Fulton. We arrived there just at the peak of the upstate New York monsoon season and were told to pitch our pup tents and dig ourselves a nice big fox-hole out in the middle of what seemed to be a forested granite quarry.  This done we were each given three boxes of K-rations and told to "eat hearty."

     Our vast training on the Fulton bivouac not only concerned flying but branched out into all phases of combat tactics on the ground.  After weekly lectures on camouflage discipline, aircraft identification, censorship and security, shooting on the firing range, hikes, and map problems, we were given a chance to apply what we had learned.  Simulated attacks were made by "enemy" aircraft and alert signals sent us dashing to fox-holes.  Live gas, not injurious but effective, came unexpectedly and like dense clouds covered the entire area.  Those who failed to carry gas masks were certain to make the mistake no more.  At night make-shift lights were put into use and blackouts were frequent.  Engineering, communications, and a tower were set up on the line and operated under simulated combat conditions.

     Some "sport" thought it would be nice to have a place in town where we could take a shower -- sort of a club in which to relax after a hard day at the field, so a three room suite was rented in one of the local hotels.  Swell idea -- the only trouble was that the door was always locked -- from the inside, and strange noises kept even the bravest from knocking on the door.  We all managed to get in at one time or another, however, and got clean at least once.

     Our second bivouac was held at Wheeler Sack.  It was a rest leave compared to Fulton. Some of us never even pitched our pup tents, but moved right into steam-heated barracks.   Speculation ran high in connection with that big hangar down on the line. Some of us wondered whether it was Betty Grable doing a striptease or someone preflighting an atomic bomb that caused all the locked doors.  I guess we'll never know.

     After those three months of training with C-47s the Fifth was a compact, well-trained organization and was eager to put into practice its Stateside education.  Everything was in order and a gigantic air show was planned for General Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces, who was to visit Syracuse and inspect the Second Combat Cargo Group.

     Under the direction of Colonel Bell, elaborate preparations were made for General Arnold's visit.  It was decided that the mission to be flown would be the dropping of paratroopers and cargo by radar.  An open field about thirty miles north of Syracuse was selected as the target.  Planes of the group were loaded as planned; some with paratroopers and the others with parapacks.  General Arnold, his staff, and Colonel Bell with other group and squadron officers journeyed to the drop field.  It was a beautiful sight to see the 32 planes in tight formation approach the field flying at 500 feet and release their loads of men and supplies directly over the target.

     General Arnold complimented Colonel Bell for the success of the mission, then informed the colonel that the group was going to change from the C-47 to the C-46, known as the Curtiss Commando, the largest twin-engine transport then in service with any nation.  This unexpected change meant several more weeks of training and Syracuse was to be our home for awhile longer. No one complained!

     We looked at the Commando, then at Ed Krieg and all of his five foot five inches.  The bookies were giving 10-1 odds that Ed would ask for a transfer as soon as he saw the huge whale.  But he didn't and neither did any of the other boys.  If ATC could fly them so could we.

     Practically an entire new program for transition flying was started.  Ground schools for mechanics, aircraft specialists, and a C-46 Mobile Training Unit were immediately procured. The Air Corps Supply Depot changed its C-47 stock to C-46 replacement parts.  Many other changes were brought about, all in record time and the program gained momentum without delay.

     Mr. DeGarmo, a Curtiss test pilot, came to show the pilots the Commando was a versatile plane in more ways than one.  With him he brought his 18,000 flying hours, a CAA pilot's license that dated back to the days of the Wright brothers, and a big black cigar that went with him on the ground and in the air.  At the end of his short visit we had decided that the C-46 was here to stay and that we could land it on any cub strip and have plenty of room left over.

     No more bivouacs this time, even though some were pounding a path between Syracuse and Fulton or Wheeler Sack -- to check the condition of the field.  Captain Ed Angelo took over the job of operations officer and it wasn't long until he traded in his " railroad tracks " for a gold leaf.  Captain Clayton Dunn was assistant operations officer and S/Sgt. Jimmy Connolly was chief operations clerk.  S/Sgt. Larry Sumegi, Sgt. Ed Voytek and Pfc. Billy Capps ably assisted Jimmy in turning out the piles of paper work which were so essential to a smooth operations department.

     Our C-46 training was completed in the early part of October and this time there was no false alarm. The "Battle of Syracuse" was over, and just before going to Baer Field we became non-operational.  It was the end of some of the happiest days for most of us -- in the Army or out -- and ones which we will not soon forget.

From the book 'On The Final', with permission from members of the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron.  Copyright  © 8/03/2001 

    I am looking for former members of the 3rd Combat Cargo Group,  1st, Combat Cargo Group, 2nd Combat Cargo Group and the 4th Combat Cargo Group.  In fact I would like to hear from anyone who flew over the Hump during WW II, or flew any Combat Cargo Missions at any time (Berlin Air-Lift, Korea, etc.) 

Please e-mail comment, suggestions, corrections,etc to: bill@comcar.org

Imphal, the Hump and Beyond  Copyright © 1999-2001 Bill Bielauskas  All rights reserved.

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