8th CCS Overseas Trip

     The 8th was transferred October 6, 1944 to Baer Field, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, on temporary duty, to prepare for shipment overseas. Captain DuBose Egleston joined the 8th as Flight Surgeon replacing our original Flight Surgeon, Captain LeRoy E. Walter, who was injured in an auto accident and hospitalized shortly prior to the departure of the squadron to Baer Field. On October 11, 1944, Special Order 285 assigned the 8th to shipment 2868-TZ to proceed by air to Fairfield-Suisun AAF, Fairfield, California. We departed 12 October, 1944 via Amarillo, Texas , overnighting and continued to Fairfield 13 October.
     At Fairfield the C-46's were fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks in the cargo compartment to extend the range of the C-46 to reach Hawaii. Operations Order 60, 15 October, 1944, and 68, 24 October, 1944, ordered the 8th to proceed to Townsville, Australia, reporting to the FEAF Replacement and Training Center for assignment. (Aircraft and Crew Assignments)

     As we were assembling and preparing for departure, McArthur invaded the island of Leyte in the Philippines on October 20, fulfilling his promise to return. The Japanese introduced the kamikaze suicide plane attack at Leyte.

     The Group departed Fairfield in flights of three during the last weeks of October, 1944. Scheduled departure was midnight with an estimated 13 hours flying time and ETA of 10:00 AM Oahu. The weather briefings advised that the normal weather system between the Islands and the US usually had head winds half-way and tail winds the other half. An ATC navigator was assigned to a plane in each flight, which became the flight leader. Two ships were anchored between San Francisco and Oahu as homing stations enroute. By dawn, on most flights, the planes were scattered and out of sight, so, each had to navigate on its own.

     On October 17, 1944 Bob Masterson and John Nicholson were the first 8th crew to depart. While experimenting with cabin tank fuel transfer their right engine cut out. After restarting the engine all experiments ceased. On this night the second homing ship was not operating so they had to rely on the ATC navigator on board for position and course. Ground speeds of 90 and 100 mph made for anxious moments. They touched down 15 hours, 10 mins. after departure with an estimated 15 mins. fuel remaining. Fred Hart's flight on October 26, sans navigator but both homing ships operating, had a similar experience, landing 16 hours, 30 mins. after departure and 40 gallons remaining.

     After arrival in Hawaii, the auxiliary fuel tanks were no longer required on the remaining legs to Townsville. The planes were utilized to carry material and equipment to locations nearer the areas of combat. As a result, routes to Townsville varied. Routing was by way of Palmyra or Christmas Island, then Canton, Tarawa, Guadacanal and Townsville or Canton, Fiji, Noumea, Brisbane and Townsville or Townsville direct from Noumea.   (Map #1)

     At Townsville the planes auxiliary tanks were removed and maintenance performed in preparation for deployment into the theatre. The Group was assigned to the 54th Troop Carrier Wing, 5th Air Force stationed at Biak, New Guinea. The Group proceeded to Biak via Nadzab, New Guinea, arriving late November.

     Crews and personnel not assigned to flights, were transported by troop ship. They departed from the San Francisco area November 14 on the BoschFontaine, a Dutch freighter. Twenty-five days later, December 8, they arrived in Hollandia, New Guinea, now known as Jayapura, from where they were flown to Biak.

To Biak

Lt. Emil J. Modla, 8^th Combat Cargo Squadron, 2nd Combat Cargo Group. From his manuscript 'History of the 8th Combat Cargo Squadron History, 2nd Combat Cargo Group.'

This short History of the 8th Combat Cargo Squadron, no way tells the entire Squadron history. It's sole purpose is to give one an idea of what the Squadron endured during it's time during the Second World War. For a more detailed report on the the Squadrons History, one needs to access the records of the 2nd Combat Cargo Group and it's individual Squadrons at the U.S. Air Force Historical Research Center at Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL. These records are available in microfilm.

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

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