Garland Adams Introduction

Garland Adams entered service August 1941 after his freshman year at Western Carolina Teachers College at Cullowhee, NC, now Western Carolina University. He was sent to Ft. Bragg, NC where he was put on K.P. for seven straight days. He was transferred by southern route to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO. for Classification and Basic Training. Garland was supposed to become a clerk, and attend the Administration School, but instead he was sent to the Radio School at Scott Field. IL. He graduated Radio School in April 1942 and was selected to teach Code in Preflight Training, at Maxwell Field. AL. While at Maxwell Field Garland also played baseball with Special Services. He taught there from 1942 until May 1944 when his classification changed to flying status. He was issued orders making him a member of the newly formed 'BOND PROJECT'.

Garland was shipped to Morrison Field, FL. (Air Transport Command Caribbean Wing). When he arrived there, a hundred (100) new C-47-A-25-DKs on sitting on the ramp. These aircraft were from an order of 540 C-47's from Douglas from Oklahoma City Serial #s 42-93284 to 42-93823. It took the Army more than a week or more to issue clothes, give the shots, etc. Everything everyone needed for deployment for overseas duty.

Garland Adams being "A" so he was assigned to the first C-47 #42-93329. The crews were given their orders and told not to open them until they were so many hours outside the USA. But the crews didn't get very far before the crew and passengers knew there final destination, the CBI Theater.

The 3rd Combat Cargo Groups flight to the CBI theater included stops at Puerto Rico, Georgetown, Belem, Natal, Ascension Island, Accra, Kano, Madhaigani, El Fasher. Khartoum, Aden, Karachi, Agra, Barrackpore and finally Sythet, India. There Garland and the C-47 were assigned to the 9th Combat Cargo Squadron. The 9th Combat Cargo Squadron flew there first combat mission a few days later into Imphal, India. For about the next 48 days the crews of the 9th ComCar Squadron flew an average of 10 hours a day. They encountered some problems with the weather and the terrain.

John E. Stewart, Pilot was one of the best. He informed all the crew members, that they all were to learn how to fly, he didn't know who would have to fly and land the plane. So the crew began receiving flight lessons on most of the return trips. After trained, the crews did lots of flying.

Garland was grounded to return to the State’s, but had a rusty gun barrel and was kept in Theater for two additional weeks to help build a walk in the tent area. He wasn't the only one; he had lots of company. They could have easily choked Major King.

Finally Garland was shipped out to Dinjan where the boarded an ATC C-54 heading West. The flight to the states included stops at Karachi, Khartoum, and Accra. Garland was in Accra when he got the news of President Roosevelt's death in April 1945. The flight them flew to Natal, Trinidad and Miami FL. Garland was given a 30-day furlough. During this furlough the time point system came out and he was asked him if he wanted to get out. So he told them yes, right fast. The Army gave him a 10-day delay in route to the separation center at Ft. Bragg, NC.

Garland went to work at Oak Ridge, TN, with Westinghouse, Electric, on the Nautilus Project. He also worked on Savannah River Project, Aiken. SC, and a missile project, at Otis Air Force Base, Buzzard Bay, MA, the Polaris Missile Project, Cape Kennedy, FL. Finally Garland ended up working for Honeywell, Inc. where he retired from in 1980.

Reference "China Airlift - The Hump" Vol 2. Published by the Hump Pilots Association 1983. Produced by Dave Turner & Associates

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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