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U.S.A.A.F. Combat Cargo Groups of the Second World War

 

10th Combat Cargo Squadron/330th Airdrome Squadron

T/Sgt.  Robert Bursian Introduction

       "My father, T/Sgt. Robert Bursian was an aircraft engineering crew chief with the 330th Airdrome Squadron, attached to the 10th Combat Cargo Squadron/3rd Combat Cargo Group/10th U.S.A.A.F.  They serviced and maintained the 10th CCS's C-47's.  Dad arrived in the CBI on 8/26/44 in Bombay aboard the USS General H .W. Butner along with the Mars Task Force, the relief unit for the 5307th Composite Unit (Merrill's Marauders).  They traveled by narrow gage rail to a British rest camp near Ramgarh, where the Mars Task Force stayed for intensive jungle training.   The 330th ADS switched trains and went further northeast as far as the Bramhaputra River in the Assam Province.  They boarded a river ferry and traveled north on the Bramhaputra to Dinjan, India.  They arrived in Dinjan on 9/5/44 and finally met up with the 10th Combat Cargo Squadron.

        The 330th ADS has the distinction of being the first unit in the CBI to receive the War Department's Meritorious Service Unit Plaque: for maintaining 94% of the aircraft operational during a nonstop four month Hump airlift operation into China and Myitkyina, Burma.  On 6/2/45, the 10th CCS/330th ADS moved operations to Myitkyina.  Upon arrival by C-47, they got caught in the middle of a battle at the airfield between the Japanese and the Chinese.  While at Myitkyina, Dad earned the Soldier's Medal for saving the life of a fellow soldier from drowning in the Irrawaddy River, which was adjacent to the airfield and camp.  On 10/2/45, the 10th CSS/330th ADS relocated to Shanghai, China.

On 12/20/45 they were relieved from duty and sent to Seattle to start their respective journeys home.  Dad was fortunate enough to be selected in a lottery of 200 soldiers to be expedited home and discharged by Christmas.  Dad arrived in Chicago on 12/24/45, and made it home to his mother's in Petoskey, Michigan on Christmas Day.  Dad will be 84 this year, he just started talking about and sharing his experiences only less than a year ago.  I have been doing a lot of research on his behalf and he has been extremely grateful, he is recalling a lot from those days.   If you're doing research for a vet, share with them immediately and provide some compassion and patience.  Out of the 13 million men and women that served in our armed forces during WWII, only 250,000 served in the CBI... with my father, he was reluctant to talk about his service days because he felt what they did was insignificant in the whole scope of things.  To the Greatest Generation: God Bless and thank you!"

Mark Bursian

Copyright 2006 

Back to T/Sgt. Robert Bursian Page

Back to 330th ADS page

Back to 3rd Combat Cargo Group Page

Back to Combat Cargo Group Home Page

    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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