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“We were all in beautiful formation and ready to drop, and we came on in and then everything erupted…We hit the deck and did a 180 on instruments…I remember an armored car shooting at us and we were being hit. The pilot turned to me and said ‘GET OUT!’ ...the controls were shot away…as I tumbled through the air, I saw curving tracers everywhere, all looking as if they were coming straight at me.” ~ 2nd Lt. James R. Wilson (“Junior), Navigator, page 177
“We were going right into a gun emplacement and they were shooting shells as big as steers. The diving is what saved us, because we were losing altitude while he fired, and the shells would go over us. I thought I was going to hit him, and by instinct I reefed back on the stick and I had elevators. I went across the field still trying to get control of the airplane. I wanted to stay below the trees, but I saw power lines.” ~ 1^st Lt. Oliver J. Smith, pilot, page 169.
(Above) Front cover of Three-One-Five Group, designed by Visual Art, Inc., depicts 315^th Troop Carrier Group aircraft ~ “4A” – 310th TCS (foreground), “UA”-43rd TCS, “NM”-34^th TCS (background). M^-309^th TCS appears on back cover.			About the Book 170 Pages – 103 Photos and Maps!!! First published in 1984 author William L. “Bill” Brinson, Engineering Officer in the 315th TCG during WW2, the Three-One-Five Group is the history of the 315th Troop Carrier Group in WW2 as told by the veterans themselves! This book was 80 years in the making – beginning in 1942 with the creation of the 315th Troop carrier Group, to its dissolve in 1945, to the inspiration and dedicated work of veteran member William “Bill’ Brinson to preserve its history by writing the original book in 1984, to the three decades of reunions of the vets of the 315th, to researcher, historian, and publisher George F. Cholewczynski who interviewed many of the vets for his “voices”, to Miles M. Hamby, PhD, an Air Force veteran himself and son of Col. Henry G. Hamby, USAF (Ret.), first Commanding Officer of the 310th Troop Carrier Squadron, and his re-publishing the book after the original file was lost. The text in this book is exactly that of Brinson’s original book and Cholewczynski‘s subsequent “Voices” addition, with no alterations of the text or content, except for correction of very few typographical errors, inclusion of very few editorial comments depicted in brackets “[abc]”, and modifications in the format to fit 8½ x 11.
All original pictures from the original book have been included (although not necessarily in their original positions in the narratives) and many pictures that were not in the original book (mostly from the website https://315Group.org, but all original photos from the period, courtesy of the vets who took them at the time) have been added in appropriate chapters and identified as such. In each chapter, Brinson’s original book “Airborne Troop Carrier: Three-One-Five Group” appears with its original chapter title followed by the added title “Brinson’s History” to distinguish it from “Cholewczynski’s ‘Voices’” later in each chapter that were the transcripts of interviews by George Cholewczynski with the veterans subsequent to Brinson’s first publishing in 1984.
About the Author. Col. William 'Bill' Brinson (USAF Retired) longtime Corresponding Secretary of the 315th Association, was a native of Waynesboro GA. Prior to his passing in August 2001, Bill had made Jacksonville, FL his home. His book, Three One Five Group, is an impressive accomplishment. Following WWII, he elected to remain in the Air Force and achieved a distinguished career. Bill flew c-54s on the Berlin Airlift. During the Korean Conflict, he was airlifting troops from McChord AFB, WA. After Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB. AL, Bill commanded the 173rd Air Transport Squadron (Air Evac) at Travis AFB, CA, moving patients to military hospitals throughout the west coast. (Right) Bill Brinson dancing with former 818^th MAETS flightnurse Evelyn ‘Chappie’ Kowlachuk at the 2000 reunion.
In 1958, Bill commanded a composite unit in support of nuclear testing at Eniwetok Island in the Pacific Ocean. Bill was slected to head the second Military Air Transport Service (MATS) squadron to be equipped with C-135s, the Air Force's version of the Boeing 707. Bill attended the Navy War College and entered a Pentagon assignment, followed by a three-year tour as Chief, Military Assistance Group in Morocco. Bill's career eneded at Maxwell AFB as Commander of the Academic Instructor and Allied Officer's School, the same base he reported to as an Aviation Cadet 30 years earlier.
(Above) George Cholewczynski, author of the revision of The 3-1-5 Group, autographing a copy at the 2002 reunion.	George F. Cholewczynski, researcher and author of “Voices”, and editor of the second publishing of “Airborne Troop Carrier: the Three-One-Five Group” in 2003, is publisher of Walka Books, Louisiana. Founded in 1995, he explains “Walka” is the Polish word for “struggle” or “campaign”. Honoring his Polish decent, Walka Books is a small press that focuses on Polish military history. He has recently authored and published “Poles Apart: the Polish Airborne at the Battle of Arnhem” (available on Amazon). Among his publications are “Spanhoe’s September: An English Airfield During Operation Market Garden”, The Holland Patch: the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment at Arnhem”, “The Packard Limousine”, and “On The Run (Young Adult)”.				(Above) Back cover of Three-One-Five Group.
		Miles M. Hamby, PhD, editor of this 2024 re-published expanded edition, is the second of three sons of Lt. Col. Henry G. Hamby, Jr., Commanding Officer of the 310th TCS, who appears throughout in the original book. He grew up hearing the stories from his Dad and began attending the 315th TCG Association’s reunions before his father even started attending. He met most of the veterans who appear in Cholewczynski’s “Voices”, including Bill Brinson, the original author. Miles is a graduate of the USAF Academy, class of 1971, and served in “troop carriers” himself as a C-130 pilot and Aircraft Commander, dropping the 82nd Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg/Pope AFB, NC, in many training drops, and is Air Force Parachutist qualified himself. Following his Air Force service, Miles became involved in WW2 reenactment, cultivating his interest in the 315th to a passion. While the 315th Association was still active, Miles produced the website https://315group.org which has prompted many inquiries from veterans, children and grandchildren of the veterans, and even members of the re-activated 315th Airlift Wing. It was this enthusiastic interest that inspired Miles to collaborate with George Cholewczynski to republish the Three-One-Five Group.
How to get the book Airborne Troop Carrier: Three-One-Five Group
My intent has never been to earn a profit from publishing this book, but to keep the history of my Dad and the veterans alive. As I continue to add content to the book and as the cost of printing hardcopies en masse to reach a low per copy price would be very high, I present the book here in PDF format in chapters that can be downloaded and printed.
Chapter 1— First Days and Chapter 2 – To England Chapter3—English Environment Chapter 4—North African Episode Chapter 5 – The Buildup Chapter 6 – Channel Crossing Chapter 7 – The Summer of ‘44 Chapter 8 – Operation Market Chapter 9 – Fall and Winter 1944 – 45 Chapter 10 – Rhine Crossing Chapter 11 – Airfield in France AND Chapter 12 – Last Days Appendix A – 315th Command and Staff Appendix B – Movement Orders, Air Echelon Appendix C – Aircrews from other Groups assigned to the 315th Troop Carrier Group in March 1944 Appendix D – Seaweed’s Story Appendix E – The Royalty of the 315th More Voices (link forthcoming) The Tinwell Tragedy Monuments Men – and Women! Keeping the History Alive About the Authors and Editors