RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

Revised 22 Jun/2025

"I will come!"

The 315^th Troop Carrier Group

To view the official War Diaries, click on 315th TCG War Diaries

Historical Commanders: Campaigns:

Summary Capt. Thomas J. Schofield, 14 Feb 1942. Col. Hamish McLelland, 17 Apr 1942. Col. Howard B. Lyon, 27 Sep 1944. Lt. Col. Robert J. Gibbons, 27 May 1945. American Theater, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe.

Decorations: Stations:

Distinguished Unit Citation for the Normandy Invasion, France, 6 Jun 1944. 14 Feb 1942 ~ Olmsted Field, PA (Harrisburg) 17 Jun 1942 ~ Bowman Field, KY 3 Aug - 11 Oct 1942 ~ Florence, SC 1 Dec 1942 ~ Aldermaston, England 6 Nov 1943 ~ Welford, England 7 Feb 1944 ~ Spanhoe, England 6 Apr - May 1945 ~ Amiens, France May - 31 Jul 1945 ~ Waller Field, Trinidad

Insignia: Motto

Azure shield with winged packing box bent sinister. ADVENIUM ~ Latin "I will come."

By 1943, the 315th Troop Carrier Group was composed of four Troop Carrier Squadrons (TCS) -- the 34th TCS, 43rd TCS, 309th TCS, and 310th TCS, whose patches are depicted below. Click on one to learn more about that particular squadron.

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The Origin. Originally constituted as 315th Transport Group on February 2, 1942, the Group was re-designated the 315th Troop Carrier Group in Jul 1942. At that time, the Group consisted of the 34th and the 43rd Troop Carrier Squadrons. Training for combat operations with C-47's and C-53's, the Group departed the United States in Oct-Nov 1942, for assignment to the 8th Air Force in England. For this deployment, the Group staged through Greenland (APO 3300) in November of 1942. Encountering bad weather while flying the North Atlantic route, the air echelon was detained for about a month in Greenland, where it searched for missing aircraft along the east coast and dropped supplies to crews. )

(Above) 315th TCG C-47, a/c 290, pre-Normandy invasion (Knight Photo Collection)

(Above) Col. JHamish McLelland, first commander of 315 Transport Group

(Above) 315th TCG Group Commanders: Col. Hamish McLelland (L) 17 Apr 42 Col. Howard B. Lyon (R) 27 Sep 44 Lt. Col. Robert Gibbons (not shown) 27 May –31 Jul 45 (De-activation) (photos courtesy of daughter Sheila McLelland Hoefler)

(Above) McLelland (on right, others unidentified) (Belowt) McLelland (center, others unidentified

(Above) McLelland (center, others unidentified) (Below) McLelland (on left, others not identified).

Aldermaston. After the air and ground echelons were united in Aldermaston, England, in December 1942, the group's primary mission was ferrying cargo in the British Isles and training with airborne troops and gliders. In May 1943, a detachment composed of all the 315^th aircraft deployed to Blida, Algeria (in North Africa), leaving components of the ground echelon in England. During this time, two new Troop Carrier Squadrons were formed and added to the Group -- the 309th and the 310th.

(Above) RAF Aldemaston, USAAF Station 467

(Above) 315^th TCG C-47, a/c 887, an early aircraft for the 315th, sporting nose art. Note absence of 2-letter squadron designation aft of cockpit window that was required after September 1942, after the 315th arrived in England.

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(Above) Cockpit of 315th C-47. (From Knight Collection)

(Above) 315^th TCG Commander Col. Hamish McLelland (without trench coat) (Knight Collection)

North Africa In May of 1943, the 34th TCS and 43rd TCS of the 315th TCG were detached from Aldermaston, England, to Blida, Algeria, in North Africa as Detachment “A” (see 315th War Diaries). A vital part of Detachment “A”’s mission was diplomatic support flying VIPs around the Mediterranean, in particular, Maj. Gen. Barney Giles, Asst. Chief of Air Staff for Operations and Maj. Gen. Ralph Royce, Commanding Officer of U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East. Their mission included securing oil from Arabia, liaison with British forces, and establishing air basis in North Africa. 34th TCS pilot Capt. Ed Connolly was a primary pilot with those missions and took many photos (presented below). His missions took him to Gibraltar, Italy, Sicily, Egypt (Cairo), Syria (Damascus), Saudi Arabia, and Algeria (Algiers).

(Above) Maj. Henry G. Hamby, 34th TCS Operations Officer, in front of Detachment “A” operations hut in Blida, Algeria, 1943. Hamby would become the first commander of the newly created 310th TCS in May 1944 in anticipation of the Normandy invasion. See “Memoirs” page for anecdotes by Hamby regarding his experience at Blida.

Ed Connelly photo labeled “roughing it”, re mission to Italy; Connolly in doorway of VIP C-53 (note absence of cargo door), cooking dinner while waiting for his VIPs to return. Note two general’s stars in window to left of door denoting Major General on board.

(Above) Visiting Saudi dignitaries (1), Ed Connelly (2), Lt Forward (3), MGen Barney Giles, Asst Chief of Air Staff for Operations (4), Saudi dignitary (5), MGen Ralph Royce, CO U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East.

(Above) Cairo, Egypt

(Above) Gibraltar, British territory. (USAAF missions were forbidden entry into neutral Spain.)

(Above) Ed Connelly (middle) with pyramids behing

(Above) Ed Connelly with ???

(Above) Ed Connelly on camel, Sphynx in background

(Above) Ed Connelly with one of the Suadi Prince’s generals.

(Above) Cpt. Ed Connelly in a 315th L-4 (Piper Cub) at Spanhoe

(Above L) Hamby, (R) Connelly, 34th TCS squadron mates from Aldemaston. Upon return of the 34th TCS to England in 1944 to rejoin the 315th TCG at Spanhoe, Hamby and Connelly, along with the others of the 34th, participated in combat operations including Overlord and Market Garden

Invasion of Sicily – Operation Husky 1943 In November, the airborne phase of the invasions of Sicily and Italy began, The 315th did not participate directly in the assaults, but actively supported the critical logistical effort of the operations by flying supplies around the Mediterranean. While the detachment was in North Africa, the ground echelon was assigned to the 9th Troop Carrier Command in October 1943 and relocated to Welford, England, and then to Spanhoe, England, in February 1944. The detachment in North Africa rejoined the ground echelon at Spanhoe in May 1944.

Spanhoe (Air Station 493) – 1943 - 1945 Spanhoe was one of the many airfields built in England during the buildup for the bombing campaign and was turned over to the troop carriers for the invasion. The base was bounded on the west by an old quarry and on the south and east by heavy Spanhoe woods from which the base derived its name. However, it was usually known as Harringworth or Wakerly, the names of the neighboring towns in Northhamptonshire. Originally a bomber field, the base was built to class 'A' specifications with a main runway 6,000 feet X 150 feet and two intersecting runways at the western side, each 4,200 feet long. The encircling perimeter track had 50 loop-type hardstandings and two 'T2' hangars to the south between the perimeter and the Harringworth-Laxton Road. This area also housed the living accommodations and technical site. The mess and medical accommodations were on the south side of the country road. The pyrotechnic and bomb store was set the wooded area to the south-east of the airfield and the northern end housed a 72,000 gallon fuel store with two further 72,000 gallon stores at the quarry end. The station was allocated to the 9th Troop Carrier Command Substitution Unit and was officially opened on January 7, 1944. On February 7, 1944, the 34th and 43rd Troop Carrier Squadrons moved their aircraft from Welford Park to Spanhoe.

(Above) Official map of Air Station 493 'Spanhoe', England

(Above ) Domestic area south of the Main Gate.

(Above L) Spanhoe in 2001. Aerial view of the few buildings that remain of Spanhoe. (Above R) Aerial photo of Spanhoe, ca. 1944. There were originally three runways, named for their magnetic heading in reciprocal directions: 07 – 25, 6,000 ft; 02 -20, 4,100 ft; 13 – 31, 4,100 ft. The “peritrack” is the British name for a perimeter taxiway and can be seen running entirely around the runways. A section of that peritrack is currently the only hard surface being used as a runway, 09 – 27. Most of the light aircraft using the airfield take off and land on the grass field immediately south of the peritrack.

(Above) Spanhoe control “tower”, ca 1960, typical of all allied airfields in England during WW2. The local citizenry all around England has been active in restoring many of the airbases. The tower was razed in 2005.

(Above) The restored control tower on RAF East Kirby, now the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Center, East Kirby, England. Note the identical construction as the one at Spanhoe, typical of all allied airfields in England during WW2. The local citizenry all around England has been active in restoring many of the airbases.

(Above) Heat for the quarters and buildings was fueled by coke or coal. When deliveries of fuel fell behind, the troops turned to the Spanhoe woods to chop their own, as depicted here.

( Above) American Red Cross Club on Spanhoe, 1944

(Above) Two original Nissen huts at Spanhoe. Photos taken circa 2010

(Above) The PX (Post Exchange) at Spanhoe, ca 1944

(Above) Member of the 26th Mobile Repair and Reclamation Squadron (note bumper designation 9«MRR) on Spanhoe airfield. The 26th MRR was assigned to the IX Troop Carrier Service Wing stationed at RAF North Witham, Station 479, about 7 miles north of Spanhoe (Station 483). Their mission was to provide supply and maintenance for over 300 liaison type aircraft serving with each Army to include the C-47s at all USAAF airfields in England.

(Above) Hanging around the WAAF (Women’s Army Air Force) Barracks, waiting for their dates. The 818^th Medical Aero Evacuation Transportation Squadron (MAETS), which included about 12 Flight Nurses, was detached to the 315^th TCG at Spanhoe.

(Above) 315^th TCG training drop probably 34^th TCS aircraft (Knight Collection)

(Above) 34th TCS C-47 after crash-landing at Spanhoe after a training flight. Many casualties occurred outside of combat for all the units (see Tinwell Tragedy).

The Normandy Invasion – D-Day, Operation Overlord/Neptune 1944 On May 11, 1944, a dress rehearsal for the invasion was run and included 432 aircraft of the 50th and 53rd Troop Carrier Wings carrying over 6,000 paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division (the 'Screaming Eagles'). The 52nd Wing (to which the 315th belonged) contributed 369 aircraft to the exercise with only a token compliment of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division (the 'All Americans'). As these troopers were already fully trained, they did not want to risk training casualties so close to the actual invasion date. Forty-eight C-47s from the 315th took off from Spanhoe at 2230 hours. All aircraft had returned to Spanhoe by 0437 hours.

(Above) Map of Operation Neptune depicting departure bases and routes to drop zones of the Troop Carrier Groups on 6 June 1944.

On June 3, 864 paratroopers of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division arrived at Spanhoe. The paratroopers slept in one of the hangars while they waited for D-Day. On June 5, the troopers began boarding their aircraft. One of the troopers in Flying Officer Harper's aircraft of the 43rd Squadron dropped a hand-grenade which exploded and detonated several other grenades. Three paratroopers were killed and 15 others wounded including the radio operator of Harper's aircraft. Forty-eight C-47s, led by 315th Group Commander Col. Hamish McLelland, took off from Spanhoe just before midnight on June 5, headed for DZ (Drop Zone) 'O' near St. Mere Eglise, France. By 2130. 6 June 1944, most of the aircrews, paratroopers, and some maintenance men, had assembled by the individual planes parked on the hardstands surrounding the airfield. A few minutes before the aircraft were to be boarded, one of the paratroopers standing alongside Flight Officer Weston Harper's plane [309th TCS] dropped a grenade. It exploded and sprayed metal fragments in all directions. Two paratroopers were killed instantly and one died later. Fifteen others were wounded, including the aircraft radio operator At 2306, with ten to fifteen minutes of daylight still remaining, the lead plane of the 315th, piloted by Colonel McLelland, started down the runway. Each five-second interval thereafter another plane followed the preceding one. The pilots tucked the planes into formation as the serial made a wide sweep of Spanhoe at 1,200 feet before taking up a course for "Atlanta," the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing Assembly Point about 20 miles east of the Midlands city of Birmingham. There were two serials from the 316th Group just ahead of the 315th's planes, and seven serials from the 314th, 313th, the 61 st and the 442nd following dose behind. These ten serials of 386 aircraft carried the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne to Normandy.

After darkness, the moonlight above became discernable through high scattered clouds and on the ground below specially placed light beacons marked the route to the coast every thirty miles. The formation flew southeast until it reached the head of the Severn Estuary, near Bristol, where it turned southward for Checkpoint "Elko." At Elko, the groups of the other two troop carrier wings moved into the stream at their designated time. After passing the coast over Portland Bill, a descent was made to 500 feet to delay discovery by German radar. Twenty minutes from the destination the jumpmaster on each plane was alerted and the formation began a gradual climb to 1,500 feet. An unexpected cloud bank was hanging over the western part of the Cherbourg Peninsula which required the 315th to climb a few hundred feet more to get above it and to change course slightly. As the cloud bank moved away from below the formation, the beacons placed on the drop zone by the Pathfinders were identified and shortly thereafter the "T" of green lights was sighted. (The "T," 30 by 20 yards, was lit shortly before the first serial arrived.) Ground fire was observed off to the right from what appeared to be the town of Etienneville and one flak burst struck a plane wounding seven paratroopers. Speed was reduced to 110 mph, and four minutes before the drop, the jumpmaster standing at the rear of the fuselage received the red lights to stand up and hook up the parachutists to the static line. At 0203 hours, 6 June 1944, as the formation reached Drop Zone "0", about three quarters of a mile northwest from the village of Ste. Mere Eglise, the green lights signaling "Go" were switched on sending 816 paratroopers floating earthwards from the planes of the 315th. Immediately after the paratroopers were dropped, the planes descended to 200 feet and maintained this altitude well beyond the east coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula and to the St. Marcouf Islands. Somewhere in these last; few miles over the mainland, a 309th plane was struck by machine gun fire coming from a house along the route. Lieutenant R. T. Slater, flying co-pilot was slightly wounded and the plane received some damage. Neither Lieutenant Orien Clark, the pilot, nor Sergeants Prentice Stucker and Rives Graham, the crew chief and radio operator, were injured. Another 309th aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant Rodney Bemis, received a burst of flak in the fuselage, wounding several paratroopers, three of them seriously. On the return flight, Lieutenant Bemis landed at the first English airfield he sighted to obtain medical attention for the wounded. Climbing to 3,000 feet, the group returned over the English Channel. By 0440, 45 aircraft had returned to Spanhoe; the other two planes had been reported as having landed at other airfields. Twelve of the C-47s had received damage from enemy fire. For the 315th aircrews, at least, what later became known as "The Longest Day" was over. Over 1,800 troop carrier aircraft carrying 18,000 Allied paratroopers took part in Operation Neptune, the initial airborne assault over Normandy, France, on June 6. The 315th successfully delivered its cargo of the 505th Parachute Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division on target and with good concentration. During the assault, 12 aircraft received slight damage from “flak” (fluges abkanen ~ German anti-aircraft artillery). Contrary to reports by some historians regarding the airborne operations of that night, the vast majority of the Group's troops landed on their assigned DZ's in position to execute their assignments. For its heroic effort during this assault, the 315th Troop Carrier Group was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.

(Above) 315th C-47 positioning to tow CG4A Waco glider. Note 'invasion stripes' about the gliders’ fuselages. (Knight Photo Collection, 34th TCS). Though the 315th trained extensively in towing gliders, it was never tasked to tow gliders in combat.

(Above) 315^th C-47 landing at Spanhoe. Note invasion stripes around fuselage. In distance, 315^th’s C-109 tanker. (Knight Collection)

(Above) Spanhoe flight line on D-Day of Overlord. Note 34th TCS aircraft (NM) on left and 43rd TCS Aircraft (UA) on right. 'Invasion stripes' can be seen around fuselages.

(Above) Spanhoe flight line with 310th (4A) aircraft. Note “invasion stripes”.

(Above) Besides paratroop drops, most of the troop carrier groups trained at towing gliders. Communication between tow plane and glider was via wire integrated within the towline. The 315th was assigned gliders and also trained with them, even 'snatching' them from the ground (see Gliders on Home Page). However, the 315th TCG never towed gliders into combat.

(Above) A 315th Troop Carrier Group fuel tanker truck servicing and Curtiss C-36 Commando at Spanhoe. (Note the bumper designation reads “9TCC 315TCG” i.e., 9th Troop Carrier Command, 315th Troop Carrier Group. The 9th TCC (formally IX Troop Carrier Command) was activated simultaneously with the 9th Air Force on 31 October 1943.

The primary aircraft of the IX Troop carrier Command were the Douglas C-47 Skytrain (unofficially known as the “Gooney Bird” and by the British as the “Dakota”, origin unknown) and its variant, the Douglas C-53 Skytrooper. The C-47 was a DC-3 modified with a reinforced floor and an extra-wide, double door for loading cargo as large as a jeep. The C-53 Skytrooper was essentially an unmodified variant of the DC-3 that did not have the cargo door. In 1945, the command equipped one group with 117 Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft to determine their viability in the European Theater of Operations. As a result of a 28% loss ratio during Operation Varsity (March 45) owing to the high flammability of the C-46, the command did not convert to the Commando even though its cargo-carrying capacity was twice that of the C-47. The command also had 1,922 CG-4A Waco and 20 Waco CG-13 gliders just prior to its last major operation in March 1945. (Source: Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IX_Troop_Carrier_Command)

(Above) C-46 Commando being loaded.

Training and the Tinwell Tragedy

(Above) Polish paratroopers preparing for a training drop in a 315th TCG C-47. Note the vertical broad “invasion stripes” on the fuselage below the US insignia indicating this was after the Normandy invasion in June 1944.

Training was a major occupation for the all the troop carrier groups and the airborne units. Unfortunately, training for combat, like combat itself, had its price. On July 8, 1944, 369 Polish paratroopers arrived at Spanhoe to participate in a training mission named Operation Burden. At 2130 hours, 33 C-47s of the 34th TCS, 43rd TCS, and 309th TCS departed Spanhoe for a training DZ near Wittering, England. Enroute, over Tinwell, Rutland, England, one of the aircraft of the 309th Squadron collided with another in the formation. Both aircraft crashed to the ground killing eight crewmen and 26 paratroopers. Only one person survived, Cpl. Thomas Chambers, Radio Operator, leaping from the aircraft as it plummeted to earth. (see 315th Newsletter, Vol. 22, Issue 3, "Tragedy at Tinwell", also the book Airborne Troop Carrier: Three-One-Five Group by Bill Brinson, Chapter 7 – Summer of ‘44.)

(Left, above, below) Photo of a photo of the original accident Investigation report residing in All Saints Anglican Church, Tinwell, England. See the book for more information about the accident.

Holland – Operation Market-Garden 1944 The speed of General George Patton's 3rd Army advance through Europe had caused the cancellation of three major airborne operations scheduled for September -- 'Transfigure', 'Linnet', and 'Comet'. The 315th's next major combat operation was 'Market Garden' on September 17, 1944, made famous today by the film "A Bridge Too Far." The 315th Group carried British, American, and especially Polish troops of the notable 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade into DZs in Holland. It was during Market Garden that the 315th was to suffer heavy casualties. On September 14, 1944, 354 paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division moved onto Spanhoe from their living sites on Braunstone Park. The first of two serials 45 aircraft of the 315th, loaded their paratroopers and tookoff from Spanhoe on September 17, 1944, at 1039 hours. The second serial followed at 1101. They followed the northern route to the DZs north of the River Mass in Holland. One aircraft, piloted by Capt. Bohanan, was hit by flak and he and four other crewmembers were killed. The other 89 aircraft dropped their paratroopers and returned to Spanhoe. That night, the ground crews reloaded the aircrafts' parapack racks (six specially designed racks suspended from the belly of the aircraft to deploy packs of ammunitions and supplies) for a drop of British troops the next day. On September 18, two serials of 27 aircraft each took off with 462 British paratroopers of the 4th Parachute Brigade. Their destination was DZ 'Y' at Ginkel Heath. This time, many aircraft were hit by German anti-aircraft fire. Some of the pilots who returned attributed their losses to lack of fighter support on the final run-in.

Above) A copy of the original, period Navigation Diagram from 1944, (annotated in 2023 to clarify the checkpoints) depicting the northern and southern navigation routes for the respective troop carrier groups to their DZs. These routes and checkpoints were used several times throughout operation Market during September 1944 for the various drops. The 315th TCS departed Spanhoe (top left cluster, bottom spoke), assembled at point “March”, then proceeded SE to the coast of England at point “Antigua”, across the North Sea to landfall in Holland at point “Bermuda”, to “Columbia”, then E to the IP point “Ellis”, then to DZ “O” (on 14 Sep 44 to drop the 504th PIR, 82nd Airborne Div.), DZ “Y” (on 18 Sep 44 to drop the 1st British Airborne Brigade), and DZ at Driel (on 21 Sep 44 to drop the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade).

(Above) British paratroopers (unit unknown) preparing for airlift to Holland. Note the 'NM' on the nose of the C-47, denoting the 34th TCS

(Above) Maj. Gen. General Stanisław Sosabowski inspecting members of his 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade. Note the members holdling minibikes.

(Above) Colorized print of original B&W photo of 315^th TCG over England enroute to Arnheim (photo courtesy of Keith Brooker). Nose numerals depict M6, 309^th TCS

(Above) Polish paratroopers with the parapacks of equipment including minibikes, preparing to embark to Arnhem

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(Above) Color photo of original UPI news telex describing the Arnhem assault (photo courtesy of Keith Brooker) (Right) Parapack containing collapsible minibike

(Left) 315th TCG over England on northern route to Arnhem (Above) 315^th TCG over English Channel enroute to Arnhem (photo courtesy of Keith Brooker)

There was still another drop to be made ~ another bridge to be taken – destined to be the “bridge too far’, the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem. On 18 September 1944, one section of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was air-landed by glider (not towed by the 315th TCS), but due to bad weather at Spanhoe, the parachute section of the Brigade was held up, and the 700 paratroopers did not jump until 21 September at Driel on the South bank of the Rhine. A take off was attempted. The first serial from the 315th, A-84 consisting of 27 aircraft of the 34th and 43rd Troop Carrier Squadrons, attempted takeoff at 1310. Only two out of 27 aircraft were successful with the others aborting due to the bad weather. The second serial, A-85 consisting of 27 aircraft of the 309th led by Lt. Col Smylie Stark and 310th Troop Carrier Squadrons and led by Lt. Col. Henry Hamby of the 310th, managed to get 25 aircraft airborne at 1427, breaking through the overcast and assembling on top.

(Above) 315^th dropping Polish paratroopers at DZ "O", near Grave, September 23, 1944. The parachute drop took place between CG-4A glider landings, towed by another troop carrier group, some of which can be seen on the ground. Taken by US Army Correspondent inserted in a previous drop, probably with the glider troops.

Under radio silence, the serial departed for its DZ in Holland not knowing about the aborted attempts of the other serial. From another airfield in England, the 314th Troop Carrier Group was to join the 315th for the mission. Their two serials (A-86 with 27 aircraft and A-87 with 33 aircraft) took off at 1405 and 1413 with 11 aborts and 3 aborts respectively.

(Above) Knight’s mates on 315^th jeep – note bumper markings – 9 Air Force ê 315 ê TC ~ 9^th, 315^th Troop Carrier. WACO CG-4A glider in the background.

(Above) Copy of photo in the 309th TCS official war diary of C.O. Lt. Col Smylie Stark’s life vest that stopped a German anti-aircraft round while crossing the DZ at Driel, 21 Sep 44.

The second serial of the 315th (390th TCS and 310th TCS) arrived over the DZ between 1708 and 1715. On the run-in, the group could see another troop carrier group crossing the DZ from left to right. The 315th was originally scheduled to cross the DZ at Driel before the 314th, but due the weather delays, the 314th crossed first alerting the German anti-aircraft artillery, consequentially resulting in heavy damages and losses to the 315th. The 315th suffered heavy casualties. Three of the 310th Squadron's 16 aircraft were shot down and several could not return to Spanhoe, diverting instead to Brussels with wounded crewmembers and battle damage. The 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade jumped into a very hot drop zone. Many were killed or wounded in the air or after landing and many others were captured. Fighting was intense and the bridge at Arnhem – the 'bridge too far' – could not be taken. On September 23, 42 aircraft of the 315th finally got off the ground from Spanhoe with 560 more paratroopers of the 1st Polish Brigade, and dropped on DZ "O" near Grave, southwest of Nijmegen, Holland. By now, however, Operation Market Garden had stalled and although a tactical gain was not to be made, the Brigade did manage to send some of their numbers across the river to reinforce the British paratroopers trapped in Oosterbeek, and secure a corridor for their eventual evacuation. Polish Brigade casualties were for the operation were a devastating 25 percent. On September 23, D+6, the Polish paratroopers from the 314th and 315th Groups who did not make it off on the 21st were scheduled to try on the 22nd, but that drop was also grounded due to bad weather and could not be launched until the 23rd, D+6 days. On that day, the stress of boarding the aircraft in anticipation of a combat drop, then de-boarding due to weather grounding, was immense and caused one paratrooper of the Polish brigade to shoot himself with his own pistol. (See 310th TCS History). The Most Dangerous Re-supply Mission On September 29, 72 C-47s of the 315th joined the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing, commanded by Brig Gen. Harold L. Clark, as part of a 209 aircraft mission to re-supply the Polish and British paratroopers in the corridor near Arnhem. It had been nine days since the initial airborne assault of the operation. The aircraft air-landed behind enemy lines to deliver critical men, equipment, and food to reinforce the newly-won corridor in Holland.

Gen. Clark's plan called for landings at three German airbases in Holland located two miles north of Grave and eight miles southwest of Nijmegen. The bases were still in enemy hands and their securing by the Allies was not certain. At 11:15 hours, the first of the C-47's, took off for one of the fields in Holland, to be escorted by 9th AF and RAF fighters. On the approach, the fighters attacked flak guns hidden in haystacks and some flew ahead to form a protective ring around their objective field at Grave. The first aircraft landed at 1350 hours as the long train of 'Skytrains' (C-47s) circled overhead waiting their turn. The Luftwaffe fighters, desperately trying to get to them, were held at bay by the Allied fighter ring. 9th AF Jugs (P-47) shot down 32 German fighters and damaged eight others from a force of 50 which had attempted to penetrate the landing zone. At one time there were more then 100 C-47's on the field, all being coordinated by one C-47 on the ground. They delivered 132 jeeps, 73 jeep quarter ton trailers, 31 motorcycles, 3,374 gallons of gasoline, 38,700 pounds of ammunition, and 60,730 pounds of rations. In all, 657,995 pounds of combat equipment and 882 fighting men were unloaded on a field 1,000 by 1,400 yards. At 1650 hours, the last of the C-47's took off for their bases in England, many loaded with wounded and glider personnel who had been stranded since the initial assaults. Not a single cargo aircraft had been lost. It was the most dangerous re-supply mission ever undertaken by air to the front battle lines.

(Above and R) Loading ammunition aboard 315^th TCG C-47.

(Above) typical air evacuation configuration of C-47 (image not 315th TCG personnel or aircraft)

Bastogne and The Ardennes – Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944 – Feb 1945 Christmas time for the allies in the UK in 1944 was a bizarre mix of ease and war. Major Glen Miller and his US Army Air Force Band was playing at various airfields in the UK in the fall and their last public ‘hangar concert” was at RAF Kings Cliffe on 23 October 1944. On 22 August 1944, Pairs was liberated and by December, the Allies were enjoying Paris as an “R and R” (rest and recuperation) destination where Glen Miller’s orchestra was scheduled to perform Christmas concerts. However, the German army broke out at Bastogne on 16 December 1944 and surrounded the American troops creating a 'bulge' and threatening annihilation of a significant portion of our forces. On that date, the Group was placed on thirty minute alert to move reinforcements to the Continent [from England]. Takeoffs from the troop carrier airfields in Rutland, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire were almost impossible from the 19th through noon of the 24th as a pea-soup fog covered much of England. Around noon on Christmas Eve day the weather improved enough for 74 planes to leave Spanhoe for Rheims and Leon with reinforcements for U.S. forces in the Bastogne area. Early on Christmas morning, Airfield A-68, south of Rheims, was strafed by German fighters, but one of the 315th planes there were damaged. All 74 planes returned to Spanhoe on Christmas afternoon - a Christmas which was reported to be one of the coldest on record in England. Although there was no snow, there was an extremely heavy frost and rime ice on the wire fences around part of Spanhoe Airfield resembling tinsel on a Christmas tree. Captain Suttle and Lieutenants Hayden and Alwood, detached from the 315th to the IX Troop Carrier Command's Pathfinder Group, were captured by the Germans when their plane was shot down while dropping supplies near Bastogne during the German Ardennes offensive.

(Above) Glenn Miller (with the trombone) leader of the Army Air Force Band from 9 July 1944 to 15 December 1944. Others unidentified. Photo courtesy of unidentified veteran of the 315th TCG (right) 310th TCS C-47being prepared in winter at Spanhoe. Invasion stripes indicate date is ca Fall 1944, reported as one of the coldest on record then.

On 18 December,1944, two airplanes of the 34th TCS of the 315th TCG transported Maj. Miller’s orchestra from England to La Borget airfield in Paris, however without Glen Miller who, for reasons still unknown, elected to remain in England a few days and join the orchestra in Paris later. The two group planes which flew from Twin Woods Farm on the 18th of December to airlift Major Glenn Miller's orchestra to Paris returned safely, but the Norseman aircraft carrying Miller failed to arrive in Paris and the plane was never located. Glen Miller’s disappearance is still controversial (see the article on the “Glen Miller Coverup” by 34th TCS pilot Doc Chloer who transported the orchestra to Paris.)

Crossing the Rhine ~ Operation Varsity, Mar 1945 On 24 March 1945, the Allies were poised to go into Germany itself and launched Operation Varsity. The 315th dropped British paratroopers near Wesel, Germany. This was to be the 315th's heaviest losses of the war, losing 19 aircraft with 36 badly damaged. VARSITY was designed to deliver all airborne troops in one lift, instead of having a series of missions as was done in the Holland operation the preceding September. The American groups, except for three, flew from bases in France. The British groups, plus three from 52nd Troop Carrier Wing (the 61st, the 315th, and the 316th) used airfields in East Anglia near the staging area of the British 6th Airborne Division. The airfield selected for the 315th was Boreham, in Essex, about 30 miles northeast of London, near the town of Chelmsford.

(Above) Map of Troop Carrier routes to the drop zones in Germany for Operations Varsity, 24 Mar 1945

On the 11th of March, a small advance party went to RAF Boreham from Spanhoe to check the facilities and to conduct liaison with the British. Eight days later, on the 22nd, the 315th planes, crews, and support personnel moved to Boreham. The 310th Squadron, which was assigned the task of feeding and housekeeping the entire group at Boreham, provided the largest contingent of support personnel. In addition to the British 6th Airborne Division, the U. S. 17th and 13th were selected to participate in VARSITY, but the 13th Airborne Division was later withdrawn. The British 1st Airborne Division had suffered very heavy losses at Arnhem and was not ready, and the other two U. S. Airborne Divisions, the 82nd and the 101st, had been in the line almost continuously since Operation Market the preceding autumn.

The 43rd Squadron, led by Colonel Lyon, took the lead. They were followed by Lieutenant Colonel Smith leading 18 planes from the 34th and Major Brinson leading a composite squadron of planes made of planes and crews from the 34th, 309th and 310rh. Serial B-6 was immediately behind led by Lieutenant Colonel Stark and the 309th planes. Flying next was Major Rylance with 18 planes from the 3I0th. Some ground fire was noticed while approaching the drop zone. As the 315th formations passed over the DZ and turned left, the situation changed abruptly as intense and accurate flak from the German 7th Parachute Division, in the woods near Mehr, swept the serials. Few planes escaped damage, and some began to burn and fall. Ten aircraft were shot down in the next few minutes, and seven others came down west of the Rhine.

(Right) British paratroops at RAF Boreham preparing for the Operation Varsity drop. Research by Chris Cornell of England (see the British Airborne website “Pegasus Archive”) has identified the unit as the 7th Parachute Battalion, British 6th Airborne Division. The third trooper from the right has been identified as Sgt Sidney Cornell, DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal recipient), No.3 Section, No.5 Platoon, "B" Company, the great uncle of Chris Cornell. Sgt. Cornell was killed in action 7 March1945. The “4A” identifies the aircraft as belonging to the 310th TCS of the 315th TCG.

Amiens, Mar 1945 Immediately following Operation Varsity, the 315th, in combination with the other troop carrier groups, were focal in the air evacuation of wounded troops. In April 1945, the 315th Troop Carrier Group moved from Spanhoe, England, to Amiens-Glisy Aerodrome in France, affording a faster response in support of the Allied assault into Germany.

(Above) Amiens-Glisy Aerodrome. Used by the Luftwaffe during their occjpation of France. Note the pock marks around the airfield from Allied bombing.

(Above) Understandably, accommodations at Amiens were crude -- mostly tents

(Above L and R) Amiens – Bathing and dining was “al fresca”'.

V-E Day On May 8, 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered -- the war in Europe was over! The 315th still had plenty of work to do. During April 1945, 46, 313 troops were evacuated from forward battle areas and the total reached 101,400 by 10 May. (Above) 315^th TCG at Liege, Belgium, spring 1945

(Below) 34^th TCS pilot Thaddeus Knight photographed much of the destruction of the German war machine. (Top row L and R) ME-109 at Orleans, France, Mar ‘45; Me-109s at Chartres, France, Feb ‘45 (Second row L and R) JU-88 at Celle, Germany; Ju-88s at Chartres, France, Feb ‘45

(Above) FW-190 at Chartres, France, Feb ’45

(Above) Knight in front of FW-190

(Above) Knight’s squadron-mate Mark Grossinger in front of Ju-88;

(Above) Burning hangar in Germany

Going Home. Although the war in Europe was over, the work was not. Following VE-Day (8 May 1945), many units were deactivated, sent back to the United States, or redeployed to the Pacific to fight the Japanese. The 315th, whose mission was essentially moving men and materiel, was instrumental in bringing the boys home. Included in this great logistical movement were hundreds of American POWs (Prisoners of War) returning home from their internment in Europe. At this time, the best routes were over the mid-Atlantic and the 315th relocated in Trinidad in the Caribean and assigned to the newly created Air Transport Command.

(Above left and right) USS General William H. Gordon loading 315^th TCS personnel and equipment for transport to Trinidad.

(Above left and right) Trinidad as seen from the USS Gen. Gordon.

(Above) Cargo train unloading at the dock at Port of Spain, Trinidad.

(Above) ‘Indian’ bobby, Port of Spain, Jamaica

(Above) Hotel in Trinidad

(Above) Local watering hole “Savoy” in Port of Spain, Jamiaca

(Above) Quarters on Trinidad.

(Above) Beach at Trinidad

(Left) In 1946, almost immediately following VE Day, May 8, with the 315th TCG moved to Amiens, France, Spanhoe was de-activated as an allied airfield and used to hold US military vehicles, now surplus, for sale. Photo from Airfield Focus: Spanhoe 69, by John Smith, GMS Enterprises publisher, ISBN1-904514-21-9

Though logistical support and air transport activity was still very busy, the need for a large number of units decreased and the 315th Troop Carrier Group and its four squadrons – the 34th, 43rd, 309th and 310th – were deactivated in Trinidad on 31 Jul 1945. Although the 315th was now retired, its numerical designation “315” has been reactivated several times since. (See “Next Generation” page.) (Sources ~ Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Action Stations 2, Poles Apart by George Cholewczynski, Lt. George Guess, USAAF Staff Writer (1945), Wikipedia, Internet, and member’s memoirs.)