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1944, Cont'd |
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1-11 Nov 44 |
Due to heavy resistance by the German Army in Northern Italy,
the Group was directed to move an estimated 10,000 troops from Cherbourg, France,
to the battle area in the Po Valley. The pressure to deliver the replacements
with utmost haste, coupled with bad icing conditions over France, resulted in
a number of accidents. The 17th is ordered back to Ciampino. |
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12TH AIR FORCE 12TH TROOP
CARRIER COMMAND 17TH TROOP
CARRIER SQUADRON |
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11-11/12-31 1944 |
Ciampino Airdrome, Italy. Normal
missions in support of Mark Clark's 5th and the British 8th Armies
resume. |
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1945 |
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1-8 Jan 45 |
Squadron conducts same support missions as before. Ordered to
Rosignano Airfield, Italy. |
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1-9/4-20 |
Rosignano Airfield, Italy. Bivouacked
south of Leghorn. Participated in normal theatre support missions, which were
expanded to resupply Partisan forces in Northern Italy, with the loss of
several aircraft and crews. In a letter I received from Frank Foy, he stated
that I was lucky not to be there. One of my close friends, S/Sgt Robert
Harmon, who was my tent mate in Comiso, was among those killed in action. |
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20-21 Apr 45 |
On the night of April 20/21, the 64th conducted the last
paratroop mission of the war, dropping 220 elite Italian paratroopers into
the Po Valley, where they adopted guerrilla tactics that hastened the end of
the war. |
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4-22/5-21 |
Support missions continued until 2 May, when the war in Italy
ended. From then on, the squadron assisted in flying emergency missions to provide
food and medicines to newly liberated cities, such as Milan, and to POW camps
in Austria. |
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21 May 45 |
The 64th TCG was transferred from 12th Air Force and the 51st
TCW, departing the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. |
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2 Jun 45 |
The 64th flew its planes and equipment to Trinidad, via ATC's South Atlantic Route through the Ascension Island and Brazil. During June, the 64th TCG was deactivated and assigned to Air Transport Command. IN
CONCLUSION: During its 34 months of overseas duty, the Group was awarded ten
(10) battle stars for campaigns in: Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily;
Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; India-Burma; Southern France; Western Germany;
Northern Apennines and the Po Valley, in addition to the Distinguished Unit
Citation. Members of the Group were awarded more than 500 Distinguished
Flying Crosses; 200 Oak-Leaf Clusters to the DFC; 1000 Air Medals; 1500 OL
Clusters to the Air Medal; 35 Bronze Star Medals; 20 Legion of Merit Medals;
20 Soldiers Medals and 5 Purple Hearts. In earning these decorations, the
Group flew more than 135,000 hours; transported in excess of 48,000 tons of
freight, and 320,000 passengers, patients and troops. |
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