Constituted as 443rd Troop Carrier Group on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Oct 1943. Equipped with L-3, C-53, and C-47 aircraft. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, on 15 Feb 1944 to India, where the group was remanned and new squadrons were assigned. Operated in the CBI theater until after the war, using C-47's and sometimes gliders to transport Allied troops, evacuate wounded personnel, and haul supplies and materiel, including gasoline, oil, signal and engineering equipment, medicine, rations, and ammunition. The group's missions were concerned primarily with support for Allied forces that were driving southward through Burma, but the 443rd also made many flights to China. It moved to China in Aug 1945 and received a DUC for transporting a Chinese army of more than 30,000 men from Chihkiang to Nanking in Sep 1945. Returned to the US in Dec. Inactivated on 26 Dec 1945.
Redesignated 443rd Troop Carrier Group (Medium) and allotted to the reserve. Activated on 27 Jun 1949. Called to active duty on 1 May 1951. Assigned to Tactical Air Command. Equipped first with C-46's, later (in Feb 1952) with C-119's. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1953.
Squadrons. 1st: 1944-1945. 2d: 1944-1945. 27th: 1944-1945. 309th: 1943-1944; 1949-1953. 310th: 1943-1944; 1949-1953. 315th: 1944-1945. 343d: 1949-1953. 344th: 1949-1951.
Stations. Sedalia AAFld, Mo, 1 Oct 1943; Alliance AAFld, Neb, 19 Jan 1944-15 Feb 1944; Sylhet, India, 15 Feb 1944 Sookerating, India, 6 Jun 1944; Dinjan, India, 9 Jul 1944; Ledo, India, 8 Oct 1944; Dinjan, India, 11 May 1945; Chihkiang, China, 28 Aug 1945; Hankow, China, 25 Sep-30 Nov 1945; Camp Anza, Calif, 23-26 Dec 1945. Hensley Field, Tex, 27 Jun 1949; Donaldson AFB, SC, 9 Aug 1951-1 Feb 1953.
Commanders. Maj Elmer F Estrumse, 5 Oct 1943; Lt Col Charles D Farr, 13 Mar 1944; Lt Col Loren Cornell, 16 May 1944; Col Thomas Schofield, 1 Nov 1944; Col Herbert A Bott, 12 Apr 1945; Col Frederick L Moore, 11 Sep 1945; Lt Col Jack F Marr, Deck. 16 Dec 1945. Col James B Henson, 1 May 1951; Maj Clifford F Harris, c. 15 Dec 1952-1 Feb 1953.
Campaigns. India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma; China Offensive.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: China, 5-30 Sep 1945.
Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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