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Wings of Victory

Charting the Global Lifelines of World War II Aviation.

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Overview

Strategic Airlift

The Air Transport Command (ATC) was a pivotal command within the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. It served as the strategic airlift component, responsible for the global movement of vital resources.

Dual Mission

ATC's primary missions were twofold: first, to deliver supplies and equipment between the United States and overseas combat theaters; second, to ferry aircraft from manufacturing plants to operational theaters, ensuring timely deployment.

Enduring Legacy

Inactivated in 1948, ATC laid the groundwork for subsequent military airlift organizations, evolving into the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), then Military Airlift Command (MAC), and ultimately the present-day Air Mobility Command (AMC), maintaining a continuous history of long-range airlift.

History

WWII Achievements

ATC's development of a worldwide air transport system was a monumental achievement of the Army Air Forces in World War II. This system enabled unprecedented logistical support, fundamentally changing military operations.

Early Roots

The command's origins trace back to World War I needs for transporting aircraft and materiel. By the 1920s and 1930s, the Air Corps began formally experimenting with air transport, establishing provisional units and routes for distributing spare parts.

Lend-Lease

Allied Needs

Following the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939, Allied nations, particularly Britain, urgently sought military equipment from the United States. This created a demand for efficient delivery methods for aircraft.

Ferrying Innovation

The concept of ferrying aircraft by air emerged as a solution to save vital shipping space and drastically reduce delivery times. This allowed aircraft to reach combat zones in days rather than months.

Neutrality and Support

The Lend-Lease Act of March 1941 formalized U.S. support. Due to neutrality, aircraft purchased by Britain were often "pushed" across the US-Canada border to avoid direct U.S. involvement in transit.

Ferrying Command

Formation

Established on May 29, 1941, the Air Corps Ferrying Command (ACFC) was tasked with delivering lend-lease aircraft overseas. Commanded by Brig. Gen. Robert Olds, its mission expanded rapidly.

Domestic Operations

After Pearl Harbor, ACFC's domestic role grew, managing the ferrying of aircraft within the U.S. It was organized into geographic sectors, each responsible for specific factory deliveries and staging points.

Global Reach

As the war progressed, ACFC took on responsibility for delivering aircraft to global theaters. This necessitated establishing extensive air routes and support infrastructure worldwide.

Operations

Aircraft Fleet

ATC utilized a diverse fleet, including the workhorse C-47 Skytrain, the long-range C-87 Liberator Express, the C-46 Commando, and the powerful C-54 Skymaster, adapting aircraft to specific route requirements.

Scale of Operations

By war's end, ATC operated with nearly 210,000 personnel, including over 3,000 major transports. It ferried over 267,000 aircraft and transported hundreds of thousands of passengers and tons of cargo annually.

Key Leaders

Led by figures like Maj. Gen. Harold L. George and former American Airlines president C. R. Smith, ATC's leadership combined military strategy with civilian aviation expertise, driving its massive expansion.

Routes

Major Arteries

ATC established critical air routes: the North Atlantic Route to Britain, the Northwest Staging Route to Alaska and Siberia, the South Pacific Route to Australia, and the South Atlantic Route via Brazil to West Africa.

Global Network

These routes evolved to include the Mid-Atlantic Route via the Azores, connecting North Africa and Europe. ATC's network spanned continents, supporting operations in the Middle East, India, China, and the Pacific.

The Hump

A critical artery was the India-China Route, flying over the Himalayas ("The Hump"), which transported vital supplies to China. This operation, though challenging, was crucial for the China-Burma-India theater.

Installations

Domestic Hubs

Key domestic bases served as concentration and embarkation points. These included Hamilton Field, California (Pacific Route), Morrison Field, Florida (South Atlantic Route), and Presque Isle Field, Maine (North Atlantic Route).

Training Centers

ATC operated specialized training schools across the U.S. for pilots transitioning to various aircraft types (e.g., C-47, C-54) and for specialized missions like high-altitude flying for "The Hump" operations.

Overseas Stations

ATC maintained a vast network of overseas stations, including Prestwick, Scotland; bases in North Africa and the Middle East; airfields in India and China; and hubs across the Pacific, supporting continuous global operations.

Lineage

Evolution

ATC's lineage began as the Air Corps Ferrying Command in 1941, evolving through the Army Air Forces Ferry Command before becoming the Air Transport Command in July 1942, consolidating diverse air transport responsibilities.

Post-War Future

After World War II, ATC was inactivated in 1948. Its functions were absorbed by the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), continuing its legacy of strategic airlift and troop deployment.

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References

References

  1.  Part I, Organization & Its Responsibilities, Chapter 2, "The AAF": Craven, Wesley and Cate, James, The Army Air Forces In World War II, Volume Six: "Men and Planes". New Imprint by the Office of Air Force History Washington, D.C., 1983
  2.  Baugher, Douglas DB-7 in French Service
  3.  Baugher, Curtiss Hawk with Armee de l'Air
  4.  Curtiss P-40D (Kittyhawk I)
  5.  Administrative History of the Ferrying Command, 29 May 1941 รขย€ย“ 30 June 1942. Army Air Forces Historical Studies: No. 33. Prepared by Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence, Historical Division, HQ USAAF, Washington, D.C., June 1945
  6.  Craven & Cate, Section Four: The Air Transport Command Responsibilities, Chapter 9: "The Early Development of Air Transport and Ferrying"
  7.  Serling, Robert J. "America's Airlines," Flying Magazine, September 1977, Vol. 63 No. 9, p. 229
  8.  Stanley M. Ulanoff, MATS: The Story of the Military Air Transport Service, 1964, The Moffa Press, Inc.
  9.  Shaw, Frederick J. (2014), Locating Air Force Base Sites Historyรขย€ย™s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004. (Updated Edition, 2014)
  10.  AFHRA Search, Gore Field MT
  11.  AFHRA Document 00172675, Great Falls AAB MT
  12.  AFHRA Search, Hamilton Field CA
  13.  AFHRA Search, Morrison Field FL
  14.  AFHRA Search, Presque Isle ME
  15.  AFHRA Search, Houlton Field ME
  16.  AFHRA Document 00180405 Lunken Field OH
  17.  AFHRA Search New Castle DE
  18.  AFHRA Search Romulus Army Airfield MI
  19.  AFHRA Search Charleston SC
  20.  AFHRA Document 00172776 Greenwood Army Air Base MS
  21.  Part III Recruitment & Training, Chapter 20 Other Training Programs, "Ferry Pilots and Transport Crews"; Craven and Cate, The AAF in World War II
  22.  AFHRA Search Homestead FL
  23.  AFHRA Search Reno Nevada
  24.  AFHRA Search, Wold MN
  25.  Stanley, William R. (1994), Trans-South Atlantic air link in World War II, Professor, Department of Geography, University of South Carolina, Geo Journal, Issue Volume 33, Number 4 / August, 1994 pp. 459รขย€ย“463 ISSN 0343-2521
  26.  Volume VII, Services Around the World. The Army Air Forces in World War II
  27.  Chapter 4, The North Atlantic Route. The Army Air Forces in World War II
A full list of references for this article are available at the Air Transport Command Wikipedia page

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