2d Combat Cargo Group

The 2d Combat Cargo Group was an inactive United States Army Air Forces transport and logistics unit organized during World War II. It was constituted on 25 April 1944 and activated on 1 May 1944 at Syracuse Army Air Base, New York. Rather than functioning as a commercial brand, the group was a military formation designed to move personnel and materiel into and within combat theaters where conventional transport arrangements were difficult or unavailable. The group trained with Curtiss C-46 Commando and Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft. Its operational structure included the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Combat Cargo Squadrons. After training in the United States, the group moved to Baer Field, Indiana, for overseas processing and departed for the Southwest Pacific, reaching Biak Island in the Netherlands East Indies in November 1944. It was assigned to Fifth Air Force and initially operated from Mokmer Airfield on Biak. From Biak, the group transported passengers and cargo among American bases in Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Philippines. Its missions also included supply drops to American and guerrilla forces in the Philippines. These duties placed the group within the broader Allied effort to sustain dispersed operations across an extensive island theater, where air transport was essential for delivering personnel, equipment, ammunition, food, and other supplies. In May 1945, the group moved to Leyte in the Philippines. It continued its Southwest Pacific transport operations, extended service to the Ryukyus, and used return flights to evacuate casualties. In approximately August 1945 it relocated to Okinawa. Following Japan's surrender, the group transported occupation personnel and equipment to Japan and returned liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines. It moved to Yokota Airfield in Japan in September 1945 and remained associated with occupation duties until it was inactivated on 15 January 1946. The organization was formally disbanded on 8 October 1948. The unit lineage was later revived in a different organizational form. On 31 July 1985, the former group was reconstituted and redesignated as the 362d Military Airlift Group, although it was not active under that designation. It was subsequently redesignated the 362d Airlift Support Group and activated at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, on 1 April 1992. That incarnation was inactivated around 1 July 1994. On 12 June 2002, the lineage was redesignated the 362d Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status under Air Mobility Command, allowing it to be activated or inactivated as operational requirements dictated. The later lineage does not represent a continuation of the original wartime group as an active unit under its World War II name.

The 2d Combat Cargo Group was constituted on 25 April 1944 and activated on 1 May at Syracuse Army Air Base in New York. It was created as a transport formation for wartime operations and trained on the Curtiss C-46 Commando and Douglas C-47 Skytrain. The group included the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Combat Cargo Squadrons. After completing its domestic preparation, it moved to Baer Field, Indiana, from 9 to 27 October 1944 for overseas processing. The group reached Biak Island in the Southwest Pacific in November 1944 and was assigned to Fifth Air Force. Operating from Mokmer Airfield, it moved passengers and cargo between bases in Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Philippines. It also delivered supplies by air to American and guerrilla forces in the Philippines. Its work supported Allied operations across an island theater in which long distances, limited infrastructure, and changing front lines made air transport a critical logistical tool. In May 1945, the group moved to Dulag Airfield on Leyte. It retained its regional transport role while also serving the Ryukyus. Return flights were used to evacuate casualties, combining routine logistics with direct support for combat operations. Around 20 August 1945, the group relocated to Bolo Airfield on Okinawa. After the end of hostilities, it transported occupation personnel and equipment to Japan and ferried liberated prisoners of war from Japan and other locations back to the Philippines. The group moved to Yokota Airfield in Japan around 22 September 1945. It remained there as part of the occupation-support structure until its inactivation on 15 January 1946. It was disbanded on 8 October 1948. Its World War II record included recognition through the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation and participation associated with the Asiatic-Pacific campaign and the Army of Occupation period. The lineage was reconstituted on 31 July 1985 as the 362d Military Airlift Group, but that designation was not activated. It was later redesignated the 362d Airlift Support Group and activated at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, on 1 April 1992, under Twenty-First Air Force. This later organization was inactivated around 1 July 1994. On 12 June 2002, the lineage was converted to provisional status as the 362d Air Expeditionary Group and assigned to Air Mobility Command for activation when required. The postwar redesignations preserve the lineage of the original organization but describe later formations with different missions, structures, and periods of activity.

• 2002

  Conversion to provisional expeditionary status

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  On 12 June, the lineage became the provisional 362d Air Expeditionary Group under Air Mobility Command for activation as needed.

• 1992

  Activation as an airlift support group

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage was activated at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, on 1 April as the 362d Airlift Support Group.

• 1985

  Lineage reconstitution

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was reconstituted on 31 July and redesignated as the 362d Military Airlift Group, which was not activated under that designation.

• 1948

  Disbandment

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was formally disbanded on 8 October.

• 1946

  Inactivation

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated at Yokota Airfield, Japan, on 15 January.

• 1945

  Move to Leyte

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group relocated to Leyte in May and continued transport, resupply, and casualty-evacuation missions in the Southwest Pacific.

• 1945

  Postwar occupation transport

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After moving to Okinawa and then Japan, the group transported occupation forces and equipment and returned liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines.

• 1944

  Constitution and activation

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was constituted on 25 April and activated on 1 May at Syracuse Army Air Base, New York.

• 1944

  Deployment to the Southwest Pacific

  [1]2d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After training and overseas processing at Baer Field, the group arrived at Biak Island in November and joined Fifth Air Force.

A wartime tactical airlift organization focused on flexible transport, resupply, evacuation, and occupation-support missions in geographically dispersed theaters.

• Transport aircraft · 1944

  Curtiss C-46 Commando

  A twin-engine transport aircraft used by the group during its World War II operations. It supported the movement of passengers, cargo, and equipment across the Southwest Pacific.

• Transport aircraft · 1944

  Douglas C-47 Skytrain

  A transport aircraft used by the group during the wartime period. The type was suitable for personnel movement, cargo delivery, and logistical missions at dispersed airfields.

• 1945Leyte and Ryukyus transport operations

  Philippines · Ryukyus

  From Leyte, the group transported personnel and supplies and evacuated casualties on return flights while maintaining regional airlift operations.

  Outcome. Supported Allied sustainment and medical evacuation requirements during the final phase of the Pacific war.

  Source
• 1945Japan occupation support

  Okinawa · Japan · Philippines

  Following Japan's surrender, the group moved through Okinawa to Japan, carrying occupation personnel and equipment and returning liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines.

  Outcome. The group completed its wartime and immediate postwar responsibilities before inactivation in January 1946.

  Source
• 1944Southwest Pacific deployment

  Biak Island · Australia · New Guinea · Admiralties · Philippines

  The group entered operations from Biak Island and provided passenger and cargo transport among Allied bases while also supporting supply drops to forces in the Philippines.

  Outcome. Established the group as a functioning combat-cargo formation in the Southwest Pacific.

  Source

• 2002

  Conversion to provisional expeditionary statusStrategy

  Background

  The lineage was retained for potential use within the Air Mobility Command structure.

  Action taken

  It was redesignated as the 362d Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status for activation or inactivation as required.

  Aftermath

  The lineage remained available as an expeditionary airlift organization rather than operating continuously under the original wartime name.

  Source

• 1992

  Activation as the 362d Airlift Support GroupStrategy

  Background

  The lineage was assigned a post-Cold War airlift-support role in Europe.

  Action taken

  It was activated at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, on 1 April under Twenty-First Air Force.

  Aftermath

  This incarnation was inactivated around 1 July 1994.

  Source

• 1985

  Reconstitution as the 362d Military Airlift GroupStrategy

  Background

  The former group lineage was restored decades after its World War II disbandment.

  Action taken

  The organization was redesignated as the 362d Military Airlift Group, although it was not activated under that designation.

  Aftermath

  The lineage was later adapted for airlift-support and expeditionary roles.

  Source

1. 12d Combat Cargo Groupen.wikipedia.org