41st Troop Carrier Squadron (41st TCS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 317th Troop Carrier Group (317th TCG)

Background
On February 2, 1942 constituted as the 41st Transport Squadron (41st TS) in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). On February 18, 1942 activated at Duncan Field in Texas as San Antonio Air Depot. On February 22, 1942 assigned to the 317th Transport Group (317th TG). On June 20, 1942 moves to Bowman Field, Kentucky. On October 11, 1942 moves to Mawson Field in Georgia. On December 3, 1942 moves to Maxton Airfield in Georgia and nine days later begins a movement overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
On January 23, 1943 the squadron arrives at Garbutt Field at Townsville and begins flying transport flights.

On February 22, 1943 moves to Archerfield Airfield near Brisbane.

On October 5, 1943 moves to Port Moresby in New Guinea.

On April 24, 1944 moves to Finschafen Airfield on the north coast of New Guinea.

On May 13, 1944 moves to Hollandia in western New Guinea. During free time, the squadron repaired Ki-43-II Oscar to flying condition. During the restoration, this aircraft was stripped to a bare aluminum finish. On the fuselage and wings was a U.S. star and bar marking. On both sides of the nose below the cockpit was a stripe with "Rebuilt by the 41st Troop Carrier Sq." written in cursive with the squadron's motif of Felix the Cat carrying a kitten. The tail code XJ004 was painted in black on both sides of the tail. The tail rudder was painted red and white. Both main wheel hubs of the main landing gear had the 5th Air Force insignia.

On November 17, 1944 moves to Leyte in the Philippines.

On March 6, 1945 moves to Clark Field on Luzon.

During August 1945 moves to Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War.

Postwar
During October 1945 moves to Kimpo Airfield in Korea. On January 7, 1946 moves to Seoul Airfield. On January 19, 1946 moves to Tachikawa Airfield in Japan. On April 30, 1947 moves to Nagoya Airfield. During September 1947 returns to Tachikawa Airfield.

On September 18, 1947 becomes part of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). On September 22, 1948 begins a movement to Europe to participate in the Berlin Airlift. On September 30, 1948 arrives Wiesbaden Airfield in Germany. On December 19, 1948 moves to Celle RAF Station in Germany and remains until the middle of September 1949.

On July 14, 1952 assigned to the 317th Troop Carrier Group (317th TCG) at Rhein/Main AB in Germany. On March 12, 1957 assigned to the 317th Troop Carrier Wing (317th TCW). On March 21 ,1953 moves to Neubiberg AB. On March 15, 1957 moves to Evreux-Fauville AB in France. On September 25, 1958 assigned to the 322nd Air Division.

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citation: Papua January 1943–February 1943, Philippines February 16-17, 1945
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: July 8, 1960–August 10, 1960, September 1, 1962–April 15, 1963

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 192-193 (41st Troop Carrier) [PDF pages 204-205]

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