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 10th CCU Jan 23, 1945 |
Location Lat 23° 40′ 48″ N, 86° 59′ 24″ E Asansol Airfield was located near Asansol in the Paschim Bardhaman District of West Bengal State in eastern India. Also located near Nigah on NH 19 (Grand Trunk Road). Wartime History On April 2, 1942 U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) General Lewis H. Brereton, Commanding Officer (C. O.) 10th Air Force (10th AF) initiates bombing missions from Asansol against the Japanese in Burma. That evening, a bombing mission against Rangoon is aborted when B-17 pilot Lewellyn crashed on takeoff and another B-17 has mechanical trouble, causing the entire mission to be aborted. On April 3, 1942 six B-17s took off from Asansol to bomb warehouses and docks at Rangoon. On April 6, 1942 and April 7, 1942 ten DC-3's of Pan American Airways begin hauling 30,000 gallons of fuel and 500 gallons of lubricants from Calcutta to Asansol for air operations. This fuel, subsequently transferred via Dinjan Airfield to China, is positioned to refuel B-25 Mitchells from the "Doolittle Raid" led by Colonel James H Doolittle on April 18, 1942 after bombing Japan. During 1943, Asansol Airfield was turned over to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). In late 1943 used by the 5318th Provisional Air Unit operating P-51 Mustangs, B-25 Mitchells and C-47 Skytrains and Waco CG-4A gliders for missions against Burma. During May 1944, they used six Sikorsky R-4s in combat, the first use of helicopters in combat. American units based at Asansol 1st Air Commando Group (1st ACG), HQ Hailakandi arrives May 20, 1944 det Cox's Bazar Oct 15-21, 1944 and Nov 2, 1944 departs Yazagyo on January 11, 1945 1st Air Commando Group, 164th Liaison Squadrons (UC-64, L-5) Sept 1, 1944–December 19, 1944 Inbaung, Kan, returns Jan 31, 45, Ondaw returns March 31 - April 20, 1945 Sinthe returns April 25, 1945 1st Air Commando Group, 165th Liaison Squadrons September 1 - ? returns Nov 27, 1944 - Dec 28, 1944 Kawlin, Shwebo returns Feb 19 - March 14, 45 Sinthe 1st Air Commando Group, 166th Liaison Squadrons Sept 1, 1944–Nov 13, 1944 Yazagyo returns Dec 19, 1944 det Arakan Dec 29, 44 - Jan 23, 45 to Sinthe Feb 4, 1945–March 29, 1945 Ondaw 6th Fighter Squadron (P-47) Dec 24, 1944 det Cox's Bazzar return Oct 21, det Cox's Bazzar Nov 2, 1944–Nov 8, 1944 detachment Fenny departs Dec 1, 1944 returns Det Cox's Bazzar Jan 11, 1945–Jan 18, 45 returns June 22, 1945 5th Fighter Squadron (P-47) departs December 28, 1944 Fenny returns June 22, 1945 1st Air Commando Group (1st ACG), 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (319th TCS) activate September 1, 1944–December 4, 1944 1st ACG, 166th LS (UC-64, L-5) Toungoo arrives May 14, 1945 Today Disused as an airfield since the war. Contribute
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