10AF 319th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando)

[seabee1526]

Hello, what info do you have as to C-47 markings for this squadron? I'm curious about the "?" on the tail.

[Dana Bell]

Hi Seabee,

There's a back story, but it's always tough to see that fine line between history and a rippin' good yarn. I corresponded with Milt Caniff about this in the 1970s, after noticing the question mark on one of the aircraft in his Terry and the Pirates strip - I wanted to know if the Air Commandos copied the marking from the strip or visa versa.

Caniff explained the Phil Cochran came up with the marking in North Africa. Cochran was one of the overage of pilots in a pool awaiting assignment, located on a base with a bunch of aircraft in a pool awaiting assignment. He quietly formed his own unit - the red scarf commandos - and began using the spares to harrass German troops in the area. (I suspect there was approval somewhere along the chain of command, but I've never found a paper trail!) The aircraft were all marked with question marks, and the pilots all wore red scarves. I've only seen one photo of one of those aircraft, a P-39 with a large "?" on the right side door.

When Cochran formed the 1st Air Commando Group back in the states (it began with some four-digit provisional group number that I don't recall), he carried the "?" marking to the transports. (The 2nd ACG followed suit with the "!" on it's C-47s.)

Cochran, of course, was the model for Caniff's character "Flip Corkin."

Cheers,



Dana

[mustangdriver]

We did the C-47 in 319th markings out at Grissom Air Museum a few years ago. The ? mark still needs added.