Dudhkundi Airfield-USAir Force 444th Bombardment Group 1942-45

 airport, Second World War 1939-1945

Dudhkundi Airfield is air to ground firing range of IAF now.
The allied forces had anticipated the Japanese onslaught from the northeast and a string of airfields were set up in the area. These included those at Jharsuguda, Amarda Road, Charbatia, Hijli, Dudhkundi, Digri, Salua, Chakulia, Kalaikunda and Bishnupur. Amarda Road had one of the longest runways in the world. The runway still exists. Hundreds of aircraft were stationed at these airfields and the entire operations in Burma and beyond were controlled from there.

Dudhkundi was originally designed for B-24 Liberator use by RAF. In 1943 it was designated as a B-29 Superfortress Base for the planned deployment of the United States Army Air Forces XX Bomber Command to India. Advance Army Air Forces echelons arrived in India in December 1943 to organize the upgrading of the airfield and thousands of Indians labored to upgrade the facility for Superfortress operations. It was one of four B-29 bases established by the Americans in India.

Finally ready for use in July 1944, the 444th Bombardment Group moved to Dudhkundi from Charra Airfield(Purulia). The 444th was part of the Operation Matterhorn project of XX Bomber Command, the bombing of the Japanese Home Islands. In order to reach Japan, the B-29s of the group needed to stage operations from Kwanghan Airfield (A-3), a forward base just to the southwest of Chendu in south-central China


Missions of the 444th flown from Dudhkundi included attacking transportation centers, naval installations, aircraft plants, and other targets in Burma, China, Thailand, Japan, and Formosa.

With the departure of the B-29s to the Marianas, Dudhkundi Airfield was turned over to the Tenth Air Force. The 87th Air Depot Group took over command of the airfield, and the mission of the base was to be a maintenance and disposition center for surplus Allied aircraft.

The 80th Fighter Group moved in on 24 May from its primitive base at Myitkyina, Burma, with a mixture of P-38 Lightnings, A-36 Apaches and dive-bomber modified P-40 Warhawk (B-40) being withdrawn from combat. The 80th returned to the United States in October 1945, leaving its aircraft and equipment at the airfield.

With its departure, the B-24 Liberator equipped 7th Bombardment Group moved to Dudhkundi. It remained at the airfield, also leaving its aircraft and equipment in India and sending its personnel back to the United States. It was inactivated as a paper unit in January 1946.

With the last Americans leaving in early 1946, the airfield was turned over to the British colonial government.

See the pictures containg a group of boys--who served as bearers.

Other picture of a boy & pup is of a bearer & the puppy brought by a plane returning from China

Some one staying at Jhargram may try to trace these boys who must be 12/13 at 1945

rr0101@myrealbox.com