Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-13
Troop Carrier Group
Reaches Home After
Two Years Of War i
BY CASPER NAMES,
star Staff Cor respondent.

by CAcrEn NANNEcs
Star staff Correspondent.
POPE FIELD, N. c., July 13.--The
316th Troop Carrier Group, 1,40o
strong, came home to Pope Field
yesterday.
The men returned from two-and-
a-half years of flying paratroopers
over enemy lines to combat des-
tinations, of bringing supplies to
battled pressed ground troops and
of evacuating wounded from BATTLE
fields. They came home as a unit,
first of the Troop Carrier Command
to do SO.
AS a unit they marched across
the sand dunes here at the formal
review. They stood at attention
against the green background of
trees as one of their number, Maj.
Frank J. McMenanim, received the
Bronze Star Medal for "meritorious
srevice in connection with military
operations against the enemy from
December, 1912, to September, 1913"
Oficers and enlisted men talked
at an informal gathering after the
review Of how the 3l6th pioneered
the systematic aerial evacuation of
casualties, now done on a large
scale by the Troop Carrier Com.
mand. Each man told how the others
earned the Presidential Unit Cita-
ton with two Oak Leaf clusters and
nine campaign stars. Each member
Of the group had more than 100 dis
charge points, with the average be-
ing 12l. The highest number was
1863, owned by Capt. George 2uisen-
berry of Atlanta. Ill.
Recall Hazardous Tasks.
The men sat at dinner together
listening to speakers recall the haz-
ardous job the group did in flying
supplies and equipment t. Field
Marshal Montgomery's British 9th
Army in Africa. Tears glistened in
many mems eyes as 27-year-old 1t.
Col. James j. Robert, jr., of Knox
viii. Tenn, spoke simply about the
boys Of the group who few planes
into battle zones-and did not re-
turn home. The room was silent as
all stood for a minute In memory Of
friends no longer living but still a
living part Of the group.
Two Washington men are MEM
bers of the 3l6th. They are S/Sergt.
Albert H. Braunstein of 14l0 Orren
street NE. and S/Sergt. Charles A.
Nisewarner of 300 Nineteenth street
NV.
The unit was welcomed to Pope
Field by Brig. Gen. william D. Old,
commanding. general of the LIST
Troop Carrier Command; Mai. Gen.
William G. Lee, father" Of air
borne warfare, and Brig. Gen. John
T. Kennedy, commanding general of
Fort Bragg, Of which Pope Field is
a part.
1t. Col. Walter r. Washburn, IT,,
commanding officer of the 3I6th
Group, told how air evacuation of
wounded soldiers on a systematic
basis came into being during the
African campaign. Battle casual
ties began to pile up at the groups
base at Agedabia. The big trans
ports were pressed into service, as
many filters as possible being placed
on the floor, to fly the wounded to
Tobruk. OF the LOCO, 900 patients
air evacuated throughout the world,
the 316th has carried 10000
wounded.
Flew Into Sicily.
The group was also among the
first to carry paratroopers into
Sicily, where American airborne in
fantry was first used on a large
scale. The unit flew two missions
on D day as part of the troop carrier
drive spearheading the Normandy
invasion.
Glider landing operations by the
unit first started In Southern Hol-
land in September, 1914. In March,
l945, more than 1000 paratroopers
were landed with full equipment
across the Rhine near wesel, Ger
many, in the greatest airborne oper-
alton of the war to date.
Two of the groups four COM
handing officers since the unit was
first activated on February IA, 1912,
have been killed in action, 1t. Col
Burton r. Fleet and Col. Harvey A.
Berger The 316th Groups first
leader was Col. Jerome B. McCauley,
now in the United States.
The group in all its overseas oper-
atoms has 122,597 hours of flying
and 5,625 hours of glider flying time.
The unit has hauled 50,489 SIT
pounds of freight, LOG, 089 passengers
and 5,42o air-borne troops on COM
bat missions.
The 316th Troop Carrier Group
participated In the Egyptian and
Libyian, Sicilian, Rome, Tlnisia,
Naples-Foggia, Northern France,
Western and Central Europe and
Rhineland campaigns.
Sergt Braunstein is SO years old.
He has been In the Army three
years and spent 26 months of that
time overseas. His wife, Mrs. Anna
BraunStein, is employed in the Of
fees of the National symphony.
A radio operator, Sergt. Braun
stein saw action In Africa, Italy,
Belgium and France. He has 119
points, more than enough for dis
charge, but won't be released from
the Army at present because he is
deemed essential.
He was employed with the Social
Security Board here before entering
the Army. His parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Max Braunstein, live at 370l
Fourteenth street NV.
Entered I'm 1912.
Sergt. Nisewarner is 81 years old
a.. lacs lxaAxs L.. .-l.-- L.