Order now: Leading the Way to Victory: A History of the 60th Troop Carrier Group 1940 – 1945

The December 7, 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor thrust the United States into World War II. Just six months later in May 1942, flying new C-47A transport aircraft, the 60th Troop Carrier Group (TCG) led the way as the first U.S. Troop Carrier Group to deploy to England and the European Theater of Operations. The 60th TCG continued leading the way to Victory. Taking off from England, the 60th TCG flew not only the first combat airborne mission in U.S. Army history – dropping U. S. paratroopers of the 2/509th PIR outside of Oran, North Africa, but also the longest airborne mission of the war. This drop spear-headed Operation TORCH the Invasion of North Africa by taking key Axis airfields just inland from the amphibious landing zones. The 60th TCG would then go on to fly some of the first combat aeromedical evacuation missions and fly the first mission towing CG-4A “Waco” gliders in combat during Operation HUSKY, the Invasion of Sicily. The Group would later earn the Presidential Unit Citation for missions flown as part of the Secret War in the Balkans in 1944; including the daring rescue of over 400 downed Allied Airmen behind Nazi lines in Serbia as part of Operation HALYARD. Through the school of hard knocks paid for in blood, many valuable lessons were learned as the new airborne, airland, aeromedical evacuation, and glider missions matured in World War II. The 60th TCG played a major role in this process. Click the link below to order.

In the recent edition of the WWII U.S. Glider Pilot’s Briefing, Mark provides a write-up on the history of the 51st Troop Carrier Wing and their focus on the secret war in the Balkans.

Listen to Mark’s latest interview with movie director Robert Child on the Point of the Spear podcast, where they have in depth discussions on Mark’s new book “Leading the Way to Victory”.

Host Johnny Punish welcomes author and historian, retired Air Force Colonel Mark Vlahos to discuss his latest book “Leading the Way to Victory: A History of the 60th Troop Carrier Group 1940–1945”

Leading the Way to Victory is the official history of the 60th Troop Carrier Group, featuring unpublished first-person accounts by participating veterans and expertly written by retired USAF Colonel Mark C. Vlahos, combat veteran and former Vice Wing Commander of 314th Airlift Wing at the Little Rock Air Force Base.

If you or a family member ever served in the 32nd, 50th, 61st, or 62nd Troop Carrier/Airlift Squadrons, or are interested in World War II USAAF Airborne Troop Carrier and glider Operations, this book is for you! Published by Merriam Press in 2019: “Men Will Come” A History of the 314th troop Carrier Group 1942 – 1945 is available in softcover for $39.95 plus shipping and hardcover for $49.95 plus shipping. With a Foreword by GENERAL Carlton D. “Dewey” Everhart II (USAF-RET), 508 pages long with over 330 photographs and maps, a complete Index, numerous Appendices’ of crew list data, and many unpublished first-hand accounts, this book fills a major void in USAAF World War II and Airborne Troop Carrier History. The 314th participated in nearly every major Airborne Operation in World War II: Sicily, Italy, Normandy, Holland, and the Crossing of the Rhine. Many thanks to ALL who supported me in this 2 year+ effort! Note: The hardcover version is only available at LuLu.

Article: A Race Against Time

As Allied Planners developed Operation HUSKY – the invasion of Sicily, It was determined that gliders would be required to support the Airborne assault. Specifically, glider assaults were planned to capture key bridges inland from troops landing on the beaches and carry heavier weapons and ammunition to British paratroops. There was only one problem…it was already March 1943, the invasion of Sicily was planned for July 1943 and there were no gliders in North Africa! This is the incredible story of how 500 American CG-4A “Waco” gliders were transported to and assembled in North Africa just in time to train British glider pilots prior to the invasion. Click on the link highlighted in blue to read the full article!

Sadly, on August 3, 2021, 1st Lt. Myron L. Guisewite, the last member of the World War II 314th Troop Carrier Group passed. He was just shy of his 100th birthday. Myron served as a co-pilot in the 32nd Troop Carrier Squadron and the IX Troop Carrier Command Pathfinders.

Mark came across the name Phillip G. Cochran while researching and writing his next book to publish: Leading the Way to Victory: a History of the 60th Troop Carrier Group 1940 – 1945. Phillip Gerald Cochran was an officer in the USAAF during World War II. Although he was a fighter pilot, he developed many tactical air combat, air transport (both C-47 and gliders) and air assault techniques during the war, particularly in Burma operations as a co-commander of the 1st Air Commando Group with Colonel John R. Alison. This Group was the precursor to modern day Special Operations, now a Major Command in the USAF. Mark was inspired to research and write a detailed story on Phillip Cochran and his legacy with the beginning of Special Operations. This historical writeup was then published by the National WWII Glider Pilots Committee (NWWIIGPC) Silent Wings Museum Foundation in their quarterly newsletter, “The Briefing”. The complete article can be accessed by clicking below.

Very few people are aware of USAAF Troop Carrier units supporting the Secret War in the Balkans during World War II. When the Germans invaded Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece in 1941, they obtained a quick victory; but they could not hold these countries completely in subjection. The waging of small-scale guerilla warfare commenced with very active involvement by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and later the American equivalent Office of Strategic Services (OSS). While Mark’s upcoming book on the 60th Troop Carrier Group will go into more detail, this article, also published in the NWWIIGPC “The Briefing”, highlights a few of these missions flown from Italy in 1944. The complete article can be accessed by clicking below.

On March 24, 1945, in Operation VARSITY the 314th Troop Carrier Group supported the surface crossing of the Rhine River by General Montgomery’s British forces into the Wesel, Germany area. Lt. Gen. Brereton, the Commander of the 1st Allied Airborne Army and his staff were anxious to deliver all of the airborne forces in VARSITY in one lift to avoid potential weather challenges. This had never been done before. Operation VARSITY, known as the Rhine Crossing, was the largest single day lift and the last major airborne mission in the ETO in WWII. Mark had the privilege of interviewing actual survivors from the 49th while researching this operation. Click the link below and go to page eight of the attached Silent Wings Museum quarterly newsletter from spring 2020 to read the full article.

Listen to Mark’s interview with movie director Robert Child on Point of the Spear. Centered around Mark’s book “Men Will Come” A History of the 314th Troop Carrier Group 1942 - 1945, the two also discuss Mark’s military career, his work with the NWWII Glider Pilot Committee, and Mark’s next book to be published next year.

“The Thermal Podcast” hosted by Canadian Herrie ten Catei is dedicated to the sport of gliding. On the April 1, 2020, Episode #11 Podcast author Mark Vlahos was a guest discussing combat Glider Operations in World War II. This dovetailed into the release of his book “Men Will Come” A History of the 314th Troop Carrier Group 1942 – 1945. Answering interview questions, Mark discusses several combat glider operations, how the glider was employed in battle, and the pilot’s themselves who wore the “G” wings – the “G” stood for guts. Click the link below to hear the entire interview.

On June 4, 2020 The Commanders Voice host Ben Power’s interviewed author Mark Vlahos to discuss the release of his new book “Men Will Come” A History of the 314th troop Carrier Group 1942 – 1945. In this interview, Mark described working on his 2+ year “labor of love” as he chronicled the actions and men of the 314th Troop Carrier Group in World War II. Mark dedicated this book to Colonel Clayton Stiles, the Group Commander and all the men who served in the Group. He did it for the families of the men so their story would not be forgotten. Click the link below, and scroll down to the June 4, 2020 interview with Mark.