Lt. Col. Charles M. Smith was the first commander of the 442nd Troop Carrier Group, and led 45 crews flying the Group?s C-47 Skytrain aircraft, laden with paratroopers from the Army?s 82nd Airborne, to Drop Zone ?T? near St. Mere Eglise, France, for D-Day, June 6, 1944. The 442nd TCG was the World War II predecessor of the 442nd Fighter Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command A-10 Thunderbolt II unit based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. (Photo courtesy of the Herky Barbour estate)