Mr. Marion Brown contacted me today (February 15, 2019) to give me the information he has gathered on the C-47 (Douglas C-47B-15-DK) gate guardian in the photo below. This is the C-47 that was on display at Lincoln Air Force Base.

It’s great to hear the aircraft is still around. It’s actually in the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio. The history of the aircraft from James Baugher’s website is:
49507 (MSN 26768) 11/44: TOS USAAF.
By 1/47: 233rd Base Unit, Ft. Worth Army Air Field, TX.
9/18/47: TOS USAF
Ca.1954: converted to C-47D.
1950s: 307th Bomb Wing (Medium), Lincoln AFB, NE.
By 1970: 834th Tactical Composite Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL. Jun 30, 1975 transferred to WPAFB Museum (painted as C-47A 43-15174). Was last C-47 in USAF service and had 20821 hours total time.
1987: Restored in the markings of 43-15174 of the 88th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 53rd Troop Carrier Wing, US 9th Air Force.
After 2010: Markings were changed to represent the C-47A flown by 2nd Lt. Gerald C. Berry of 91st Troop Carrier Squadron 439th Troop Carrier Group, to recover gliders on D-Day.
The Air Force Museum has the following information on the aircraft:
The C-47D on display, the last C-47 in routine USAF use, flew to the museum in 1975. It is painted and marked to represent the C-47A flown by 2nd Lt. Gerald “Bud” C. Berry of the 91st Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, to recover gliders used in the invasion of France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. “Snatched” from the ground in Normandy, the gliders were towed back to England for reuse. On March 22, 1945, Lt. Berry used that aircraft to “snatch” a glider filled with wounded soldiers at Remagen, Germany.

Like this:
Like Loading...