In January 2013, Air Heritage Aviation Museum made the decision to acquire a Douglas C-47 Skytrain that had been ferried to our airfield. It was the dreams of many at the museum to get a C-47. At the time we purchased it, we had no clue the history behind the aircraft, but we have since found it with the help of many.
After acquiring the C-47, we embarked on a journey to uncover its history. Through diligent research and the assistance of many individuals, we discovered that the aircraft had been assigned to Captain Edward Wilson Frome during World War II. Captain Frome passed away in 2013, but before his passing, we were fortunate enough to establish contact with him and his daughter. They provided us with invaluable information about the plane’s service and significance.
We received a copy of the 75th Troop Carrier Squadron War Diary, which offered us a comprehensive and detailed account of our C-47’s history throughout World War II. This diary documented the aircraft’s journey from its entry into service in 1944 until its final mission on May 28, 1945.
Air Heritage Aviation Museum is proud to be the first civilian operator of this Douglas C-47. Before joining our museum, the aircraft served exclusively with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF/USAF), the US Army, and the State of Florida’s Lee County Mosquito Spraying Division. Volunteers spent six years restoring “Luck of the Irish” to its original splendor. It took its first flight from Beaver County Airport in 2019.
In 2022, the museum honored the legacy of Captain Frome by inviting his children David Frome and Barbara Blosser to the hangar for a memorable flight on the “Luck of the Irish.” This special journey included a funeral flyover at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, allowing them to experience flying in the very aircraft their father had piloted during World War II—a truly remarkable and meaningful event.
History During World War II
Our plane was delivered to the 9th Air Force’s 75th Troop Carrier Squadron on September 30th, 1944. The 75th TCS itself was a part of the 435th Troop Carrier Group, which itself was a part 53rd Troop Carrier Wing.
The plane is too young to have flown in Operation Overload or Operation Market Garden, but it did make it to two other large campaigns. Our plane flew two Resupply missions over the Battle of the Bulge on December 24th and December 26th, 1944, in which it dropped supplies from parapacks as well as from inside the fuselage to the surrounded troops below in the city of Bastogne. It also took part in Operation Varsity, the single largest air drop of troops and supplies during a single day, even to date. Over Varsity it towed two Waco CG-4A gliders full of troops.
Overall, it flew in 25 Fully Combat-Operational Resupply Missions in the European theatre from its base in Welford Park, England and Brétigny-sur-Orge, France. It also flew 13 missions in which it evacuated American, British, French, and even German POWs. We have records for at least 96 missions of various types that it took part in during the war.
Our plane was also one of just three C-47’s used to deliver the “Stars and Stripes, Victory Edition” to various airbases throughout Europe.
- John Miller – Aircraft Commander
- David Messersmith – Pilot
- John Lindsey – Pilot
- Tom Gargaro
- Wanda Couch
- Jack Larkin
- Chris Osman
- Dave Treusch
