Charra Airfield
Charra Airfield
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| Part of Twentieth Air Force Tenth Air Force |
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| West Bengal, India | |
 Charra Airfield
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| Coordinates | 23°21′56.95″N 086°26′12.84″E / 23.3658194°N 86.4369000°ECoordinates: 23°21′56.95″N 086°26′12.84″E / 23.3658194°N 86.4369000°E |
| Type | Military Airfield |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Abandoned |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| In use | 1942-1945 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Charra Airfield is an abandoned airfield in India, located 5 miles (8.0 km) ExNE of Purulia, in West Bengal.
During World War II, the airfield hosted the United States Army Air Force 444th Bombardment Group. Charra was originally designed for B-24 Liberator use. In 1943 it was designated as a B-29 Superfortress Base for the planned deployment of the United States Army Air Forces XX Bomber Command to India. Advance Army Air Forces echelons arrived in India in December 1943 to organize the upgrading of the airfield and thousands of Indians labored to upgrade the facility for Superfortress operations.
On 11 April 1944 the 444th arrived after a month-long deployment over the South Atlantic transport route after completing training at Great Bend AAF, Kansas. The deployment consisted of traveling to Morrison Field, Florida, then south though the Caribbean to Natal, Brazil. From Brazil the South Atlantic was crossed arriving in West Africa and re-assembling at Marrakesh, Morocco. The group then flew north and west from Morocco through Algeria and Egypt, before arriving at Karachi. By the time the group arrived at Charra, the month-long trip had taken its toll on the aircraft and personnel. Support elements of the group included the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Bomb Maintenance Squadrons; the 12th Photo Lab, and the 25th Air Service Group.
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