In 1941 the U.S. Army Air Forces selected a modified version of the DC-3, the C-47 Skytrain, to become its standard transport aircraft. 10,174 were produced. C-47 modifications included a reinforced fuselage floor, the addition of a large cargo door, the fitting of cargo hooks beneath the center wing section and the removal of the tail cone to mount a hook for towing gliders.
As a supply plane, the C-47 could carry up to 6,000 pounds of cargo. It could also hold a fully assembled jeep or a 37 mm cannon.
As a troop transport, the C-47 carried 28 soldiers in full combat gear. As a medical airlift plane, it could accommodate 14 stretcher patients and three nurses. The aircraft operated from every continent in the world and participated in every major battle. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, termed the C-47 one of the most vital pieces of military equipment used in winning World War II.