490th Bombardment Group

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 490th Bombardment Group


caption= 490th Bombardment Group Insignia
dates= 1943 - 1945
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Army Air Forces
type=
role= Bombardment
size=
command_structure= Eighth Air Force
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
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battles=
anniversaries=The 490th Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces organization. It served primarily with the Eighth Air Force in Europe.

History

Operational Units

* 848th Bomb Squadron (7W)
* 849th Bomb Squadron (W8)
* 850th Bomb Squadron (7Q)
* 851st Bomb Squadron (S3)

Aircraft Flown

* Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
* Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Stations Assigned

* Salt Lake City AAB, UT 1 Oct 1943
* Mountain Home AAF, ID 4 Dec 1943-Apr 1944
* RAF Eye, England c. 1 May 1944-Aug 1945 (Station 134)
* Drew Field, FL 3 Sep-7 Nov 1945

Operational History

World War II

Constituted as 490th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943. Activated on 1 Oct 1943. Trained for combat with B-24's. Moved to RAF Eye, England in Apr 1944 for operations with Eighth Air Force and was assigned to the 93d Combat Bombardment Wing. The group tail code was a "Square-T".

The 490th BG combat in June 1944 with B-24's, bombing airfields and coastal defenses in France immediately preceding and during the invasion of Normandy. Then struck bridges, rail lines, vehicles, road junctions, and troop concentrations in France. Supported ground forces near Caen in July and near Brest in September 1944.

The group converted to B-17's in October and operated primarily against strategic targets until the end of February 1945. The 490th mounted attacks against enemy oil plants, tank factories, marshalling yards, aircraft plants, and airfields in such cities as Berlin, Hamburg, Merseburg, Münster, Kassel, Hannover, and Cologne. Interrupted strategic missions to attack supply lines and military installations during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Beginning in March 1945, attacked interdictory targets and supported advancing ground forces.

After V-E Day, carried food to flood-stricken areas of Holland and transported French, Spanish, and Belgian prisoners of war from Austria to Allied centers.

The 490th returned to Drew AAF, Florida on 3 September 1945, then was deactivated on 7 November 1945.

See also

* Eighth Air Force

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
* Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External links