491st Bomber Group

2 BD, 95 CBW 5 May 1944
2 BD, 14 CBW 14 Aug 1944
2 AD, 14 CBW 1 Jan 1945

B-24H
B-24J
B-24L
B-24M

METFIELD 25 April 1944 - 15 August 1944
NORTH PICKENHAM 15 August 1944 - 4 July 1945

Lt Col Carl T. Goidenberg: 12 Feb. 1944 - 26 Jun. 1944.
Col Frederick H. Miller: 26 Jun. 1944 - 16 Oct. 1944.
Col Allen W. Reed: 20 Oct. 1944 - 18 Jun. 1945.

First Mission: :2 June 1944
Last Mission: 25 April 1945
Missions: 187
Total Sorties: 5,005
Total Bomb Tonnage: 12,304 Tons
Aircraft MIA: 47
Other Op Loses: 23

Distinguished Unit Citation: 26 Nov. 44: Misburg

Highest rate of operations of all B-24 groups.

Activated 1 Oct. 1943 at Davis-Monthan Fd, Ariz. Moved to Biggs Fd, Texas 11 Nov. 1943. Most of ground unit transferred to B-29 groups. Group transferred less personnel and equipment to 2BD Hq. as of 1 Jan. 1944 Apparently planned for 14CBW and North Pickenham designated a base in Feb. 1944, but in view of advanced state of training of 492BG 491BG rescheduled for Metfield. Four established groups in 2BD ordered to raise and train an additional squadron ground unit each one of the five ground echelons in each group then selected for 491 BG. These transferred to Metfield on 25 April 1944. Aircraft continued training in US, moving to Pueblo AAB, CO. in early Jan. 1944. Began movement overseas on the 21 April 1944 via Florida, Trinidad, Brazil, Dakar an' Marrakesh.

Redeployed US June 1945. The aircraft left 17 June 1945. Ground unit sailed on Queen Mary on the 6th of July 1945 arriving in New York 11 July 1945. The Group established McChord Fd, Wash. but inactivated there 8 Sep. 1945.