492nd Bomber Group

8th Air Force 492nd BG

Squadrons of the 492nd BG

856th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy
857th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy
858th Bombardment Squadron -Heavy
859th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy

Assigned 8th AAF: April 1944

Wing/Command Assignment

2 BD, 14 CBW 18 April 1944

Combat Aircraft:

B-24H
B-24J

Stations

NORTH PICKENHAM 14 April 1944 - 12 August 1944

Group COs

Col Eugene H. Snavely: 26 Jan. 1944 - 12 Aug. 1944

First Mission: 11 May 1944
Last Mission: 7 August 1944
Missions: 64
Total Sorties: 1,513
Total Bomb Tonnage: 3,757 Tons
Aircraft MIA: 51
Other Op Loses: 6

Major Awards:
None

Claims to Fame

Heavier losses than any other B-24 group for a three month period.

Early History:

Activated 1 October 1943 at Clovis AAB, NM. Moved to Alamogordo AAFd, NM. in Nov. 1943 and trained there until end March. Only a small part ground unit (124 men) from US left Alamogordo on 11 April 1944 and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth 20 April 1944. Main body of ground echelon from four 2BD groups were already in the UK. These groups had been ordered to raise additional squadron ground unit. The aircraft left Alamogordo on 1 April 1944, to commence overseas movement by the southern ferry route: Florida, Trinidad, Brazil, Dakar and Marrakesh.

Subsequent History:

Group withdrawn from combat by 5 August 1944, for purpose of assuming special operations role conducted by 801st BG(P) at Harrington. This was a move less personnel and equipment and amounted to a redesignation of existing 801 BG(P) and its squadrons. 856BS personnel and aircraft to 36 and 406BS, 11 Aug. 44. 857BS crews and aircraft moved to other 2BD units and ground personnel to 490BG to form 850BS, 12 August 1944. 859BS crews, aircraft and ground personnel to 467BG to form new 788BS. Original 492BG organisation was, in fact, disbanded.