497th Bombardment Group

This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message )

497th Bombardment Group
869th Bomb Squadron B-29 42-24592 "Dauntless Dotty". Shown is Major Robert Morgan, pilot of the aircraft. On 24 November 1944, he led the first mission of the XXI Bomber Command to bomb Japan, 110 aircraft of the 73rd Bomb Wing to Tokyo, with wing commander Brig. Gen. Emmett O'Donnell, Jr. as co-pilot. His B-29 was nicknamed Dauntless Dotty, after his third wife, Dorothy Johnson Morgan
Active	1943–1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Combat Operations
Role	Bombardment
Motto(s)	PARATI STAMUS – 'We Stand Ready'
Engagements	World War II Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1944–1945)

The 497th Bombardment Group was a group of the United States Army Air Forces. The unit was inactivated on 31 March 1946.

The unit was part of the

) bombardment operations against Japan. Its aircraft were identified by a "A" and a square painted on the tail.

Its history and lineage are carried on by the present 497th Air Expeditionary Group.

History

World War II

The unit was established in late 1943 at

Very Heavy bombardment Group. The unit was formed with four bomb squadrons (869th, 870th, 871st and 872d), all being newly constituted.

It moved to

already at Pratt which were previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel. In the spring of 1944, it finally received newly manufactured B-29 Superfortresses. In May shortages in aircraft and equipment led to the 872d Bomb Squadron being inactivated, with its personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons.

As a three squadron group, the 497th was deployed to

. Flew many missions against strategic objectives in Japan; on numerous raids, made its attacks in daylight and from high altitude.

Received a

in April 1945 by bombing enemy airfields to cut down air attacks against the invasion force. Beginning on 19 March and continuing until the end of the war the group made incendiary raids against Japan, flying at night and at low altitude to bomb area targets. The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, July–August, continuing strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.

After

376th Bombardment Group

, was inactivated.

In January 1945, the 498th was reassigned to the CAF

on 21 March 1946, being one of SAC's initial bombardment groups. Demobilization, however, was in full swing and the group turned in its aircraft and was inactivated on 31 March.

Lineage

• Constituted as 497th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) on 19 November 1943

Activated on 20 November 1943

Inactivated on 31 March 1946

Assignments

• 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing
  ), 13 April 1944 – 18 July 1944

Components

• 513th Bombardment Squadron
  : 1 November 1945 – 31 March 1946
• 869th Bombardment Squadron: 20 November 1943 – 31 March 1946
• 870th Bombardment Squadron: 20 November 1943 – 31 March 1946
• 871st Bombardment Squadron: 20 November 1943 – 31 March 1946
• 872d Bombardment Squadron
  : 20 November 1943 – 10 May 1944
• 15th Photographic Laboratory Squadron

Stations

• El Paso Mun Aprt, Texas, 20 November – 1 December 1943
• Clovis AAF, New Mexico
  , December 1943 – 13 April 1944
• Pratt AAF, Kansas
  , 13 April – 18 July 1944
• Isley Airfield, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 17 September 1944 – 1 November 1945
• Camp Stoneman, California, 14–26 November 1945
• March Field
  , California, 26 November 1945 – 5 January 1946
• MacDill Field
  , Florida, 5 January – 31 March 1946

References

Notes

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Bibliography