History 492d Special Operations Wing

1 history

1.1 world war ii bombardment training
1.2 world war ii bombardment operations
1.3 world war ii special operations
1.4 expeditionary unit
1.5 return special operations

history
world war ii bombardment training

media related 492d bombardment group @ wikimedia commons

858th squadron b-24d liberator used during training

the group established in october 1943 @ alamogordo army airfield, new mexico consolidated b-24 liberator heavy bomber group. original squadrons 856th, 857th, 858th , 859th bombardment squadrons. 492d 1 of 7 heavy bombardment groups activated in autumn of 1943. these last army air forces heavy bomb groups established. group trained combat @ alamogordo until april 1944, when moved european theater of operations. group s air echelon departed england on 1 april, flying south atlantic ferrying route through south america , africa. 120 members of ground echelon shipped overseas, however, leaving new mexico on 11 april , sailing on rms queen elizabeth on 20 april.

world war ii bombardment operations

group b-24 on mission on nazi occupied europe.

upon arrival in england, ground echelon filled out 4 2d bombardment division groups in england. each of these groups had raised additional squadron strenghth ground formation. group first in viii bomber command group arrive aircraft in natural metal finish on aircraft.

the 492d entered combat on 11 may 1944, operating against industrial targets in central germany. supported operation overlord, invasion of normandy attacking airfields , v-weapon launching sites in france during first week in june. on d-day bombed coastal defenses in normandy , attacked bridges, railroads, , other interdiction targets in france until middle of month. group resumed bombardment of strategic targets in germany and, except support of infantry during operation cobra ,the saint-lô breakthrough on 25 july 1944 , continued these operations until august 1944. after 89 days of combat, 492d had lost 52 aircraft enemy action, 588 men killed or missing. in words of 1 veteran, whole group wiped out . rather try rebuild shattered group, group stood down , surviving members reassigned other units in theater.

world war ii special operations

jedburghs in front of b-24 before takeoff harrington.)

subsequently, 492d transferred without personnel or equipment, raf harrington on 5 august 1944 , assumed personnel, equipment, , carpetbagger special operations mission of 801st bombardment group (provisional) discontinued. black-painted aircraft configured engine flame dampeners , optimized night operations, group operated chiefly on southern france b-24 s , c-47 s, transporting agents, supplies, , propaganda leaflets patriots. ceased these missions on 16 september 1944 transport fuel , other supplies third army in france, advance had outpaced supply base. operation resulted in aircraft carrying 80 octane fuel in wing fuel tanks, , having pumped out waiting storage tanks , tanker trucks @ advanced airfields in france. unfortunately, 80 octane fuel resulted in wing tanks being chemically degraded no longer carry aviation fuel. drastically decreased range of aircraft. being expensive change out wing tanks, aircraft flown depot area , entire group issued new b-24 aircraft.

throughout 1944 group s missions intermittently included attacks on airfields, oil refineries, seaports, , other targets in france, low countries, , germany. these operations continued until february 1945. in addition, in october 1944 group began training night bombardment operations. these operations concentrated on marshaling yards , goods depots in germany, group undertook february through march 1945.

ceased these missions on 18 march 1945 engage in carpetbagger operations on germany , german-occupied territory, using b-24, a-26, , british mosquito aircraft drop leaflets, demolition equipment, , agents. received distinguished unit citation these operations, performed @ night despite adverse weather , vigorous opposition enemy ground forces, 20 march- 25 april 1945. cited french government similar operations on france in 1944. flew last carpetbagger mission in april 1945 , ferried personnel , equipment , continent until july.

the group left england in july 1945 , stationed @ kirtland field, new mexico in august. group became heavy bomb group on arrival @ kirtland. 492d programmed boeing b-29 superfortress operations in pacific, apparently not equipped when japan surrendered. inactivated on 17 october 1945.

expeditionary unit

in june 2002, group converted provisional status 492d air expeditionary group , assigned air mobility command activate or inactivate needed contingency operations. command activated unit 1 time, @ lajes field in azores march through may of 2003.

return special operations

in may 2017, group withdrawn provisional status , returned old designation 1 day. became 492d special operations wing , activated on 17 may @ hurlburt field, florida, replaced air force special operations air warfare center.

in addition assigned units, wing responsible training of 2 air national guard squadrons, 209th special operations civil engineer squadron , 280th combat communications squadron.

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