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492nd Bomb Group

Group

  • 492nd Bomb Group flag, One of a collection of flags created for the

    492nd Bomb Group flag, One of a collection of flags created for the "Shrine Area" in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library in Norwich, England.

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  • An A-26 Invader of the 492nd Bomb Group at Harrington. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington Spring 1945.'

    An A-26 Invader of the 492nd Bomb Group at Harrington. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington Spring 1945.'

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  • An airman of the 492nd Bomb Group climbs into the cockpit of his A-26 Invader. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington, Spring 1945.'

    An airman of the 492nd Bomb Group climbs into the cockpit of his A-26 Invader. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington, Spring 1945.'

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  • A French boy climbs on the wrecked tail of a B-24 Liberator of the 492nd Bomb Group that has crashed near Duerne. Image via M Cochet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Carpetbagger B-24 crash at Duerne (Rhone) 8/1944.'

    A French boy climbs on the wrecked tail of a B-24 Liberator of the 492nd Bomb Group that has crashed near Duerne. Image via M Cochet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Carpetbagger B-24 crash at Duerne (Rhone) 8/1944.'

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  • A Swedish Soldier guards a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40159) nicknamed

    A Swedish Soldier guards a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40159) nicknamed "Boulder Buff" of the 492nd Bomb Group that has landed in Sweden.

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  • A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95221) nicknamed

    A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95221) nicknamed "Ready N Able" of the 492nd Bomb Group in flight.

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  • Personnel of the 492nd Bomb Group walk by P-47 Thunderbolts and a B-24 Liberator used as a flight assembly ship. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Parade Hethel.'

    Personnel of the 492nd Bomb Group walk by P-47 Thunderbolts and a B-24 Liberator used as a flight assembly ship. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Parade Hethel.'

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  • Ground crew of the 492nd Bomb Group prepare a Mosquito outside a hangar at Harrington. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington Spring 1945 (March?) A/C in NS 7...'

    Ground crew of the 492nd Bomb Group prepare a Mosquito outside a hangar at Harrington. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington Spring 1945 (March?) A/C in NS 7...'

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  • A crashed Mosquito of the 492nd Bomb Group. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington Spring 1945 (March?) A/C is

    A crashed Mosquito of the 492nd Bomb Group. Image via A Pecquet. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Harrington Spring 1945 (March?) A/C is "L" _?_.'

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  • P-47 Thunderbolts, line up alongside a B-24 Liberator of the 492nd Bomb Group used as a flight assembly ship. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Parade Hethel.'

    P-47 Thunderbolts, line up alongside a B-24 Liberator of the 492nd Bomb Group used as a flight assembly ship. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Parade Hethel.'

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The 492nd Bomb Group, after flying similar missions to other heavy bomb groups until the late summer of 1944, took up 'Carpetbagger' missions, transporting agents, supplies and propaganda leaflets to southern France. The Group was taking on the role of the 801st Bomb Group (Provisional), which it superseded. In September 1944, the Group was also involved in supplying ground forces with petrol as they moved across France and into Belgium. In a very varied war service, the Group also conducted night bombardments in February and March 1945. The Group then resumed 'Carpetbagger' missions, this time over Germany, winning a Distinguished Unit Citation for their courageous efforts.

Browse 492nd Bomb Group photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/49

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Missions

  • VIII Bomber Command 163 SPECIAL OPERATION

    22 December 1943
    1 B-17 from 482BG is despatched on a special night operation (Oboe test) to Cologne, Germany. 2 2000lb general prupose bombs and 1 1000lb Photoflash are dropped at 2020hrs. There are no losses or claims.

  • 426

    20 June 1944

  • 455

    6 July 1944

  • 8th Air Force

    13 August 1944

  • 8th Air Force

    13 August 1944

  • 8th Air Force

    14 August 1944

  • 8th Air Force 554

    15 August 1944
    Airfields in NW Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are the primary targets for this mission. 8th Air Force despatches a total of 932 aircraft. The raid is coordinated with 1,000 Royal Air Force (RAF) heavy bombers and Mosquitos attacking 9 airfields...

  • 8th Air Force

    15 August 1944

  • 8th Air Force

    17 August 1944

  • 8th Air Force

    25 August 1944

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Stations

Station Location Date
Based North Pickenham 14 April 1944 – 12 August 1944
Based Harrington

Connections

People

  • Franklin Abbott

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 492nd Bomb Group
    Shot down by fighters and crashed into the Baltic Sea on 6/20/44 in B24 #4440128 Killed in Action (KIA)

  • James Abell

    Military | Second Lieutenant | 492nd Bomb Group
    Transferred 467th BG

  • Curtis Abernethy

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 492nd Bomb Group
    RTD Damaged by flak and ditched in channel on 7/6/44 in B-24 #4440064

  • Curtis Abernethy

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 492nd Bomb Group

  • Louis Adams

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | 492nd Bomb Group
    Deputy Commander, transferred 44th BG

  • Robert Adams

    Military | Staff Sergeant | 492nd Bomb Group
    Transferred 36th BS (RCM)

  • Donald Adamson

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 492nd Bomb Group
    Returned from opearations and crash landed in Carpetbaggers mission in ac #240584 on August 6/7, 1944

  • L Adkinson

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Ground Crew | 479th Sub-Depot

  • Nicholas Agneta

    Military | Tail Gunner | 492nd Bomb Group

  • Eugene Akerhielm

    Military | Flight Officer | Pilot | 492nd Bomb Group

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Aircraft

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Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Bombardment
Nicknames

Carpetbaggers

Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • B-17 Flying Fortress
  • B-24 Liberator
  • Mosquito

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
09 March 2018 15:47:00 2nd Air Division Memorial Library Changes to description
Sources

2nd Air Division Memorial Library
Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 15:25:55 rossingtonj Changes to type and mission associations
Sources

Type added.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:46 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

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