491st Bomb Group

Group
A Pathfinder B-24 Liberator (V2-P+, serial number 42-51691) of the 491st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '491 BG supplying troops at Arnhem, Sept 1944.' media-380930.jpg FRE 2125 A Pathfinder B-24 Liberator (V2-P+, serial number 42-51691) of the 491st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '491 BG supplying troops at Arnhem, Sept 1944.' However, the 491st flew to drop zones north of Eindhoven on 18 September 1944, not Arnhem. This B-24 (SN 42-51691) is not on the Fuel Consumption Report that lists the 41 aircraft that participated in that mission. Roger Freeman Collection

Robert Baumgardner, Austin, TX.

Object Number - FRE 2125 - A Pathfinder B-24 Liberator (V2-P+, serial number 42-51691) of the 491st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '491 BG supplying troops at...

The 491st Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators in bombing missions over northern France and Germany from June 1944 until April 1945. Missions over Germany included bombing the headquarters of the German General Staff at Zossen. The Group was awarded a DUC for persevering with a raid on an oil refinery at Misburg on 26 November 1944, despite half of its bombers being destroyed by enemy aircraft.

Browse 491st Bomb Group photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/48

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Metfield 25 April 1944 - 15 August 1944

Based

North Pickenham 15 August 1944 - 4 July 1945

Encompassing

People

A Albano

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 1802nd Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company

Abraham Beacken

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group

Abner F Bowers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group

Aaron Boxer

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group

Abbey E Brown

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group

Aircraft

41-28820

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 854th Bomb Squadron

41-28884

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Problem Child
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron

41-28987

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group

41-29464

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Unlimited
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron

42-107125

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Doasy Doats
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 1 398th Bomb Group 603rd Bomb Squadron 491st Bomb Group 600th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron

Mission

725

  • Date: 26 November 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorhardway1
ChangesChanges to nicknames, motto and insignia. Changes to Media
Sources

Kurt Knutsen

Date
Contributor2nd Air Division Memorial Library
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

2nd Air Division Memorial Library

Date
ContributorCebby
ChangesChanges to mission associations
Sources

Key Image Chosen

Date
ContributorTimothy McKeown
ChangesChanges to nicknames and mission associations
Sources

C. Timothy McKeown

Date
Contributorjmchristel
ChangesChanges to type, aircraft types and mission associations
Sources

Added unit type and aircraft type

Date
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM 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)

491st Bomb Group: Gallery (313 items)