493rd Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 493rd Bomb Group. media-395171.jpg FRE 5228 The insignia of the 493rd Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5228 - The insignia of the 493rd Bomb Group.

The 493rd Bomb Group was the last Eighth Air Force Group to become operational, flying their first combat mission from Debach, Suffolk, on D-Day, 6 June 1944. The Group was known as "the Fighting 493rd", named by their Commanding Officer Colonel Elbert Helton, who held the post for over a year. The Group flew 157 bombing missions, their targets a range of strategic ones in Germany and tactical ones in northern France, Holland and along the Rhine. In additional the crews flew six food missions in May 1945, dropping over 400 tonnes of food into newly-liberated parts of Europe.

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group Headquarters Squadron (493rd Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-22325
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Group Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 56th Fighter Group Headquarters (493rd Bomb Group) Headquarters (56th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-18868
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot / Group Commander
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group Headquarters Squadron (493rd Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-21912
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Air Executive

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Debach 6 August 1945

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 846th Air Engineering Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39541428
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class
  • Role/Job: Airplane Sheet Metal Worker
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 863rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34443787
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 863rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33175842
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Airplane and Engine Mechanic
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 846th Air Engineering Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32136216
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Airplane Armorer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 861st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35254345
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Medical Technician

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Tempest Turner
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 18th Bomb Squadron 862nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Devil’s Own
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 862nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Day's Pay
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 410th Bomb Squadron 862nd Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources
Date
Contributorphil marchese
Changes
Sources

Typo,

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

493rd BG Archives

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

493rd BG Museum archives

www.493bgdebach.co.uk

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

The 493rd BG was never called Helton's Hellcats. the Official name was "the Fighting 493rd"
the Hellcats were the American Football team made up from 493rd BG personnel.

the Group flew 161 combat missions, and not 152 as listed.

D Jelley
493rd BG Archives

Date
ContributorRobin
Changes
Sources

Robin Deutsch

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Type added.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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)

493rd Bomb Group: Gallery (209 items)