497th Air Expeditionary Group

497th Air Refueling Wing
File:Wing 0497th Air Refueling.gif 497th Air Refueling Wing emblem
Active	1962-1964
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Combat Operations
Role	Air Refueling
Garrison/HQ	Plattsburgh AFB
Motto(s)	PARATI STAMUS - 'We Stand Ready'
Engagements	World War II Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1944-1945)

869th Bomb Squadron B-29 42-24592 "Dauntless Dolly". Shown is Major Robert Morgan, pilot of the aircraft. He led the first B-29 raid over Tokyo on 24 November 1944.

Crew of the 869th Bomb Squadron B-29 42-24592 "Little Gem", 4 December 1944.

Nose view of 869th Bomb Squadron B-29 42-24599 "Scrapper"

The 497th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to Strategic Air Command, based at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. The unit was inactivated on 15 September 1964

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 497th Bombardment Group (497th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 497th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan.

Lineage

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

Activated on 20 Nov 1943

Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946

• Established as the 497th Air Refueling Wing

Activated November 15, 1962

Discontinued and inactivated September 15, 1964

Assignments

• Fourth Air Force
• Second Air Force
• Twentieth Air Force
• Strategic Air Command (15 Nov 1962-15 Sep 1964)

Eighth Air Force (1 Jan 1963-15 Sep 1964)

820th Air Division (1 Jan 1963-15 Sep 1964)

Components

• 513th Bombardment Squadron: 1945-1946
• 869th Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946
• 870th Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946
• 871st Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946
• 872d Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946

• 26th Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-15 Sep 1964)
• 380th Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-15 Sep 1964)

Stations

• El Paso Mun Aprt, Texas, 20 Nov - 1 Dec 1943
• Clovis AAF, New Mexico, Dec 1943 - 13 Apr 1944
• Pratt AAF, Kansas, 13 Apr - 18 Jul 1944
• Isley Field, Saipan, 17 Oct 1944 - 1 Nov 1945
• Camp Stoneman, California, 14 - 26 Nov 1945
• March Field, California, 26 Nov 1945 - 5 Jan 1946
• MacDill Field, Florida, 5 Jan - 31 Mar 1946
• Plattsburgh AFB, New York (1 Jan 1963-15 Sep 1964)

Operational History

World War II

The 497th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was constituted on 19 November and activated on 20 November 1943 at El Paso AAF, Texas. It was assigned to Clovis AAF, New Mexico for organization and initial training on the B-29. After completion, it was reassigned to Pratt AAF, Kansas on 13 April 1944 where it recieved new aircraft from Boeing-Wichita.

The 497th was assigned to the 73d Bombardment Wing and it deployed to the Pacific Theater, arriving at Saipan on 17 October 1944. It was assigned to the XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force.

The group began operations in October 1944 with attacks against Iwo Jima and the Truk Islands. Took part in the first attack (24 November 1944) on Japan by AAF planes based in the Marianas. Flew many missions against strategic objectives in Japan; on numerous raids, made its attacks in daylight and from high altitude.

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 27 January 1945. Although weather conditions prevented the group from bombing its primary objective, the unescorted B-29’s withstood severe enemy attacks to strike an alternate target, the industrial area of Hamamatsu. Awarded a second DUC for attacking strategic centers in Japan during Jul and Aug 1945. Assisted the assault on Okinawa 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.

Strategic Air Command

The group returned to the United States in November, 1945, being assigned to MadDill Field, Florida. It was assigned to the Third Air Force of Continental Air Forces. Demobilization, however, was in full swing and the group turned in its aircraft and was inactivated on 31 March 1946. Many of the assets of the group eventually went to the Strategic Air Command's Fifteenth Air Force 307th Bombardment Group, which was activated at MacDill on 4 August.

In January 1963, the 497th Air Refueling Wing was activated and replaced the 4108th Air Refueling Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. The group supported global air refueling missions of SAC and other USAF needs, as required. The operating squadrons were closely associated with the 380th Bombardment Wing.

The 479th ARW was discontinued and inactivated September 15, 1964.

See Also

• 73d Air Division

References

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

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.

External links

• Joe's USAF Blue Book