497th Bomb Group History
Constituted as 497th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) on 19 Nov 1943 and activated on 20 Nov. Prepared for overseas duty with B-29's. Moved to Saipan, Jul-Oct 1944, and assigned to Twentieth AF. Began operations in Oct 1944 with attacks against Iwo Jima and the Truk Islands. Took part in the first attack (24 Nov 1944) on Japan by AAF planes based in the Marianas.
Flew many missions against strategicrobjectives in Japan; on numerous raids, made its attacks in daylight and from high altitude. Received a DUC for a mission on 27 Jan 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 second DUC for attacking strategic centers in Japan during Jul and Aug 1945. Assisted the assault on Okinawa in Apr 1945 by bombing enemy airfields to cut down air attacks against the invasion force. Beginning in Mar 1945 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. Returned to the US in Nov 1945. Assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 Mar 1946. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946.
Stations
El Paso Mun Aprt, TX 20 Nov 1943
Clovis AAFld, NM 1 Dec 1943
Pratt AAFld, KS 13 Apr-28 Jul 1944
Isley Field, Saipan 17 Oct 1944-1 Nov 1945
Camp Stoneman, CA 14 Nov 1945
March Field, CA 26 Nov 1945
MacDill Field, FL 5 Jan-31 Mar 1946
Commanders
Lt. Col. John P. Veerling 10 Dec 1943
Col. Karl Truesdell Jr. 6 Mar 1944
Col. Stuart P. Wright 26 Apr 1944
Col. Arnold T. Johnson 26 Feb 1945-31 Mar 1946