491st Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 491st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 341st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base
, Texas
. It was inactivated on 25 June 1961.
Re-established as a B-25 Mitchell
medium bomber squadron in mid-1942, trained by Third Air Force
in the southeastern United States. Deployed to India in December 1942, operating under Tenth Air Force, supporting British ground forces in Burma during 1943. Reassigned to Fourteenth Air Force in China, 1944, supporting Chinese ground forces until the end of the war. Personnel demobilized in India, squadron returned to the United States and inactivated as a paper unit.
Activated as an A-26 Invader
squadron in the postwar Air Force reserves in 1947; inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.
The squadron was activated in 1958 as a result of Strategic Air Command
phasing out the B-47, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortress
es. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy
directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 25 June 1961 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last was assigned to the 341st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Abilene, Texas.The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was inactivated on 25 June 1961.
History
Constructed and maintained facilities, February-December 1918. Apparently never active during period 1924-1942 when allotted to the reserve with assignment to Ninth Corps Area and designated station at Seattle, Wash.Re-established as a B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bomber squadron in mid-1942, trained by Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
in the southeastern United States. Deployed to India in December 1942, operating under Tenth Air Force, supporting British ground forces in Burma during 1943. Reassigned to Fourteenth Air Force in China, 1944, supporting Chinese ground forces until the end of the war. Personnel demobilized in India, squadron returned to the United States and inactivated as a paper unit.
Activated as an A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
squadron in the postwar Air Force reserves in 1947; inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.
The squadron was activated in 1958 as a result of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
phasing out the B-47, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
es. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 25 June 1961 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.
Lineage
- Organized as 79th Aero Squadron on 15 August 1917
- Redesignated 491st Aero Squadron on 1 February 1918
- Demobilized on 31 January 1919
- Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 491st Bombardment Squadron, which was constituted and allotted to the reserve on 31 March 1924
- Disbanded on 31 May 1942
- Consolidated (1958) with 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) which was constituted on 14 August 1942
- Activated on 15 September 1942
- Inactivated on 2 November 1945
- Redesignated 491st bombardment Squadron (Light) on 26 May 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 5 June 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 August 1958
- Activated on 1 November 1958
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1961.
Assignments
- Unknown, 15 August-December 1917
- Seventh Aviation Instruction Center, December 1917-December 1918
- Unknown, December 1918-31 January 1919
- 341st Bombardment Group, 15 September 1942-2 November 1945; 5 June 1947-27 June 1949
- 341st Bombardment Wing, 1 November 1958-25 June 1961.
Stations
- Kelly Field, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 15 August 1917 - Garden CityGarden City, New YorkGarden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, 3–22 November 1917 - Aulnat (near Clermont-Ferrand), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 18 December 1917 - St. Nazaire, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, c. 30 December 1918-c. 12 January 1919 - Garden CityGarden City, New YorkGarden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, c. 23–31 January 1919. - Karachi Airport, KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
September 15 – December 30, 1942 - Chakulia Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, December 30, 1942 – June 1943
- Kurmitola Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, June 1943 – January 7, 1944 - Kunming Airport, Kunming, China, January 7, 1944 – December 13, 1944
- Yangkai AirfieldYangkai AirfieldYangkai Airfield is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield in the People’s Republic of China. Its current status is undetermined.-History:...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, December 13, 1944 – October 1945 - Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, November 1–2, 1945 - New Haven, Conn, 5 June 1947-27 June 1949
- Dyess Air Force BaseDyess Air Force BaseDyess Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Abilene, Texas.The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 November 1958-25 June 1961