497th Air Refueling Wing
Encyclopedia
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. It was assigned to 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...
, based at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. The unit was inactivated on 15 September 1964
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
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The 497th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
) bombardment operations against Japan. It's aircraft were identified by a "A" and a square painted on the tail.
World War II
The unit was established in late 1943 at El Paso Municipal AirportBiggs Army Airfield
Biggs Army Airfield or Biggs AAF is a military airport located at Fort Bliss near El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, in the United States. The airfield was previously Biggs Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command installation, between 1947 and 1966. The U.S. Army began operations supporting Ft...
, Texas, being formed as a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
Very Heavy bombardment Group. Thu unit was formed with four bomb squadrons (869th, 870th, 871st and 872d), all being newly-constituted.
It moved to Pratt Army Air Field, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in December 1943 to begin training. Due to a shortage of B-29s, the group was equipped with former II Bomber Command
II Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
B-17 Flying Fortresses already at Pratt which were previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel. In the spring of 1944, it finally received newly-manufactured B-29 Superfortresses. In May shortages in aircraft and equipment led to the 872d Bomb Squadron being inactivated, with its personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons.
As a three squadron group, the 497th was deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
(PTO) in September 1944, being assigned to the XXI Bomber Command
XXI Bomber Command
The XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in Guam for strategic bombing during World War II.- Lineage:* Constituted as XXI Bomber Command on 1 Mar 1944, and activated the same day.-Assignments:...
73d Bombardment Wing in the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
; being stationed at Isley Field, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. Upon arrival the group's personnel were engaged in Quonset hut construction. By mid-October most personnel were able to move into the huts from the initial tents which they were assigned on arrival. The group began operations in October 1944 with attacks against Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
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 August 1945. Assisted the assault on Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
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. The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, July–August, continuing strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.
After V-J Day, the 497th dropped supplies to Allied prisoners, participated in show-of-force missions, and flew over Japan to evaluate bombardment damage. In November 1945 the unit returned to the United States; initially being assigned to Continental Air Forces's (CAF) Fourth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
at March Field, California. At March Field, the 513th Bombardment Squadron
513th Bombardment Squadron
The 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 53d Electronic Warfare Group, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:...
joined the group; it previously being a Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
squadron based in Italy, having been returned to the United States in May and was undergoing B-29 Very Heavy Bomber upgrade training in Nebraska when its former assigned group, the 376th Bombardment Group, was inactivated.
In January 1945, the 498th was reassigned to the CAF 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....
at MacDill Field, Florida. It later was transferred to the new 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...
on 21 March 1946, being one of SAC's initial bombardment groups. Demobilization, however, was in full swing and the group turned in its aircraft and was inactivated on 31 March.
Strategic Air Command
On 1 January 1963 the 497th Air Refueling Wing was activated and replaced the 4108th Air Refueling Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York, flying KC-97s. It was assigned to the Eighth Air Force's 820th Strategic Aerospace Division820th Strategic Aerospace Division
The 820th Strategic Aerospace Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Eighth Air Force, being stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, 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
380th Air Expeditionary Wing
The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
.
The 497th ARW was discontinued and inactivated on 15 September 1964.
Lineage
- Constituted as 497th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) on 19 November 1943
- Activated on 20 November 1943
- Inactivated on 31 March 1946
- Established as the 497th Air Refueling Wing
- Activated 15 November 1962 by redesignation of the 4108th Air Refueling Wing
- Organized on 1 January 1963
- Discontinued and inactivated 15 September 1964
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 29 November 1943 – 18 July 1944
- Attached to 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy), 13 April – 18 July 1944
- 73d Bombardment Wing73d Air DivisionThe 73d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, based at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.-World War II:...
, 17 October 1944 – 31 March 1946 - Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe 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...
, 15 November 1962 - 820th Air Division, 1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964
- 73d Bombardment Wing
Components
- 26th Air Refueling Squadron26th Air Refueling SquadronThe 26th Air Refueling Squadron was a squadron of the United States Air Force that flew the KC-97E/F/G Stratofreighter.-History:...
(1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964) - 380th Air Refueling Squadron380th Air Refueling SquadronThe 380th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 380th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Plattsburgh AFB, New York...
(1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964) - 513th Bombardment Squadron513th Bombardment SquadronThe 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 53d Electronic Warfare Group, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:...
: 1 Nov 1945 – 31 Mar 1946 - 869th Bombardment Squadron869th Bombardment SquadronThe 869th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 497th Bombardment Group stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946.-History:...
: 20 Nov 1943 – 31 Mar 1946 - 870th Bombardment Squadron870th Bombardment SquadronThe 870th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 497th Bombardment Group stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946.-History:...
: 20 Nov 1943 – 31 Mar 1946 - 871st Bombardment Squadron871st Bombardment SquadronThe 871st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 497th Bombardment Group stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946.-History:...
: 20 Nov 1943 – 31 Mar 1946 - 872d Bombardment Squadron872d Bombardment SquadronThe 872d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 382d Bombardment Group stationed at Camp Anza, California. It was inactivated on 4 January 1946.-History:...
: 20 Nov 1943 – 10 May 1944
Stations
- El Paso Mun AprtBiggs Army AirfieldBiggs Army Airfield or Biggs AAF is a military airport located at Fort Bliss near El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, in the United States. The airfield was previously Biggs Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command installation, between 1947 and 1966. The U.S. Army began operations supporting Ft...
, Texas, 20 November – 1 December 1943 - Clovis AAF, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, December 1943 – 13 April 1944 - Pratt AAFPratt Army AirfieldPratt Army Airfield is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located north-northwest of Pratt, Kansas, and was closed in 1946. Today it is used as Pratt Regional Airport....
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 13 April – 18 July 1944 - Isley AirfieldSaipan International Airport- See also :* East Field * USAAF in the Central Pacific-References:* Dorr, Robert F. B-29 Units of World War II. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-84176-285-7...
, SaipanSaipanSaipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, Mariana IslandsMariana IslandsThe Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, 17 September 1944 – 1 November 1945 - Camp StonemanCamp StonemanCamp Stoneman was a United States Army military facility located in Pittsburg, California. It served as a major staging area for the Army in World War II and the Korean War....
, California, 14–26 November 1945 - March Field, California, 26 November 1945 – 5 January 1946
- MacDill Field, Florida, 5 January – 31 March 1946
- Plattsburgh AFB, New York (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964)