Patch with 491st Attack Squadron emblem[note 2][2]
The first predecessor of the squadron was activated during World War I as the 79th Aero Squadron. It deployed to France in 1917 and was redesignated the 491st Aero Squadron. It served as a construction unit before returning to the United States, where it was demobilized in 1919.
The second predecessor of the unit is the 491st Bombardment Squadron, which was constituted as an Organized Reserve unit in 1924. It was activated in 1925 at Sand Point Airport, Washington, but was only nominally manned. The two squadrons were consolidated in 1936, but the consolidated unit was inactivated the following year. it was disbanded in May 1942, as were all the other United States Army Air Corps Organized Reserve units.
The third predecessor of the unit is the 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), which was constituted and activated in India during World War II. It participated in combat in the China-Burma-India Theater until the end of the war, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation. Following V-J Day, it returned to the United States and was inactivated.
The first predecessor of the squadron was organized as the 79th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas in August 1917. It deployed to the Aviation Concentration Center in Garden City, New York in November for shipment to France. It arrived in France the following month and moved to Saint-Nazaire, where it was redesignated the 491st Aero Squadron (Construction) and constructed and maintained facilities from February until December 1918. It returned to the United States in January 1919 and was demobilized. It was reconstituted c. 16 October 1936 and consolidated with the 491st Bombardment Squadron.
Organized Reserves between World War I and World War II
The 492d Bombardment Squadron was authorized in the Organized Reserves in March 1924. It was activated at Sand Point Airport, Washington in the Ninth Corps Area the following January and assigned to the 349th Bombardment Group. The squadron was only nominally manned before it was inactivated in the spring of 1937. Along with all other United States Army Air Corps Organized Reserve units, it was disbanded in May 1942. In August 1958 it was reconstituted and consolidated with the 492d Bombardment Squadron, Medium.
World War II
The 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) was activated in September 1942 as a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber squadron at Karachi, India. It was assigned to the newly activated 341st Bombardment Group of Tenth Air Force. The squadron did not receive a full complement of aircraft and personnel until the end of the year. After moving to Chakulia Airfield, the squadron began combat operations, flying its first mission on 10 January 1943. For the remainder of the year the squadron was primarily tasked with interdicting Japanese lines of communication in Burma.
The squadron was transferred to Fourteenth Air Force and moved to China in January 1944. Again the squadron's primary tasking was interdiction of Japanese lines of communication in China and eastern French Indochina (now Vietnam). In addition to strikes against airfields, bivouac and storage areas and bridges, the unit performed target of opportunity sweeps along roads, rivers and over the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea.
When Japan surrendered, sixteen squadron aircrews and several aircraft maintenance personnel were in India undergoing transition training to Douglas A-26 Invader. About 31 August 1945 the remaining 491st personnel joined those in India. Those determined to meet rotation requirements embarked on a transport ship and returned to the United States, arriving on 1 November. The squadron was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 2 November 1945.
Cold War
The unit was redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 May 1947 and activated in the reserve on 5 June. The squadron was inactivated on 27 June 1949 when Continental Air Command reorganized its operational reserve units under the wing base organizational model.
The squadron was redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 20 August 1958 and consolidated with the 491st Bombardment Squadron. It was activated on 1 November and assigned to the 341st Bombardment Wing at Dyess Air Force Base operating the Boeing B-47 Stratojet. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. The squadron was inactivated on 25 June 1961 as part of that draw down, and its aircraft were sent to storage at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
Lineage
491st Aero Squadron
Organized as the 79th Aero Squadron on 15 August 1917
Redesignated 491st Aero Squadron (Construction) on 1 February 1918[3]
Demobilized on 31 January 1919
Reconstituted and consolidated 5 December 1936 with the 491st Bombardment Squadron[3][4]
491st Bombardment Squadron
Constituted as the 491st Bombardment Squadron in the Organized Reserve on 31 March 1924
Activated in January 1925
Consolidated 5 December 1936 with the 491st Aero Squadron[3]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994(PDF). Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Clay, Steven E. (2011). (PDF). Vol. 3 The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops 1919-1941. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. ISBN978-0-98419-014-0. LCCN 2010022326. OCLC 637712205. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems(PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977(PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Official History Summaries of 491st Bombardment Squadron (M), on file, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
491st, attack, squadron, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2012, learn, when, remove, this, template, . This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 491st Attack Squadron is an active United States Air Force regular associate unit stationed at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base where it was activated in April 2019 It is assigned to the 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base New Mexico and operates General Atomics MQ 9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles 491st Attack SquadronMQ 9 Reaper at Hancock Field ANGB note 1 Active1917 1919 1925 1937 1942 1945 1947 1949 1958 1961 2019 presentCountry United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleattackPart ofAir Education and Training CommandGarrison HQHancock Field ANGBNickname s Ringers 1 EngagementsChina Burma India Theater 2 DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation 2 InsigniaPatch with 491st Attack Squadron emblem note 2 2 The first predecessor of the squadron was activated during World War I as the 79th Aero Squadron It deployed to France in 1917 and was redesignated the 491st Aero Squadron It served as a construction unit before returning to the United States where it was demobilized in 1919 The second predecessor of the unit is the 491st Bombardment Squadron which was constituted as an Organized Reserve unit in 1924 It was activated in 1925 at Sand Point Airport Washington but was only nominally manned The two squadrons were consolidated in 1936 but the consolidated unit was inactivated the following year it was disbanded in May 1942 as were all the other United States Army Air Corps Organized Reserve units The third predecessor of the unit is the 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium which was constituted and activated in India during World War II It participated in combat in the China Burma India Theater until the end of the war where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation Following V J Day it returned to the United States and was inactivated The squadron was activated in the reserve in 1947 but was discontinued when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization plan and reduced their number due to budget constraints In 1958 it was consolidated with the first two squadrons and activated at Dyess Air Force Base Texas when Strategic Air Command expanded its Boeing B 47 Stratojet wings to four squadrons The squadron was inactivated at Dyess in 1961 Contents 1 History 1 1 World War I 1 2 Organized Reserves between World War I and World War II 1 3 World War II 1 4 Cold War 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory EditWorld War I Edit The first predecessor of the squadron was organized as the 79th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field Texas in August 1917 It deployed to the Aviation Concentration Center in Garden City New York in November for shipment to France It arrived in France the following month and moved to Saint Nazaire where it was redesignated the 491st Aero Squadron Construction and constructed and maintained facilities from February until December 1918 It returned to the United States in January 1919 and was demobilized It was reconstituted c 16 October 1936 and consolidated with the 491st Bombardment Squadron Organized Reserves between World War I and World War II Edit The 492d Bombardment Squadron was authorized in the Organized Reserves in March 1924 It was activated at Sand Point Airport Washington in the Ninth Corps Area the following January and assigned to the 349th Bombardment Group The squadron was only nominally manned before it was inactivated in the spring of 1937 Along with all other United States Army Air Corps Organized Reserve units it was disbanded in May 1942 In August 1958 it was reconstituted and consolidated with the 492d Bombardment Squadron Medium World War II Edit The 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium was activated in September 1942 as a North American B 25 Mitchell bomber squadron at Karachi India It was assigned to the newly activated 341st Bombardment Group of Tenth Air Force The squadron did not receive a full complement of aircraft and personnel until the end of the year After moving to Chakulia Airfield the squadron began combat operations flying its first mission on 10 January 1943 For the remainder of the year the squadron was primarily tasked with interdicting Japanese lines of communication in Burma The squadron was transferred to Fourteenth Air Force and moved to China in January 1944 Again the squadron s primary tasking was interdiction of Japanese lines of communication in China and eastern French Indochina now Vietnam In addition to strikes against airfields bivouac and storage areas and bridges the unit performed target of opportunity sweeps along roads rivers and over the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea When Japan surrendered sixteen squadron aircrews and several aircraft maintenance personnel were in India undergoing transition training to Douglas A 26 Invader About 31 August 1945 the remaining 491st personnel joined those in India Those determined to meet rotation requirements embarked on a transport ship and returned to the United States arriving on 1 November The squadron was inactivated at Camp Kilmer New Jersey on 2 November 1945 Cold War Edit The unit was redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron Light on 26 May 1947 and activated in the reserve on 5 June The squadron was inactivated on 27 June 1949 when Continental Air Command reorganized its operational reserve units under the wing base organizational model The squadron was redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium on 20 August 1958 and consolidated with the 491st Bombardment Squadron It was activated on 1 November and assigned to the 341st Bombardment Wing at Dyess Air Force Base operating the Boeing B 47 Stratojet In March 1961 President John F Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B 47 be accelerated The squadron was inactivated on 25 June 1961 as part of that draw down and its aircraft were sent to storage at Davis Monthan Air Force Base Arizona Lineage Edit491st Aero Squadron Organized as the 79th Aero Squadron on 15 August 1917Redesignated 491st Aero Squadron Construction on 1 February 1918 3 Demobilized on 31 January 1919 Reconstituted and consolidated 5 December 1936 with the 491st Bombardment Squadron 3 4 491st Bombardment Squadron Constituted as the 491st Bombardment Squadron in the Organized Reserve on 31 March 1924Activated in January 1925Consolidated 5 December 1936 with the 491st Aero Squadron 3 Inactivated on 2 March 1937 3 Disbanded on 31 May 1942 Reconstituted and consolidated on 20 August 1958 with the 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium 4 491st Attack Squadron Constituted as the 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium on 14 August 1942Activated on 15 September 1942Redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium c 1 August 1943Inactivated on 2 November 1945Redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron Light on 26 May 1947Activated in the reserve on 5 June 1947 Inactivated on 27 June 1949Redesignated 491st Bombardment Squadron Medium on 20 August 1958 and consolidated with the 491st Bombardment SquadronActivated on 1 November 1958 Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1961Redesignated 491st Attack Squadron on 26 March 2019Activated on 15 April 2019 2 Assignments Edit Unknown 15 August December 1917 Seventh Aviation Instruction Center December 1917 December 1918 Unknown December 1918 31 January 1919 349th Bombardment Group January 1925 2 March 1937 3 341st Bombardment Group 15 September 1942 2 November 1945 341st Bombardment Group 5 June 1947 27 June 1949 341st Bombardment Wing 1 November 1958 25 June 1961 49 Operations Group 15 April 2019 present 5 Stations Edit Kelly Field Texas 15 August 1917 Garden City New York New York 3 22 November 1917 Aulnat near Clermont Ferrand France 18 December 1917 St Nazaire France c 30 December 1918 c 12 January 1919 Garden City New York c 23 31 January 1919 Sand Point Airport Washington January 1925 2 March 1937 3 Karachi Airport India 15 September 1942 Chakulia Airfield India 5 January 1943 7 January 1944 detachment of ground personnel at Gya India 20 July 10 September 1943 Yangkai Airfield China 10 January 1944 13 September 1945 detachments operated from Kweilin Airfield and Liuchow Airfield China 13 June 10 July 1944 and 29 August 2 November 1944 Camp Kilmer New Jersey 1 November 1945 2 November 1945 New Haven Connecticut 5 June 1947 27 June 1949 Dyess Air Force Base Texas 1 November 1958 25 June 1961 Hancock Field Air National Guard Base New York 15 April 2019 present 2 Aircraft Edit North American B 25 Mitchell 1942 1945 Douglas A 26 Invader 1945 Boeing B 47 Stratojet 1958 1961 4 See also Edit World War II portalReferences EditNotes Edit Explanatory notes Aircraft is General Atomics MQ 9B Reaper serial 09 4072 assigned to the 174th Attack Wing Approved 19 October 1944 Citations Stewart A1C Kindra 10 May 2019 Ringing in tradition innovating airpower 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Retrieved 13 September 2020 a b c d e Musser James M 24 April 2019 Factsheet 491 Attack Squadron AETC Air Force Historical Research Agency Retrieved 13 September 2020 a b c d e f Clay p 1523 a b c Lineage in Musser except as noted Assignments in Musser except as noted Bibliography Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Cantwell Gerald T 1997 Citizen Airmen a History of the Air Force Reserve 1946 1994 PDF Washington D C Air Force History and Museums Program ISBN 0 16049 269 6 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Clay Steven E 2011 US Army Order of Battle 1919 1941 PDF Vol 3 The Services Air Service Engineers and Special Troops 1919 1941 Fort Leavenworth KS Combat Studies Institute Press ISBN 978 0 98419 014 0 LCCN 2010022326 OCLC 637712205 Archived from the original PDF on 27 September 2013 Retrieved 16 October 2012 Knaack Marcelle Size 1978 Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems PDF Vol 2 Post World War II Bombers 1945 1973 Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 59 5 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Maurer Maurer ed 1983 1961 Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 02 1 LCCN 61060979 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Maurer Maurer ed 1982 1969 Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 405 12194 6 LCCN 70605402 OCLC 72556 Ravenstein Charles A 1984 Air Force Combat Wings Lineage amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 PDF Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Official History Summaries of 491st Bombardment Squadron M on file Air Force Historical Research Agency Maxwell AFB Alabama External links EditList of B 47 units of the United States Air Force Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 491st Attack Squadron amp oldid 1071384588, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
