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492nd
| The Scrapbook Archives - North Pickenham, Norfolk
492nd Bomb Group
The focus of this scrapbbook is the 492nd Bombardment Group, stationed at North Pickenham, Norfolk
The 492nd was activated on October 1, 1943 at Clovis, New Mexico. It organized at Alamogordo Airfield, New Mexico in November, 1943 and spent approximately five months in training at that airfield, before leaving for England on April 1, 1944. Most of the personnel from New Mexico were air crew, as much of the ground echelon for the 492nd was obtained from existing 2nd Air Division bomb groups already in service in England.
The air crews flew their B24 Liberators to England from the United States via the southern ferry route. The few men in ground crews who came directly from the United States travelled on the Queen Elizabeth, leaving on April 20, 1944. The 492nd was stationed at North Pickenham for its 89 days of operation in England.
The group flew their first mission on May 11, 1944 against marshalling yards at Mulhouse, France. It flew its last mission on August 7, 1944 and vacated North Pickenham by August 12, in time for the 491st to be transferred from Metfield to the base at North Pickenham. During its time in operation, it flew 64 missions for 1,513 sorties, but lost 51 aircraft in combat. The 492nd suffered heavier losses than any other B24 unit in a three-month period.
The Boys of Hut 10. Included are Tom Surdacki, Richard Ruggles, Chester Germany, Charles Kaspar, A.T. Wood, John Geech, Robert Herres, Walter Zettlemeier, Willis Williamson, and Jack H. Mooney. From the collection of Jack Mooney (MC 376/232 808x5), Norfolk Record Office
Photograph taken May 1944. Included are J.A. Reitmeir, J.B. Mead, J.A. Lucey, F.M. Russell, M.L. Simon, P.B. Latta, G.S. Hasty, L.F. Dumesnil, and H.G. Collier. From the collection of John A. Reitmeir (MC 371/680 721x9), Norfolk Record Office.
Taken on a day off on the way to King's Lynn, November 1944. Included are Tappan, Martin, and Jack Mooney. From the collection of Jack Mooney (MC 376/232 808x5), Norfolk Record Office.
There are several good histories of the 492nd Bomb Group available for use in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library, in addition to the standard histories of the 2nd Air Division and the 8th Air Force. Among those histories are:
Blue, Allan G: The fortunes of war: A history of the 492nd Bomb Group on daylight operations.
Ives, Russell: 89 days: the 492BG (H) at North Pickenham.
Mahoney, James J. and Brian H. Mahoney: Reluctant witness: memoirs from the last year of the European airwar, 1944-45.
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Created 18 August 2007
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