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| Location Lat 22° 59' 22N Long 87° 17' 59E Piardoba Airfield is located roughly 6.6 miles south of Bishnupur in the Bankura District of West Bengal in India. Construction Built by the U.S. Army as a military airfield for B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. In December 1943, Advance Army Air Forces echelons arrived at Piardoba to upgrade the airfield as one of four bases for B-29 Superfortress in India. Thousands of Indian laborers were employed to upgrade the airfield and facilities. Wartime History During the middle of April 1944, the first B-29s from the 20th Air Force, 462nd Bombardment Group began arriving having flown from Walker Field in Kanas via Brazil, West Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Karachi Airfield before arriving at Piardoba. Supporting them were the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Bomb Maintenance Squadrons, 13th Photo Lab, and the 86th Air Service Group (86th ASG). On June 5-6, 1944 462nd BG flew its first combat mission from Piardoba against the railroad yards at Makasan in Bangkok a 2,261 mile round trip, the longest bombing mission to date in World War II. On June 15, 1944 the group initiated "Operation Matterhorn" the bombing of Japan and began staging through Chengtu to bomb Yawata. During April 1945 the 20th Air Force ceased operations from India. Afterwards, Piardoba Airfield was turned over to the 10th Air Force and used until the middle of July 1945. American units based at Piardoba 462d BG, HQ USA April 7, 1944 - February 26, 1945 West Field 462nd BG, 768th BS (B-29) USA April 16, 1944 inactivated Oct 12, 1944 462nd BG, 769th BS (B-29) USA April 19, 1944 inactivated Oct 12, 1944 462nd BG, 770th BS (B-29) USA April 19, 1944 inactivated Oct 12, 1944 462nd BG, 771st BS (B-29) USA May 13, 1944 inactivated Oct 12, 1944 8th PRG, 9th PRS (F-5) Myitkyina May 1, 1945 - ? 33rd FG, HQ Sahmaw May 5, 1945 deactivated 3rd CCG, 12th CCS (UC-64s, L-1s, L-4s and L-5s) Dinjan May 12 - July 10, 1945 Kunming 10th AF, HQ Myitkyina May 15, 1945 - August 1, 1945 Kunming 14th AF, 71st Liaison Squadron (UC-64s, L-1s, L-4s and L-5s) ? - July 10-25, 1945 Kunming Postwar On September 26, 1945 Piardoba Airfield was officially closed and turned over to the British colonial government. Today Since the end of World War II, disused as a landing ground. Today, hardstands and taxiways are still visible and small villages are located in the area using the wartime concrete pads as foundations. Contribute
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