492nd Bombardment Squadron (492nd BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 10th Air Force (10th AF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG)

Background
On August 15, 1917 organized as the 80th Aero Squadron in the U.S. Army. On February 1, 1918 reorganized as the 492d Aero Squadron operating the AR type aircraft and Sopwith Camel as part of Headquarters, Air Service, Service of Supply with a detachment attached to the Second Aviation Instruction Center. On February 13, 1919 demobilized at Garden City, New York.

Interwar Period
During 1936 reconstituted and consolidated with the 492d Bombardment Squadron (492nd BS) that was constituted and allotted to the reserve on March 31, 1924. On May 31, 1924 disbanded.

Wartime History
On May 31, 1942 disbanded. On September 19, 1942 consolidated and reconstituted as the 492d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) at Karachi Airfield in India operating the B-24 Liberator.

On October 25, 1942 activated as part of the 7th Bombardment Group 7th BG) at Karachi Airfield in India (today Pakistan) as part of the 10th Air Force (10th AF).

On November 14, 1942 moves to Gaya Airfield in northeastern India.

On January 24, 1943 the squadron borrowed four B-24 Liberators and one crew from the 436th Bombardment Squadron (436th BS) and flew their first combat mission as four of nine B-24s on a bombing mission against docks at Rangoon. Hits are scored on the wharves, storage areas and a 6,000-ton vessel in Rangoon Harbor.

On February 26, 1943 moves to Bishnupur Airfield.

On April 25, 1943 moves to Panagarh Airfield.

On May 1, 1943 eight B-24 bomb Japanese shipping off Rangoon in Burma and after releasing their bombs are intercepted by Ki-43-II Oscars from 64th Sentai. Damaged and force landed is B-24D Liberator 41-23978 pilot 1st Lt. Robert L. Kavanagh (5 MIA, 6 POW) force landed northeast of Bassien (Pathein).

On December 1, 1943 lost is B-24J "Tough Baba" 42-73159 pilot Lt. Col Everett C. Plummer (MIA).

On January 22, 1944 moves to Madhaiganj.

On June 17, 1944 moves to Tezgaon Airfield.

On October 6, 1944 returns to Madhaiganj.

On December 20, 1944 a detachment operates from Luliang in China to ferry gasoline to Suichwan Airfield.

On January 30, 1945 this detachment returns to Madhaiganj. Later, the squadron operates from Pandaveswar.

On June 1, 1945 moves to Tezpur until the end of the Pacific War.

Postwar
On January 6, 1946 inactivated at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey. On October 1, 1946 redesignated and activated as 492nd Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) at Fort Worth Army Airfield operating the B-29 Superfortress. On September 18, 1947 becomes part of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). On July 20, 1948 redesignated 492nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and begins operating the B-36 Peacemaker. During 1958 begins operating the B-52 Stratofortress. On June 15, 1959 moves to Columbus AFB. On February 1, 1963 discontinued and inactivated.

References
492nd Bombardment Squadron History (AFHRA) reel A0623
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 592-593 (492d Bombardment) [PDF pages 604-605]