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 as part of Headquarters, Air Service, Service of Supply with a detachment attached to the Second Aviation Instruction Center. On February 13, 1919 demobilized. 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 July 2, 1926 became part of the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). On May 31, 1942 disbanded. On September 19, 1942 consolidated and constituted as the 492d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy).

Wartime History
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, a nine B-24 strike on 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 from Gaya to Bishnupur. On April 25, 1943 moves to Panagarh.

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 41-23978 pilot 1st Lt. Robert L. Kavanagh (5 MIA, 6 POW) force landed northeast of Bassien (Pathein).

On January 22, 1944 moves to Madhaiganj. Later, operates from Tezzgaon then returns on October 6, 1944 to Madhaiganj.

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

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. On October 1, 1946 redesignated and activated as 492nd Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy). On September 18, 1947 becomes part of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). On July 20, 1948 redesignated 492nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). 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 (492nd Bombardment) [PDF pages 604-605]