493rd Bombardment Squadron (493rd BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 10th Air Force (10th AF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG)

Background
On September 19, 1942 constituted as the 493rd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). On October 25, 1942 activated in the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG) at Karachi Airfield in India (Pakistan) operating the B-24 Liberator as part of the 10th Air Force (10th AF) in China-Burma-India (CBI).

Wartime History
On January 7, 1943 moves to Pandaveswar Airfield in India.

On January 26, 1943 the squadron flies their first mission bombing shipping and the dock area at Rangoon.

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

On June 17, 1944 moves to Tezgaon Airfield in India (Bangladesh).

On October 5, 1944 returns to Pandaveswar Airfield in India.

On December 17, 1944 the squadron sends a detachment to Luliang Airfield to to transport gasoline to Suichwan Airfield until January 26, 1945 then returns to Pandaveswar Airfield.

Starting in June 1945, the squadron began dropping propaganda leaflets over Thailand until the end of the Pacific War.

Postwar
On January 6, 1946 inactivated at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey.

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citation Thailand (March 19, 1945)

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 594 (493d Bombardment) [PDF pages 606]