United States Air Force Academy in El Paso County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
492nd Bomb Group (H) & 801st Bomb Group (P)
8th Air Force
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 17, 2020
1. 492nd Bomb Group (H) & 801st Bomb Group (P) Marker
492nd Bomb Group (H) & 801st Bomb Group (P)
Group Commanders:
Col. A.J. Pierce, Maj. L. Adams, Col. E.H. Snavely,
Col. C.J. Heflin, L Col. R.W. Fish, Col. H.D. Upham,
Lt Col. J.M. Dickerson, Lt Col. D.E. Crawford
Stations:
North Pickenham-Alconbury-
Watton-Harrington, England
492nd BG 9/13/43 - 10/17/45
Number of Missions - 66
Start - 5/11/44, Last - 8/7/44
Total Tons Dropped - 3,643
KIA - 530, MIA - 58
801st BG 3/28/44 - 8/13/44
Number of Sorties - 3,000
Total Tons Dropped - 4,522
Total Agents Dropped - 556
No. "Gasoline" Missions - 10
Gallons of Gasoline Hauled to Eur - 748,977
No. of High Alt. Night Bomb Missions - 21
A/C [Aircraft] MIA - 25 B-24's & IA - 26
Campaigns
Air Offensive, Europe - Normandy - Northern France
Southern France - Rhineland - Central Europe
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citation - Germany & German Occupied
Territory - French Croix de Guerre with Palm
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Patriots & Patriotism • War, World II.
Location. 39° 0.979′ N, 104° 51.31′
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 379th Bomb Group (H) (here, next to this marker); World War II Glider Pilots (here, next to this marker); 306th Bombardment Group (H) (here, next to this marker); 95th Bomb Group H (here, next to this marker); 416th Bombardment Group (L) (here, next to this marker); 20th Fighter Group (here, next to this marker); 344th Bomb Group (M) AAF (here, next to this marker); 384th Bombardment Group (H) (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in United States Air Force Academy.
More about this marker. Must have a valid ID to enter the USAF Academy grounds.
Regarding 492nd Bomb Group (H) & 801st Bomb Group (P).
"The 492nd Bombardment Group was a unit of the Eighth Air Force, but despite being a heavy bombardment group it actually spent most of its time in Europe flying "Carpetbagger" missions, transporting agents and supplies to resistance movements in Occupied Europe."
-History of War excerpt
Also see . . .
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 17, 2020
2. 492nd Bomb Group (H) & 801st Bomb Group (P) Marker on Memorial Wall
1. 492nd Bomb Group ("The Hard Luck Group"). Group homepage (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. 801st Bomb Group Carpetbaggers/492nd Bomb Group. Group homepage (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. The 801st / 492nd Bomb Group. Harrington Aviation Museum Northamptonshire entry (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
4. Hard Luck Outfit: The Story of the 492nd Bombardment Group. Defense Media Network entry (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
5. 492nd Bombardment Group. History of War entry (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
6. RAF Harrington Airfield Brief History. (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
via Defense Media Network, 1944
3. A B-24 Liberator from the 859th Bombardment Squadron, 492nd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force,
Over Saarbrücken, Germany, May 27, 1944; on that mission the 492nd lost one bomber. National Archives photo
Credits. This page was last revised on March 4, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 31, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 275 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 7, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3. submitted on January 28, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
