492nd Bombardment Group at North Pickenham
History
The 492nd Bomb Group was stationed at North Pickenham in Norfolk, England, for 89 days from April to August 1944.
During its time in operation, the 492nd flew 64 missions for 1,513 sorties, but lost 51 aircraft in combat.
It suffered heavier losses than any other B-24 unit in a three-month period.
The 492nd was activated on 1 October 1943 at Clovis, New Mexico.
It organised at Alamogordo Airfield, New Mexico, in November 1943 and spent about five months training there before leaving for England on April 1 1944.
Most of the personnel from New Mexico were air crew, as many of the ground staff for the 492nd came from existing Second Air Division bomb groups already serving in England.
The air crews flew their B-24 Liberators to England from the United States via the southern ferry route.
The few men in ground crews who came directly from the United States travelled on the Queen Elizabeth, leaving on April 20 1944.
The group flew their first mission on 11 May 1944 against marshalling yards at Mulhouse, France.
It flew its last mission on 7 August 1944 and had left North Pickenham by 12 August, in time for the 491st Bombardment Group to be transferred there from Metfield.
If you would like to view various records relating to the 492nd, visit our digital archive.