Constituted as 462nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943.
Activated on 1 Jul 1943. Redesignated 462nd Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)
in Nov 1943. Prepared for combat with B-29's. Moved to the CBI theater,
via Africa, Mar-Jun 1944. Assigned to Twentieth AF in Jun 1944.
Transported supplies over the Hump to staging fields in China before
entering combat with an attack on railroad shops at Bangkok, Thailand, on
5 Jun 1944. On 15 Jun 1944 took part in the first AAF strike on the
Japanese home islands since the Doolittle raid in 1942. Operating from
India and China, bombed transportation centers, naval installations, iron
works, aircraft plants, and other targets in Japan, Thailand, Burma,
China, Formosa, and Indonesia. From a staging base in Ceylon, mined the
Moesi River on Sumatra in Aug 1944. Received a DUC for a daylight attack
on iron and steel works at Yawata, Japan, in Aug 1944.
Moved to Tinian in the spring of 1945 for further operations against
targets in Japan. Participated in mining operations, bombardment of
strategic targets, and incendiary raids on urban areas. Bombed industrial
areas in Tokyo and Yokohama in May 1945, being awarded a DUC for the
action. Received another DUC for a daylight attack on an aircraft plant at
Takarazuka on 24 Jul 1945. Returned to the US late in 1945. Assigned to
Strategic Air Command on 21 Mar 1946. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946.
Squadrons. 345th: 1945-1946. 768th: 1943-1946. 769th: 1943-1946. 770th:
1943-1946. 771st: 1943-1944.
Stations. Smoky Hill AAFld, Kan, 1 Jul 1943; Walker AAFld, Kan, 28 Jul
1943-12 Mar 1944; Piardoba, India, 7 Apr 1944-26 Feb 1945; West Field,
Tinian, 4 Apr-5 Nov 1945; MacDill Field, Fla, Nov 1945-31 Mar 1946.
Commanders. Unkn, 1 Jul-5 Aug 1943; Col Alan D Clark, 5 Aug 1943; Col
Richard H Carmichael, 26 Aug 1943; Col Alfred F Kalberer, 20 Aug
1944-unkn.
Campaigns. American Theater; India-Burma; Air Offensive, Japan; China
Defensive; Western Pacific; Central Burma.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Yawata, Japan, 20 Aug 1944;
Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, 23, 25, and 29 May 1945; Takarazuka, Japan, 24
Jul 1945. Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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