The 462nd Bomb Group

     The 462nd Bombardment Group, Heavy (H), was activated on 1 July, 1943, at Smoky Hill Army Airfield near Salina, Kansas. They were assigned to Walker Army Airfield at Victoria, Kansas on 28 July, where the group training on the new aircraft and mission. Training was originally conducted with 8 B-26s, 12 B-17s and 4 B-29s. The group was then re-designated as Very Heavy (VH) in November, 1943. B-29s that required modifications were received in January 1944 and transition training on the new aircraft began.

    When the group was combat ready, the crews loaded personal bags, available spare parts and engines, heading to India. The flight took them through Presque Isle, Maine; Gander, Newfoundland; Marrakech, Morocco; Cairo, Egypt; Karachi, Pakistan and arrived at Piardoba, India on 7 April, 1944.

    Their forward base was field A-5 at Kiunglai, China. Their first mission was on 5 June, 1944 from Piardoba, India, to bomb the railroad yards at Bangkok, Thailand. Airfields in Kiunglai, China could reach targets in Japan. Kiunglai was a dangerous 1200-mile trip over some of the most rugged mountains in the world. This became to be known as “the Hump.” It took 6 trips to accumulate sufficient fuel, ammunition and bombs for a mission.

    The group flew 39 combat missions from bases in India and China. They moved to west field, Tinian, in February & March, 1945. They continued the air offensive against Japan and went on to fly 45 more combat missions.

    The group received their first distinguished combat citation for bombing the iron & steel works at Yawata, Japan, on 20 August, 1944. Their second citation was for bombing industrial areas in Tokyo and Yokohama in May 1945. They received their third citation when they performed a daylight attack on an aircraft plant at Takarazuka on 24 July, 1945.

    The 468th Bomb Group returned to the United States in November 1945, being assigned to MacDill Field, Florida. The group was deactivated on 31 March 1946.

Commanders: Col. Richard Carmichael - 26 Aug 1943 (shot down over Japan bombing the iron and steel works at Yawata on 20 August, 1944); Col. Alfred Kalberer - 20 Aug 1944