The 468th Bomb Group

     The 468th Bombardment Group, Heavy (H), was activated on 1 August, 1943, at Smoky Hill Army Airfield, near Salina, Kansas. Training was originally conducted with 8 B-26s, 12 B-17s and 4 YB-29s. The group was then re-designated as Very Heavy (VH) in November, 1943. New B-29s were made combat-ready and departed Salina in March and April of 1944. They arrived at their new base at Kharagpur, India by 13 April. Their forward base was Pengshan, Szechwan province, China. By late 1944, the 468th established the best operational record among the 4 combat groups, which headquarters XXth bomber command awarded it General Billy Mitchell’s personal sailing burgee and authorized it to adopt the name “The Billy Mitchell Group”, a name requiring outstanding performance of duty.

    The 468th flew 42 combat missions from bases in India and China. They moved to west field, Tinian in February and March 1945 and went on to fly 68 more missions over Japan. On 2 September, 1945, the 468th led the 20th Air Force ‘show of force’ ceremony over the U.S.S. Missouri during the Japanese surrender.

    The 468th flew 68 combat missions from west Tinian. Their 110 combat missions were the highest number flown by a 20th Air Force bomb group.

    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 – 23 May 1945. They received their third citation when they performed a daylight attack on an aircraft plant at Takarazuka on 24 July, 1945.

    The 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. Howard Engler - 8 Sep 1943; Col. Ted Faulkner - 3 Aug 1944; Col. James Edmundson - 5 Nov 1944.