History of the 490th

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Busting Bridges

12 April 2026 No Comments

The 490th Bomb Group was known as the “Bridge Busters”! During their service in Europe,…

From Idaho to East Anglia

Activated in late 1943, the group trained in the United States before deploying to Station 134 (RAF Eye) in Suffolk, England, in April 1944. For the remainder of the war, the rural fields of Eye became their home and their launching pad for history.

The 490th began their combat tour flying the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, notably participating in the lead-up to the D-Day landings by targeting airfields and coastal defenses. By August 1944, the group transitioned to the iconic Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.

Their mission profile was diverse and dangerous, including:

Strategic Bombing: Striking industrial targets, oil refineries, and tank factories deep inside Germany.
Tactical Support: Providing air cover during the Battle of the Bulge and the final push across the Rhine.
Mercy Missions: In the final days of the war, the group participated in Operation Manna, dropping tons of food to starving civilians in the Netherlands.

By the time the group was inactivated in the fall of 1945, they had flown thousands of sorties and faced immense pressure in the flak-filled skies of Europe. Today, the 490th is remembered not just for their technical precision, but for the bravery of the crews and the lasting bond they formed with the people of Suffolk.

Subordinate Squadrons: 848th, 849th, 850th, and 851st Bomb Squadrons.
Main Base: RAF Eye, Suffolk (Station 134).
Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
Tail Code: A “Square-W” (often seen on the vertical stabilizers of their B-17s).

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This roll of honour outlines the names of the men who served in the 490th. More information can be found on war records available on sites such as ancestry but If you’re looking for a particular relative of yours and can’t find them here, contact us from our Facebook page and we’ll look into it.

The Book of Remembrance

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A brief history of the 490th Bombardment Group (H)

The 490th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was constituted on September 14, 1943 and activated just over a month later on October 20th at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico. The group’s original squadrons were the 848th, 849th, 850th, and 851st Bombardment Squadrons.

After training in New Mexico, the 490th deployed to England in April 1944, arriving at its permanent station at Eye Airfield in Suffolk on April 26th. The group came under the command of the mighty 8th Air Force and was assigned to fly the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany.

The 490th flew its first combat mission on May 23, 1944, striking a V-1 flying bomb launch site in Boimingbeek, Belgium. From then until the end of the war in Europe, the group’s B-17s took part in numerous critical bombardment operations providing munitions, bombs on strategic targets, and support for Allied ground forces.

Some of the most significant missions included participating in the intensive campaign against the German aircraft industry, bombing Berlin on March 24, 1945, and striking the Nazi capital again on March 18th. The 490th helped pave the way for the historic airborne invasion of Holland by attacking strong points and bomb lines during Operation Market Garden in September 1944.

The group earned the admiration of the entire 8th Air Force for the 490th’s actions on March 18, 1945. Despite losing five aircraft, the 490th pressed the attack on Berlin in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighter opposition. For its heroism, the group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

During its service, the 490th Bomb Group flew over 187 missions from its base at Eye, releasing over 17,000 tons of bombs. The group’s personnel paid a staggering price, with over 700 airmen killed, missing or taken prisoner over the course of the air war.

After V-E Day, the 490th returned to the United States in the late summer of 1945 where it was inactivated at Sioux Falls Army Air Field on August 28th. The group had accumulated an outstanding combat record and been awarded the coveted Distinguished Unit Citation along with the French Croix de Guerre with Palm.

The 490th Bombardment Group (H) built a legacy of valor and sacrifice in helping secure ultimate victory over the forces of Nazi oppression. The men who fought and died while wearing the 490th’s iconic insignia left a shining example of American heroism and “The Thundering Herd” will never be forgotten.