OVERVIEW
The 490th Bombardment Squadron (M) was constituted and authorized to be made active, pursuant to War Department letter dated 14 Aug 42. The Squadron was activated at North Malir Cantonment Area H on 16 Sep 42, per paragraph 1, Section II, General Order No. 22, Headquarters, 10th U.S. Air Force, New Delhi, India, dated 8 Sep 1942. The 490th was assigned to the 341st Bombardment Group, along with the 11th, 22nd and 491st Squadrons. Capt. Ridgell and 46 enlisted men assigned and joined from the 11th Bombardment Squadron (M) AAF, per paragraphs 1 and 14, Special Orders No. 1, 341st Bombardment Group (M) AAF, dated 16 Sept 1942. So, the prior the WW II history of the 490th is the history of the 11th Bombardment Squadron which had been split about in half to form the new squadron.
The unit received personnel and equipment and trained with B-25Cs/Ds for the remainder of 1942. During the remainder of Sep 1942, there was no change in assigned officers, while another twenty-five enlisted were assigned with three of the original enlisted being transfered out.
During October, Capt Ridgell was joined by thirteen more officers who were assigned, although three of them were transferred out during the month. On 0ctober 20th Major James A. Philpott was assigned as Commander, 490th Bm. Sq. Another 27 enlisted joined the Squadron during October. The majority of the enlisted men and officers gained this month had been part of the "Special Project" which departed Aurora, Colorado with 30 plus Lockheed A-29 'Hudsons' to be delivered to the Chinese Air Force. The deliveries had been made, the transition training had been conducted, and the men had returned to India for further assignment.
The first aircraft, B-25C, no. 41-12958, was assigned to the Squadron on 22 Nov.
At 0800 hours, 22 Nov 1942, the entire Squadron boarded trucks and were taken to the docks at Karachi. Immediately upon their arrival they were hustled on to sailboats. The small flotilla sailed / rowed across the water to the Sand Spit, arriving about 1100 hours. Was this a 'secret' mission?... Definitely not! It was "Organization Day!" And, throughout the afternoon picnic lunches were consumed, as was some quantity of beer. The troops achieved further relaxation while swimming and paticipating in several games. About 1600 they called it a day, climbed aboard the boats for the return trip to the docks. Back onto the trucks and the group ended their day back at New Malir Cantonment.
For Christmas, the Squadron entertained orphan children from Karachi, and provided them with presents.
Then, on the 30th, 216 enlisted men and 5 officers joined the Squadron, arriving from Filler Group, Shipment No. 2299 G & H. The latest arrivals brought the squadron roster to 17 officers and 316 enlisted.
The 490th Ground echelon (7 officers and 196 enlisted men) departed Mew Malir for Karachi by truck at 2030 hours on 29 Dec 1942, enroute to their new station, Ondal, India. In Karachi they switched from the trucks to the infamous Indian Railway System about 0200 on the 30th. The motor echelon of 1 officer and 17 enlisted boarded the Squadrons vehicles early on the 30th and traveled to the rail station in Karachi, where the vehicles were loaded on a train for the shipment. Arriving at New Delhi in mid-afternoon of 2 Jan 1943, they unloaded the trucks from the train and spent the rest of the day, and part of the next, preparing for the tough raod trip ahead of them. The departed New Delhi shortly after noon on the 3rd, and arrived in Agra about 2000 hours. The remainder of trip resumed on the 5th, with the convoy spending about twelve hours enroute across India each day to reach Campore, then Allahabad, Gaya, and finally Camp Moire, Ondal, late in the afternoon of the 8th.
The Air Echelon took from New Malir the morning of 1 Feb 43. They flew to Agra, held there until the 3rd and then flew on to Camp Moire, Ondal. The squadron entered combat with its first mission on 18 Feb 1943. Squdron Mission #1 (IATF #60) had 6 aircraft participating in a Group mission targeting the Sagaing railroad yards. All planes hit the target at 0930 hours in a single run from 9000 feet, with 8 330-lb bombs per plane. All planes returned safely to an advanced base.
..., striking targets in central Burma to delay the movement of supplies from southern Burma to the Japanese troops fighting in northern Burma. As well as Camp Moire, the Squadron operated from Chakulia (20-25 May 43) and moved to Kurmitola, India, 25 May 43. During this time they struck at bridges, locomotives, railroad yards, trackage and rolling stock in central Burma, in the Monywa-Mandalay-Goktteik region, and ranged as far north as Myitkyina and as far south as Thazi.
In Jan 1944 the 341st Group moved to China, leaving the 490th remaining under control of the Tenth Air Force. The Squadron's success in effectively 'glip' bombing bridges earned them the nickname of "Bridge Busters".
Between 20 May and 30 Jun 44, the Squadron carried supplies and ammunition from Chittagong, India to Allied units at Imphal, during the Japanese offensive into India. During the 1944 Allied summer offensive against the Japanese in Burma, the 490th assisted the ground troops by providing low-level air support. They strafed and bombed enemy troop concentrations; in particular striking at the bridges leading into Myitkyina which was being besieged by the Allies. The squadron moved and began operating from Dergaon, India, 26 Aug 44; from Moran, India, on 20 Oct 44; and from Warazup, Burma, on 29 Nov 44.
Beginning in Jan 1945, they dropped leaflets (nicknamed the "Burma Mail") for the U.S. Office of War Information. The 490th moved to Hanchung, China, 13 Apr 45 coming under the control of the 312th Fighter Wing, 14th Air Force. With detached operations from Hsian, China, 16 Apr - 4 Aug 45, they continued attacks against bridges and railyards, while also continuing to drop propaganda leaflets on occupied protions of China until war's end.
With the 341st Group, the squadron returned to the U.S., Sep-Oct 1945 and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, NJ, 1 - 2 Nov 45.
The 490th has been reactivated, and redesignated the "490th Missile Squadron", at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, assigned to the 341st Missile Wing, formerly the 341st Bomb Group. The website is at ( http://www.malmstrom.af.mil/ ).