491 Attack Squadron (AETC)

Lineage. Organized as 79 Aero Squadron on 15 Aug 1917. Redesignated as 491 Aero Squadron (Construction) on 1 Feb 1918. Demobilized on 31 Jan 1919. Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 491 Bombardment Squadron, which was constituted and allocated to the reserve on 31 Mar 1924. Disbanded 31 May 1942. Consolidated (1958) with 491 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) which was constituted on 14 Aug 1942. Activated on 15 Sep 1942. Inactivated on 2 Nov 1945. Redesignated as 491 Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 May 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 5 Jun 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated as 491 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 Aug 1958. Activated on 1 Nov 1958. Discontinued, and inactivated 25 Jun 1961. Redesignated as 491 Attack Squadron 26 Mar 2019. Activated on 15 Apr 2019.

Assignments. Unkn, 15 Aug-Dec 1917; Seventh Aviation Instruction Center, Dec 1917-Dec 1918; Unkn, Dec 1918-31 Jan 1919. 341 Bombardment Group, 15 Sep 1942-2 Nov 1945. 341 Bombardment Group, 5 Jun 1947-27 Jun 1949. 341 Bombardment Wing, 1 Nov 1958-25 Jun 1961. 49 Operations Group, 15 Apr 2019-.

Stations. Kelly Field, TX, 15 Aug 1917; Garden City, NY, 3-22 Nov 1917; Aulnat (near Clermont-Ferrand), France, 18 Dec 1917; St Nazaire, France c. 30 Dec-c. 12 Jan 1919; Garden City, NY, c. 23-31 Jan 1919. Karachi, India, 15 Sep 1942; Chakulia, India, 5 Jan 1943 (detachment of ground personnel at Gya, India, 20 Jul-10 Sep 1943); Yangkai, China, 10 Jan 1944-13 Sep 1945 (one detachment operated from Kweilin and Liuchow, China, 13 Jun-10 Jul 1944, and another operated from Liuchow, 29 Aug-2 Nov 1944). Camp Kilmer, NJ, 1-2 Nov 1945. New Haven, CT, 5 Jun 1947-27 Jun 1949. Dyess AFB, TX, 1 Nov 1958-25 Jun 1961. Hancock Field ANG Base, NY, 15 Apr 2019-.

Aircraft: B-25, 1942-1945. B-47, 1958-1961.

Operations: Constructed and maintained facilities, Feb-Dec 1918. Apparently never active during period of 1924-1942 when allocated to the reserve with assignment to Ninth Corps Area and designated station at Seattle, Washington. Combat in CBI, 10 Jan 1943-25 Jul 1945. Reserve unit, 1947-1949. Strategic bombardment training, 1958-1961.

Service Streamers. World War I, Theater of Operations.

Campaign Streamers. World War II. India-Burma; China Defensive; New Guinea, China Offensive

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: French Indochina, 11 Dec 1944-12 Mar 1945.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 19 April 2019

Supersedes statement prepared on Jan 1959.

Emblem. Approved on 19 Oct 1944.

Prepared by James M. Musser

Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.