page_title: 497th Air Expeditionary Group
hierarchical_section_title: 497th Air Expeditionary Group
caption_attribution_description: English: Boeing B-29s drop bombs over Rangoon, Burma. Nearest aircraft is B-29-25-BA (S/N 42-63526) of the 871st Bomb Squadron, 497th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force. This aircraft was reported as shot down by flak Mar 24, 1945 near Nagoya, Japan (U.S. Air Force photo)
context_page_description: The 497th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Pacific Air Forces to activate or inactivate as needed.
  The unit was first activated in the United States Army Air Forces as the 497th Bombardment Group which was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 497th engaged in very heavy bombardment operations against Japan and earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat actions. Its aircraft were identified by a "A" and a square painted on the tail.
  The unit was again active as the 497th Air Refueling Wing, which was an element of Strategic Air Command. It absorbed the personnel equipment, and mission of the 4108th Air Refueling Wing at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York in January 1963 and was inactivated in September 1964.
  In 1985 the 497th Bombardment Group and the 497th Air Refueling Wing were consolidated into a single unit. The unit was converted to provisional status and assigned to Pacific Air Forces which activated it to control exercises at Paya Lebar Airfield, Singapore various times between 2000 and 2006.
context_section_description: The 497th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Pacific Air Forces to activate or inactivate as needed.
  The unit was first activated in the United States Army Air Forces as the 497th Bombardment Group  which was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 497th engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan and earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat actions. Its aircraft were identified by a "A" and a square painted on the tail.
  The unit was again active as the 497th Air Refueling Wing, which was an element of Strategic Air Command.  It absorbed the personnel equipment, and mission of the 4108th Air Refueling Wing at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York in January 1963 and was inactivated in September 1964.
  In 1985 the 497th Bombardment Group and the 497th Air Refueling Wing were consolidated into a single unit.  The unit was converted to provisional status and assigned to Pacific Air Forces which activated it to control exercises at Paya Lebar Airfield, Singapore various times between 2000 and 2006.
caption: B-29 Superfortress 42-63526 of the 497th Bombardment Group near Rangoon, Burma
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