491st Fighter-Bomber Squadron

The 491st Fighter-Bomber Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 84th Fighter Group at Harding Field, Louisiana, where it was inactivated on 1 April 1944.

History
The squadron was first activated at Hunter Field, Georgia in February 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 84th Bombardment Group. The squadron was briefly equipped with the Vultee V-72 Vengeance, but after experimenting with that unsuccessful aircraft, re-equipped with the Douglas A-24 Banshee The squadron acted as an operational and replacement training unit from late 1942 until disbanding in 1944.

Lineage

 * Constituted as the 304th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 13 January 1942
 * Activated on 10 February 1942
 * Redesignated 491st Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943
 * Disbanded on 1 April 1944

Assignments

 * 84th Bombardment Group (later 84th Fighter-Bomber Group), 10 February 1942 – 1 April 1944

Stations

 * Hunter Field, Georgia, 10 February 1942
 * Drew Field, Florida, 8 February 1943
 * Harding Field, Louisiana, 4 October 1943 – 1 April 1944

Aircraft

 * Vultee V-72 Vengeance, 1942
 * Douglas A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943
 * Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1943
 * Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944.