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| 497th Bombardment Group | |
|---|---|
 869th Bomb Squadron B-29 42-24592 "Dauntless Dotty". Shown is Major Robert Morgan, pilot of the aircraft. On 24 November 1944, he led the first mission of the XXI Bomber Command to bomb Japan, 110 aircraft of the 73rd Bomb Wing to Tokyo, with wing commander Brig. Gen. Emmett O'Donnell, Jr. as co-pilot. His B-29 was nicknamed Dauntless Dotty, after his third wife, Dorothy Johnson Morgan | |
| Active | 1943–1946 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Combat Operations |
| Role | Bombardment |
| Motto(s) | PARATI STAMUS – 'We Stand Ready' |
| Engagements |  
|
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The 497th Bombardment Group was a group of the United States Army Air Forces. The unit was inactivated on 31 March 1946.
The unit was part of the United States Army Air Forces and Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 497th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan. Its aircraft were identified by a "A" and a square painted on the tail.
Its history and lineage are carried on by the present 497th Air Expeditionary Group.