468th Bombardment Group

468th Bombardment Group
468th Bombardment Group Insignia
Active	1943–1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Role	Bombardment
Part of	Twentieth Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II
Engagements	World War II Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1944–1945)

The 468th Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946. The unit served primarily in the Pacific Ocean theater and China Burma India Theater of World War II as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 468th Bomb Group's aircraft engaged in very heavy bombardment B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan. After its reassignment to the Mariana Islands in 1945, its aircraft were identified by a "I" and a triangle painted on the tail.

The unit was established in May 1943 at Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment Group. The 468th was one of the four initial operational groups of the 58th Bombardment Wing, the first operational B-29 wing programmed for overseas deployment into combat. When established, the group was assigned four bomb squadrons (792d, 793d, 794th and 795th), all being newly constituted.

Initially assigned a mixture of eight B-26 Marauders, twelve B-17 Flying Fortresses and four YB-29 preproduction Superfortresses, for training. Initial production B-29 aircraft received were in a constant state of being operationally ready or in a maintenance status for modification by Boeing technicians. Crews began to arrive in November 1943, but very few bombers were ready to receive them. At that time, there was only one Superfortress for every twelve crews, and most crews had to train on the Martin B-26 Marauders or Boeing B-17 Fortresses. The program was seriously hampered by the need to work in the open air in inclement weather, by delays in acquiring the necessary tools and support equipment, and by the USAAF's general lack of experience with the B-29.