497th Air Expeditionary Group

497th Air Expeditionary Group
B-29 Superfortress 42-63526 of the 497th Bombardment Group near Rangoon, Burma
Active	1943–1946; 1962–1964; After 2000
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Provisional Unit
Role	Exercise Control
Motto(s)	Parati Stamus Latin We Stand Ready
Engagements	Pacific Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
497th Air Refueling Wing emblem (approved 7 February 1963)
Emblem used by the 497th Bombardment Group
Twentieth Air Force Tail Marking	Square A

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.

The unit was established in late 1943 as the 497th Bombardment Group at El Paso Army Air Base, Texas, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment group. The unit's original operational squadrons were the 869th,870th,871st, and 872d Bombardment Squadrons. It was also assigned four bombardment maintenance squadrons (one paired with each of its operational squadrons) and a photographic laboratory. The group's initial cadre was drawn from the 491st Bombardment Group.