Arthur F. Vincent
2nd LT Arthur F. Vincent
856 Bomb SQ
- 492 Bomb GP
June 6, 1921 - June 23, 1944
Arthur Frederick Vincent was born on June 6, 1921, in Trego County, Kansas, the son of Thomas E. Vincent and Clara Vincent. Raised in a modest Kansas community, Arthur would go on to live most of his life in Bucklin, Kansas. On March 12, 1941, he married Laurel Dunham in Medicine Lodge, beginning a short but devoted chapter as a husband. They had one child.
At the time of his 1942 draft registration, Arthur was living in Copeland, Gray County, Kansas, and working at a service station run by State Line Oil Company.
Arthur enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces on March 10, 1943, in Santa Ana, California. He trained as an aviation cadet and was assigned the rank of Second Lieutenant. He became a co-pilot in the 856th Bomb Squadron of the 492nd Bomb Group, flying B-24 heavy bombers during World War II.
Tragically, on June 23, 1944, just 17 days after his 23rd birthday, Arthur was killed in action during a mission over Belgium. His B-24H Liberator (#41-29470) took a direct hit from German anti-aircraft fire (flak) over Brussels. The right wing caught fire and was torn from the aircraft, causing it to break apart in mid-air. Only two members of the crew— the radio operator and the flight engineer—survived, having been thrown from the aircraft before it crashed near Watermael-Boitsfort, a suburb of Brussels.
Arthur was posthumously awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart for his service and sacrifice. His name appears in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Gray County, Kansas, officially recorded as Killed in Action.
Arthur’s remains rest in a U.S. military cemetery Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium
A BRIEF REVIEW OF The 492nd Bomb Group
The 856th Bombardment Squadron was an integral component of the 492nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), a unit of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Activated on October 1, 1943, at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, the 492nd Bomb Group comprised four squadrons: the 856th, 857th, 858th, and 859th. The group trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers and was deployed to England in April 1944, where it was assigned to the Eighth Air Force’s 2nd Bombardment Division.
Combat Operations and Heavy Losses
Stationed at RAF North Pickenham in Norfolk, England, the 492nd Bomb Group commenced combat operations on May 11, 1944. Their missions primarily targeted industrial sites in Germany, including oil refineries and transportation hubs. However, the group quickly earned the moniker “Hard Luck Outfit” due to the severe losses it sustained. Within just 89 days, the group flew 64 missions, losing 52 aircraft to enemy action and suffering 588 personnel killed or missing.
A particularly devastating mission occurred on June 20, 1944, when the 856th Bomb Squadron dispatched 12 B-24s to bomb the Politz oil refinery. Only one aircraft returned; the others were lost to enemy fighters and flak.
Transition to Special Operations: Operation Carpetbagger
Due to the unsustainable losses, the 492nd Bomb Group was withdrawn from conventional bombing missions in August 1944. The group was then redesignated to take over the special operations mission of the 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional) at RAF Harrington. This mission, known as Operation Carpetbagger, involved clandestine nighttime operations to deliver supplies, agents, and propaganda to resistance forces in occupied Europe.
The 856th Bomb Squadron played a significant role in these operations, utilizing modified B-24s and C-47s equipped for stealth and low-altitude drops. These missions were critical in supporting resistance movements in France, the Netherlands, and other occupied territories. The squadron’s efforts were recognized with a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations conducted in March and April 1945.
Post-War Activities and Legacy
Following the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, the 492nd Bomb Group returned to the United States in July 1945 and was inactivated in October of the same year. The group’s lineage was later revived, and it currently exists as the 492nd Special Operations Wing, reflecting its historical roots in unconventional warfare.