498th Bombardment Squadron (498th BS) "Falcons"
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG)

Background
On September 3, 1942 constituted as the 498th Bombardment Squadron (Medium). Nicknamed "Falcons". On September 8, 1942 activated in the 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) equipped with B-25 Mitchells at Columbia Army Airfield. On March 6, 1943 moves to Walterboro Army Airfield then departs overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
On June 5, 1943 the entire 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) "Air Apaches" with B-25 Mitchells arrives at Port Moresby in New Guinea.

On November 27, 1943 the squadron conducts a on a low level strike against Boram Airfield near Wewak. Ditched is B-25D "Impatient Virgin" 41-30046 pilot Captain William L. "Kizzy" Kizzire ditched in Murik Lagoon with three POWs and the entire crew MIA.

B-25D "Crabb 2nd" 41-30517  pilot True crashed December 26, 1943

B-25D "Gremlin's Holiday" 41-30041  pilot Cavin ditched February 15, 1944

B-25D "Buzzin' Buzzard" 41-30632  pilot Adelman crashed March 10, 1944

B-25D "Hitt and Miss" 41-30040 pilot Foley crashed March 29, 1944, 7 missing

B-25H 43-4347  pilot Stapelton force landed April 24, 1944

B-25D "Red Wrath / Pannell Job" 41-30024 pilot Pannell crashed June 11, 1944

On August 1, 1944 lost is B-25D "Fitch's Bitch" 41-30372  pilot Myers (MIA) on a low level bombing and strafing mission against Ceram (Seram). Lost is B-25H Mitchell 43-4332  pilot 2nd Lt. John Miller (MIA) armed reconnaissance for enemy shipping.

B-25G 42-64856  crashed September 10, 1944

B-25J 44-31300  pilot Neal crashed August 7, 1945 crew executed, cremated remains recovered, all still MIA

Postwar
On December 19, 1945 inactivated. On March 22, 1954 redesignated the 498th Bombardment Squadron (Tactical) operating the B-26 Invader and later the B-57 Canberra. On July 19, 1954 reactivated. On June 25, 1959 inactivated.

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) page 600 (498th BS) [PDF pages 612]
Warpath Across The Pacific (1996) definitive unit history of the 345th BG, 498th BS