On a wall inside the church.

A wooden, oval board with a badge of the 490^th Bomb Group (H) Association on the top followed by a brief dedication message inscribed in English in white and incised lettering.

The U.S. Army 829th Engineer Battalion began construction of Eye Airbase, also known as Brome Airbase, in September 1942, with the 827th Battalion arriving that December to assist. The 859th Battalion arrived in May of the following year when the 829th Battalion left. The bulk of the work was done in the summer of 1943 with the 827th setting records in pouring concrete while the 859th made their mark in building construction. Additional work was performed by British contractors.

The airfield was declared operational and turned over to the U.S. Army Air Forces on 7 December 1943, two years after the attack on Pearl Harbor. On 1 April 1944, the entire airfield was complete and occupied by the 8th Air Force, which designated it AAF Station 134. 

The airfield was opened on 1 May 1944 and was used by the 490th Bombardment Group (Heavy). The 490th arrived from Mountain Home AAF Idaho and was assigned to the 93d Combat Bombardment Wing. The group flew Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. The 490th returned to the US to Drew Field, Florida on 3 September 1945, then was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Eye were:

• 477th Sub-Depot
• 18th Weather Squadron
• 329th Station Complement Squadron
• 1240th Quartermaster Company
• 1276th Military Police Company
• 1448th Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company
• 814th Chemical Company
• 2116th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon

RAF Eye was one of the last wartime airfields to be built in the area and some of the equipment used in its construction remained for many years after the war. However, the airfield was gradually run down and was finally sold by the Air Ministry during 1962–63.

A memorial dedicated to those who served with the 490th Bombardment Group during World War II was unveiled on 29 May 2016. Our page to the memorial is here: https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/site_details.php?SiteID=1702&keyword=Brome

Source of information: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, en.wikipedia.org

Source of photo: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register

In memory of those from the

American Army Air Force

who gave their lives while

serving at the Brome Air Base

1942-1945

"Under the shadow of the Almighty"

Psalm 91