 Lt. Liebfeld was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for heroic action on that mission.In mid August 1944, the 491st moved to the airfield at North Pickenham where it took over the base from the 'Hard Luck' 492nd BG which had lost almost 60 B-24s in only three months of combat and had to be disbanded.From this time on, Mercado flew as part of a lead crew (Shoemate crew) in the 853rd Bomb Squadron.