Misplaced Pages

20th Bomb Squadron
A 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-52 Stratofortress releases flares over the Indian Ocean following a mission in 2020.
Active	1917–1946; 1947–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Bomber
Part of	Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQ	Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
Nickname(s)	Buccaneers
Engagements	World War I World War II – Antisubmarine World War II – EAME Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
20th Bomb Squadron emblem (updated 2019)
20th Bomb Squadron emblem (modified c. 1995)
20th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 12 June 1924)
20th Aero Squadron emblem (approved by AEF 18 November 1918)
Tail Code	LA
Aircraft flown
Bomber	Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

The 20th Bomb Squadron is a unit of the 2d Operations Group of the United States Air Force located at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The 20th is equipped with the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress.

Formed in May 1917 as the 20th Aero Squadron, the squadron saw combat in France on the World War I Western Front. It took part in the St. Mihiel offensive and Meuse-Argonne offensive.

After the war, it served with the Army Air Service and Army Air Corps as the 20th Bombardment Squadron During the 1920s and 1930s, the squadron was involved in field service testing of new bomber aircraft, notably the Y1B-17 Flying Fortress.

During World War II the squadron fought in the North African and Italian Campaigns. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions during a raid on Steyr, Austria.

It was a part of Strategic Air Command during the Cold War. As a medium bomber squadron it deployed to stand alert at forward bases in "Reflex" operations. After equipping with Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses stood nuclear alert, but during the Viet Nam War the squadron deployed frequently to perform Operation Arc Light bombing missions. Since 1993, the 20th Bomb Squadron has flown the B-52H Stratofortress long-range strategic bomber, which can perform a variety of missions. Today the squadron is engaged in the Global War on Terrorism.

History

World War I

The squadron was first organized as the 20th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas on 17 May 1917. On 29 July 1917, under command of Captain W.W. Wynne, the squadron moved to Wilbur Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, where it received its first training in the handling of Curtiss JN-4 and Standard J-1 aircraft. It deployed to France where it was assigned to the 1st Day Bombardment Group. Assigned British de Havilland DH-4 aircraft with American Liberty engines, and was engaged in combat during the St. Mihiel offensive and Meuse-Argonne offensive during 1918. After the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron returned to the United States and arrived at Mitchel Field, New York on 2 May 1919. There most of the men were discharged from Army service and returned to civilian life.

Inter-War period

After the squadron returned to the United States it re-formed with new personnel at Ellington Field, Houston Texas in June 1919. The 20th equipped with some de Havilland DH-4 bombers and moved to Kelly Field. it was assigned to the new 1st Day Bombardment (later, 2d Bombardment) Group. After the establishment of the permanent United States Army Air Service in 1921, it was redesignated as the 20th Squadron (Bombardment). During this period, the unit also operated some Martin NBS-1s and British Handley Page 0/400s.

In May 1920 the squadron was temporarily assigned to Langley Field, Virginia and became part of the First Provisional Air Brigade under Brigadier General Billy Mitchell. It trained with Handley Page O/400 and Martin MB-2 bombers. Its mission would be to attack captured German ships along the Atlantic coast off Virginia in a service demonstration to determine whether a battleship could be sunk by bombing. The targets were an aged and surplus US battleship and four former German Navy vessels, including the battleship SMS Ostfriesland, obtained in the peace settlement after World War I and scheduled for scuttling.

After the completion of the demonstration, the squadron moved permanently to Langley on 30 June 1922. During the 1920s and 1930s the squadron was used for service testing of new bombardment aircraft as they were developed and improved, primarily Keystone Aircraft light biplane bombers in the 1920s. These planes became the backbone of the Army Air Corps bomber fleet in the latter part of the decade. In 1932 the squadron received and began service testing the Boeing Y1B-9, the first American all-metal monoplane bomber aircraft design. The high speed of the Y1B-9A indicated that open cockpits were now impractical, and that enclosed cockpits would be needed in the future. The Boeing B-9 made obsolete the Keystone Biplane bombers then in service. The Martin B-10 replaced the B-9 in 1936, but the squadron operated the B-10 for only a brief time.

In 1937 the squadron received the new Boeing Y1B-17 four-engine heavy bomber. Twelve Y1B-17s were delivered to the 2d Bombardment Group for evaluation. At this time, the dozen Y1B-17s comprised the entire heavy bombardment strength of the United States. The 20th spent its time working out the defects in the prototype aircraft, working with Boeing engineers to make corrections for the final production model B-17B. One recommendation was the use of a checklist that the pilot and copilot would use together before takeoff, hopefully preventing accidents such as the one which resulted in the loss of the original Boeing Model 299.

Six planes of the squadron took part in a good will flight from Langley to Buenos Aires, Argentina, taking off from Langley on 15 February 1938 and returning on 27 February. They covered a total of 12,000 miles without serious incident. In May 1938, planes of the squadron took part in a demonstration in which they "intercepted" the Italian ocean liner SS Rex while it was still 700 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean. This demonstration of the Y1B-17's range and navigational capabilities, but also showed how useful the plane could be in attacking an enemy invasion force before it came close enough to American shores to do any damage. The Navy was not amused by this particular demonstration, and was furious about what it perceived to be Army intrusion into the Navy's mission. Shortly thereafter, the War Department restricted the activities of the Army Air Corps to a 100-mile range of the US shoreline. The Y1B-17s flew for three years without a serious accident, and were transferred to the 19th Bombardment Group at March Field in October 1940. The squadron received new production Boeing B-17D Fortresses to replace them.

World War II

After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron served on antisubmarine duty along the mid-Atlantic coastline as part of I Bomber Command for several months until it was reorganized as AAF Antisubmarine Command.

The squadron re-equipped with more modern B-17F Flying Fortresses and moved to Ephrata Army Air Field, Washington for transition and combat training in late 1942 and early 1943. It moved to North Africa in April 1943, carrying out bombing missions in Algeria and Tunisia as part of Twelfth Air Force during the North African Campaign. The unit flew many support and air interdiction missions, bombing such targets as marshalling yards, airfields, troop concentrations, bridges, docks, and shipping. The 20th participated in the defeat of Axis forces in Tunisia during April and May 1943; the reduction of Pantelleria and the preparations for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, in May through July 1943; and Operation Avalanche, the invasion of Italy in September.

The squadron was transferred to Fifteenth Air Force control in December 1943 and engaged in bombing operations primarily in Italy in support of the Allied drive north toward Rome from January to June 1944. It also supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in August 1944 and the campaigns against German forces in northern Italy from June 1944 until the end of the war. The unit engaged primarily in long-range bombardment of strategic targets after October 1943, attacking oil refineries, aircraft factories, steel plants, and other objectives in Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, and Greece.

En route to bomb a vital aircraft factory at Steyr, Austria during Big Week on 24 February 1944, the group was greatly outnumbered by enemy interceptors, but it maintained its formation and bombed the target, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for the performance. On the following day, while on a mission to attack aircraft factories at Regensburg, it met similar opposition equally well and was awarded a second DUC. The 20th served as part of the occupation force in Italy after V-E Day and was inactivated in Italy on 28 February 1946.

Strategic Air Command

The squadron was reactivated as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber squadron under Strategic Air Command in 1947 and assigned to Chatham Air Force Base near Savannah, Georgia, until Hunter Air Force Base was ready to accept the 2d Bombardment Wing. it flew B-29 and later Boeing B-50 Superfortresses during the early postwar era. The 20th participated in electronic countermeasures testing and evaluation from May 1950 until May 1952. Equipped with B-47 Stratojet medium bombers in 1954, flying training missions and standing nuclear alert until the phaseout of the B-47 in 1963.

The squadron moved to Barksdale Air Force Base, where it began to re-equip with the Boeing B-52F Stratofortress in 1963. The squadron was moved to Carswell Air Force Base on 25 June 1965, joining the 9th Bombardment Squadron as the second B-52F squadron at Carswell. During the Vietnam War, the squadron would switch rotations to Andersen AFB, Guam for Operation Arc Light missions over Southeast Asia with the 9th, while the other squadron remained on nuclear alert at Carswell.

The unit continued Arc Light deployments, switching to the B-52D in 1969 until March 1970 when the draw down of the Vietnam War ended forward deployments to Andersen. The squadron continued nuclear alert with the B-52D until 1983, when it re-equipped with B-52Hs, acquiring the aircraft of the 46th Bombardment Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. During the 1980s it conducted B-52 training missions over bombing range sites and supported the wing mission of aerial bombardment.

Current era

The squadron returned to Barksdale in 1992 with the closure of Carswell and became part of the new Air Combat Command. It continued training for global conventional bombardment missions and maintained nuclear operational readiness.

After the September 11 attacks the 20th deployed to the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and on 7 October 2001 flew attacks on targets in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. In February 2003 it deployed to Guam to deter North Korean aggression.

On 21 July 2008, a squadron B-52 aircraft crashed near Guam during a training mission in support of Guam's Liberation Day festivities. All six crewmembers, three of whom were from the 20th, perished.

Lineage

• Organized as the 20th Aero Squadron on 17 May 1917

Redesignated 20th Aero Squadron (Day Bombardment) c. September 1917

Redesignated 20th Squadron (Bombardment) on 14 March 1921

Redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron on 25 January 1923

Redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 26 March 1943

Inactivated on 28 February 1946

• Redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 5 April 1946

Activated on 1 July 1947

Redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948

Redesignated 20th Bombardment Squadron,, Heavy on 1 April 1963

Redesignated 20th Bomb Squadron on 1 September 1991

Assignments

• Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 26 June 1917
• Post Headquarters, Wilbur Wright Field, 29 July 1917
• Aviation Concentration Center, 1 November 1917 – 17 December 1917
• Headquarters, Chief of Air Service, American Expedetionary Force, 31 December 1917 – 23 August 1918 (attached to Royal Flying Corps for training, 7 January 1918 – 20 August 1918)
• Replacement Concentration Center, American Expeditionary Force, 23 August 1918 – 26 August 1918
• 1st Day Bombardment Group, 10 September 1918
• 1st Air Depot, AEF, 17 January 1919
• Unknown, 19 January 1919 – 18 September 1919
• 1st Day Bombardment Group (later 2d Bombardment Group), 18 September 1919 – 28 February 1946
• 2d Bombardment Group, 1 July 1947 (attached to 3d Air Division 6 August 1948 – 16 November 1948, 2d Bombardment Wing after 10 February 1951)
• 2d Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952
• 7th Bombardment Wing, 25 June 1965
• 7th Operations Group, 1 September 1991
• 2d Operations Group, 18 December 1992 – present

Stations

World War I

• Camp Kelly, Texas, 26 June 1917
• Wilbur Wright Field, Ohio, 29 July 1917
• Aviation Concentration Center, Garden City, New York, 1 November 1917 – 17 December 1917
• Glasgow, Scotland, 31 December 1918
• Winchester, England
• Romsey RC, Winchester, England, 2 January 1918 – 4 January 1918
• Stamford, England, 7 January 1918

Detachment assigned to Narborough, England, 7 January 1918 – 15 August 1918

• Southampton, England, 20 August 1918
• Le Havre, France, 22 August 1918
• St. Maixent Replacement Barracks, 23 August 1918
• Delouze Aerodrome, France, 26 August 1918
• Amanty Airdrome, France, 7 September 1918
• Maulan Aerodrome, France, 23 September 1918
• Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, France, 17 January 1919
• Guitres, France, 19 January 1919
• Saint-Denis-de-Pile, France 14 February 1919
• Libourne, France, 27 February 1919 – 20 April 1919

Inter-War period

• Mitchel Field, New York, 2 May 1919
• Ellington Field, Texas, June 1919
• Kelly Field, Texas, 24 September 1919
• Langley Field, Virginia, 30 June 1922

Operated from Mitchel Field, New York, 8 December 1941 – 24 January 1942

World War II

• Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 29 October 1942
• Great Falls Army Air Base, Montana, 28 November 1942 – 13 March 1943
• Navarin Airfield, Algeria, 25 April 1943
• Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield, Algeria, 27 April 1943
• Ain M'lila Airfield, Algeria, 17 June 1943
• Massicault Airfield, Tunisia, 31 July 1943
• Amendola Airfield, Italy, 8 December 1943
• Foggia Airfield, Italy, 10 October 1945 – 28 February 1946

United States Air Force

• Andrews Field, Maryland, 1 July 1947
• Davis-Monthan Field (later Davis-Monthan Air Force Base), Arizona, 24 September 1947

Deployed at RAF Lakenheath, England, 6 August 1948 – 16 November 1948

• Chatham Air Force Base, Georgia, 1 May 1949
• Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, 29 September 1950

Deployed at RAF Wyton, England, 4 May 1951 – 7 September 1951

Deployed at RAF Upper Heyford, England, 6 September 1952 – 3 December 1952

Deployed at: Sidi Slimane Air Base, French Morocco, 5 August 1954 – 30 September 1954; 3 November 1955 – 7 November 1955; 8 March 1956 – 18 March 1956 and 6 July 1956 – 26 August 1956

Deployed at RAF Lakenheath, England; 10 March 1958 – 18 March 1958

• Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana 1 April 1963
• Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 25 June 1965 – 1992
• Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 17 December 1992 – present

Aircraft

World War I

• Curtiss JN-4, 1917
• Standard J-1, 1917
• de Havilland DH-4, 1918

Inter-War period

• de Havilland DH-4, 1919–c. 1927
• Martin MB-2/NBS-1, 1921–1927
• Handley Page 0/400, 1921–Unknown
• Huff-Daland XLB-1, 1927 (service test)
• Keystone XLB-5, 1927 (service test)
• Keystone LB-5, 1927–1929
• Keystone LB-6, 1929–Unknown
• Keystone LB-7, 1929–Unknown
• Keystone B-3, 1931–Unknown
• Keystone B-5, 1931
• Keystone B-6, 1932–1935
• Boeing Y1B-9, 1932–1936
• Curtiss B-2 Condor, 1935–Unknown
• Martin YB-10, 1936–1937
• Martin B-10, 1936–Unknown
• Martin YB-12, 1936–1937
• Boeing YB-17 Fortress, 1937–1941 (service test)
• Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1938–1942
• North American BC-1, 1938–Unknown
• Douglas B-23 Dragon, c. 1939
• Northrop A-17, c. 1939–1940
• Douglas A-20 Havoc, c. 1940–Unknown

World War II

• Lockheed B-34 Lexington, c. 1941–unknown
• North American B-25 Mitchell, 1941–1942
• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1937–1945

United States Air Force

• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1947–1950
• Boeing B-50 Superfortress, 1949–1953
• Boeing B-47E Stratojet, 1954–1963
• Boeing B-52F Stratofortress, 1963–1969
• Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, 1969–1983
• Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 1983–Present

See also

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
• List of American aero squadrons
• List of B-29 Superfortress operators
• List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
• List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force

References

Notes

1. ^ Robertson, Patsy (16 March 2015). "Factsheet 20 Bomb Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
2. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 105–107
3. "World War I Aero Squadrons". Cross and Cockade Journal. 5 (2). Society of World War I Aero Historians: 145. 1964.
4. Barth
5. Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces
6. ^ Gorrell
7. ^ No byline. "Fact Sheet: 2nd Bomb Wing History". 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
8. Correll, John T. (2008). "Billy Mitchell and the Battleships". Air Force Magazine. 91 (6). Air Force Association. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
9. Baugher, Joseph F. (10 September 2002). "Boeing B-9". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
10. ^ Baugher, Joseph F. (25 July 1999). "Boeing Y1B-17". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
11. Baugher, Joseph F. (25 February 2002). "Service of Boeing B-52F Stratofortress". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
12. ^ Lineage, including assignments and stations, in Robertson, except as noted.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Gorrell, Col. Edgar S. (1974). History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919. Series E: Squadron Histories. Vol. 4, History of the 16th, 17th, and 19th–21st Aero Squadrons. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. OCLC 215070705.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• War Department (1920). Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy, 1917–1919. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. OCLC 118250. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
• Barth, Clarance G.. (1920). History of the History of the Twentieth Aero Squadron: The "Mad Bolshevik" Squadron of the First Day Bombardment Group. Nashville, TN: The Battery Press. p. 1.

v t e United States Air Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Air Staff Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Director of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Four-star generals Three-star generals 1940–1959 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Airland Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major commands ACC AETC AFGSC AFMC AFRC AFSOC AMC PACAF USAFE–AFAFRICA Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Expeditionary Fifteenth Sixteenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security Forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Personnel Rank officers cadets enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Security Forces Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: Air Force Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Aircraft Uniforms
History and traditions	History Aeronautical Division / Aviation Section / Division of Military Aeronautics / Army Air Service / Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Women Airforce Service Pilots Air Force One / Air Force Two Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Air & Space Forces Association
Category

v t e Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)
Bases	Barksdale Dyess Ellsworth F. E. Warren Kirtland Malmstrom Minot Whiteman
Units	Air Forces Eighth (Strategic) Twentieth (Strategic) Wings Air Base 377th Bomb 2d 5th 7th 28th 509th Missile 90th 91st 341st Nuclear Systems 498th Groups Helicopter 582d Operations 2d 5th 7th 28th 90th 91st 341st 509th Squadrons Bomb 9th 11th 13th 20th 23rd 28th 34th 37th 69th 93rd 96th 343d 393rd Combat Training 394th Flight test 576th Missile 10th 12th 319th 320th 321st 490th 740th 741st 742d Helicopter 37th 40th 54th Strategic Operations 625th Training 436th
Weapon systems	Bombers B-1B Lancer B-2 Spirit B-52H Stratofortress Command E-6B Mercury Helicopters UH-1N Iroquois Missiles LGM-30G Minuteman III
Leadership	Kowalski Klotz Wilson Rand Ray Cotton Bussiere

v t e Air Combat Command (ACC)
Air Forces	First (Northern) Ninth (Central) Twelfth (Southern) Fifteenth Sixteenth (Cyber)
Centers	601st Air Operations 609th Air Operations 612th Air Operations 616th Operations Air Force Technical Applications Cyberspace Capabilities United States Air Force Warfare
Bases	Beale Creech Davis–Monthan Grand Forks Langley–Eustis (Langley) Moody Mountain Home Nellis Offutt Seymour Johnson Shaw Tonopah Tyndall
Wings	Composite 23rd 53rd 55th 57th 355th 432nd Fighter 1st 4th 20th 325th 366th 388th Cyberspace 67th 688th Other 9th Reconnaissance 70th ISR 93rd Air Ground Operations 99th Air Base 319th Reconnaissance 363rd ISR 461st Air Control 480th ISR 505th Command and Control 552nd Air Control 557th Weather 633rd Air Base

v t e Strategic Air Command (SAC)
Bases	active (MAJCOM) CONUS Altus (AETC) Andersen (PACAF) Andrews (AMC) Barksdale (ACC) Beale (ACC) Bolling (AFDW) Cannon (AFSOC) Cape Cod (USSF) Columbus (AETC) Davis-Monthan (ACC) Dyess (ACC) Eielson (PACAF) Ellsworth (ACC) Eglin (AFMC) F. E. Warren (AFGSC) Fairchild (AMC) Forbes (ANG) Grand Forks (AMC) Grissom (AFRC) Homestead (AFRC) Lincoln (ANG) Little Rock (AETC) MacDill (AMC) Malmstrom (AFGSC) March (AFRC) McChord (AMC) McConnell (AMC) McGuire (AMC) Minot (ACC) Mountain Home (ACC) Nellis (ACC) Offutt (ACC) Patrick (USSF) Pease (ANG) Rickenbacker (ANG) Robins (AFMC) Seymour Johnson (ACC) Sheppard (AETC) Selfridge (ANG) Travis (AMC) Vandenberg (USSF) Westover (AFRC) Whiteman (ACC) Wright-Patterson (AFMC) overseas RAF Alconbury (USAFE) Diego Garcia (USN) Kadena (PACAF) RAF Fairford (USAFE) RAF Lakenheath (USAFE) RAF Mildenhall (USAFE) Thule (USSF) former / inactive CONUS Amarillo Bergstrom Biggs Calumet Air Force Station Carswell Castle Chennault Clinton-Sherman Dow Eaker Glasgow Grand Island (AAF) Griffiss Hunter K. I. Sawyer Kearney Kincheloe Larson Loring Lowry Mather McCoy Plattsburgh Presque Isle Ramey R.I. Bong (unbuilt) Schilling Stead Turner Walker Wurtsmith overseas Strategic Air Command in the United Kingdom RAF Bassingbourn Ben Guerir Boulhaut RAF Brize Norton RAF Bruntingthorpe RAF Burtonwood RAF Chelveston RAF Greenham Common Goose Ernest Harmon RAF High Wycombe RAF Upper Heyford Torrejón RAF Manston Morón Nouasseur Rabat-Salé RAF Scampton RAF Sculthorpe Sidi Slimane RAF South Ruislip U-Tapao RAF Waddington RAF Woodbridge RAF Wyton Zaragoza
Units	Air Forces Second Air Force Eighth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force Sixteenth Air Force Twentieth Air Force Divisions Air 3d 4th 5th 6th 7th 12th 14th 17th 19th 21st 36th 40th 42d 45th 47th 57th 100th 311th 801st 802d 806th 817th 822d 823d 4310th Strategic aerospace 1st 18th 22d 810th 813th 816th 818th 819th 820th 821st 825th Strategic missile 13th Wings Bombardment 2d 5th 7th 9th 17th 19th 22d 28th 39th 40th 42d 43d 68th 70th 72d 92d 93d 96th 97th 99th 303d 319th 320th 340th 379th 380th 397th 410th 416th 449th 450th 454th 456th 461st 465th 484th 494th 509th Fighter 1st 4th 12th 27th 31st 33d 56th 71st Strategic Reconnaissance (Fighter) 82d 407th 506th 508th Missile 44th 90th 91st 308th 321st 341st 351st 381st 389th 390th 392d 451st 455th 702d 703d 704th 705th 706th 4320th Strategic Wing (Missile) Reconnaissance 6th Strategic Reconnaissance 26th Strategic Reconnaissance 55th Strategic Reconnaissance 544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Refueling 11th 100th 301st 305th 384th 452d 497th 499th 500th Strategic Aerospace 310th 385th 462d AFCON 95th 98th 306th 307th 376th MAJCOM 3918th 3920th 3960th 3970th 3973d 4026th 4038th 4039th 4042d 4043d 4047th 4080th 4081st 4082d 4083d 4123d 4126th 4128th 4130th 4133d 4134th 4135th 4136th 4137th 4138th 4141st 4157th 4158th 4170th 4228th 4238th 4239th 4241st 4245th 4252nd 4258th 4321st USAAF Groups *= initial assigned unit upon SAC's activation Bombardment 2d (7/47) 7th (10/46) 28th (8/46) 40th (3/46*) 43rd (10/46) 44th (3/46*) 92nd (10/46) 93d (3/46*) 97th (8/46) 98th (7/47) 301st (8/46) 307th (8/46) 444th (3/46*) 448th (3/46*) 449th (3/46*) 467th (3/46*) 485th (3/46*) 498th (3/46*) 509th Composite (3/46*) Fighter 27th (6/47) 55th (2/47) Reconnaissance 91st Strategic Reconnaissance (1/47)
Major weapon systems	Bombers Rockwell B-1 Lancer Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit Boeing B-29 Superfortress Convair B-36 Peacemaker North American B-45 Tornado Boeing B-47 Stratojet Boeing B-50 Superfortress Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Convair B-58 Hustler General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark Command & Control Lockheed DC-130 Boeing E-4 Boeing EC-135 Boeing RC-135 Fighters North American F-2 Mustang North American F-82 Twin Mustang Republic F-84F Thunderstreak North American F-86 Sabre Convair F-102 Delta Dagger General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark Missiles ADM-20 AGM-28 AGM-69 AGM-84 AGM-86 AGM-129 HGM-16 LGM-30A/B LGM-30F LGM-30G LGM-118A SM-62 PGM-17A PGM-19A Reconnaissance Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Lockheed TR-1 Lockheed U-2 Martin RB-57D Canberra Boeing RB-17 Boeing RB-29 Tankers Boeing KB-29 Superfortress Boeing KB-50 McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter Lockheed HC-130 Lockheed Martin KC-130 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Transport Beechcraft C-45 Douglas C-47 Skytrain Douglas C-54 Skymaster Fairchild C-82 Packet Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter Douglas C-118 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar Douglas C-124 Globemaster II Convair C-131 Samaritan Boeing C-135 Stratolifter
Commanders	George Kenney Curtis LeMay Power Ryan Joseph J. Nazzaro Bruce K. Holloway John C. Meyer Russell E. Dougherty Richard H. Ellis Bennie L. Davis Larry D. Welch John T. Chain, Jr, George Lee Butler
Emblems	Strategic Air Command Emblem Gallery
United States military aircraft designation systems

• Military units and formations in Louisiana
• Bombardment squadrons of the United States Air Force
• Keystone aircraft