Lineage. Constituted as 393 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 28 Feb 1944. Activated on 11 Mar 1944. Redesignated as: 393 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 2 Jul 1948; 393 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 2 Apr 1966; 393 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 1 Dec 1969. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1990. Redesignated as 393 Bomb Squadron on 12 Mar 1993. Activated on 27 Aug 1993.
Assignments. 504 Bombardment Group, 11 Mar 1944; Second Air Force, 25 Nov 1944; 509 Composite (later, 509 Bombardment) Group, 17 Dec 1944 (attached to 509 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1947–14 Sep 1948 and 1 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952); 509 Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952–30 Sep 1990 (probably attached to Twentieth Air Force, 18 Jun–c. 18 Sep 1953). 509 Operations Group, 27 Aug 1993–.
Stations. Dalhart AAFld, TX, 11 Mar 1944; Fairmont AAFld, NE, 12 Mar 1944; Wendover Field, UT, 14 Sep 1944–26 Apr 1945; North Field, Tinian, 30 May–17 Oct 1945; Roswell AAFld (later, Walker AFB), NM, 6 Nov 1945 (deployed at Kwajalein, 1 May–Jul 1946; Mildenhall RAF, England, 4 Jun–2 Sep 1952; Andersen AFB, Guam, 18 Jun–c. 18 Sep 1953 and 10 Jul–8 Oct 1954; RAF Upper Heyford, England, 26 Jan–30 Apr 1956); Pease AFB, NH, 1 Jul 1958–30 Sep 1990. Whiteman AFB, MO, 27 Aug 1993–.
Commanders. None, 11 Mar-27 Apr 1944; Lt Col Thomas J. Classen, 28 Apr 1944: Lt Col Paul W. Tibbets Jr., 8 Oct 1944; Lt Col Thomas J. Classen, 17 Dec 1944; Maj Charles W. Sweeney, 3 May 1945; Lt Col Virgil M. Cloyd, 1 Jul 1946; Maj Philip Y. Williams, by 1 Jun 1948; Lt Col Robert B. Irwin, by 3 Sep 1948; Maj Philip Y. Williams, c. 15 Oct 1948; Lt Col J. I. Hopkins, 3 Jan 1949; Maj Philip Y. Williams, 20 Jan 1949; Lt Col Jack D. Nole, by 3 May 1949; Maj Philip Y. Williams, 13 Jun 1949; Lt Col William S. Martensen, by 30 Jun 1949; Lt Col Wilbur B. Beezley, by 31 Oct 1951; Maj John O. McFalls Jr., 24 Feb 1952; Lt Col Wilbur B. Beezley, 3 Mar 1952; Col Howard E. Jackson, 1 Jul 1952; Lt Col John O. McFalls Jr., 9 Sep 1952; Lt Col Glen R. Hempleman, by 31 Oct 1952; Lt Col John O. McFalls Jr., by 31 Dec 1952; Lt Col Raymond F. Johnson, by 30 Sep 1953; Lt Col Frederic N. Millen, by 31 Dec 1953; Lt Col Glenn F. Stephens, by 31 Aug 1955; Lt Col Milton J. Jones, 1 Jul 1956; Lt Col Lindsey M. Silvester, by 22 Apr 1958; Maj Russell A. Downey, 18 Aug 1959; Lt Col Clyde L. Grow, 16 Dec 1960; Lt Col Robert E. Johnson, 25 Jul 1961; Lt Col Paul A. Wiles, 1 Aug 1963; Lt Col John F. Mauck, 30 Apr 1965; Lt Col John C. Mead Jr., 20 Mar 1966; Lt Col Charles W. McClean, 15 Sep 1966; Lt Col John D. Mash, 12 May 1968; Lt Col Miles G. Murphy, 15 May 1969; Lt Col Robert G. Voelker, 11 Dec 1972; Lt Col Robert Krieder, 1 Jun 1973; Lt Col Donald K. Nims, 1 Jul 1974; Lt Col John P. Hopper, 1 Apr 1976; Lt Col Charles J. Searock Jr., 11 Feb 1977; Lt Col Kenneth B. Keskinen, 15 Dec 1977; Lt Col Paul M. Matthews, 20 Jul 1979; Lt Col Charles R. Waterman, 26 Nov 1980; Lt Col Jerrod P. Allen, 18 Jan 1981; Lt Col Richard N. Goddard, 3 Sep 1982; Lt Col John W. Mentz, 21 Feb 1984; Lt Col David M. Jameson Jr., 19 Aug 1985; Lt Col Fay J. Pledger Jr., 25 Oct 1985; Lt Col Jerry A. Gossner, 3 Jun 1987; Lt Col Bernard B. Burklund Jr., 19 Aug 1988-3 Aug 1990; not manned, 3 Aug-30 Sep 1990. Lt Col Richard Y. Newton III, 27 Aug 1993; Lt Col Jonathan D. George, 2 Aug 1995; Lt Col Gregory A. Biscone, 5 Aug 1996; Lt Col Eric N. Single, 16 Jun 1998; Lt Col Eric E. Theisen, 23 Jun 2000; Lt Col Gavin L. Ketchen, 10 Jun 2002; Lt Col Steven L. Basham, 2 Jun 2004; Lt Col Paul W. Tibbets IV, 13 Apr 2006; Lt Col John M. Vitacca, 3 Oct 2007-Jul 2009; Lt Col Samuel White III, Jul 2009; Lt Col Alan B. Sanders, 4 Apr 2011-.
Aircraft. B–17, 1944; B–29, 1944–1952; B–50, 1949–1955; B–47, 1955–1965; B–52, 1966–1969; FB–111, 1970–1990. B-2, 1993-.
Operations. Combat in Western Pacific, 1 Jul–14 Aug 1945. Only squadron trained for atomic warfare in World War II; dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on 6 Aug 1945, and the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, on 9 Aug 1945. Participated in atomic bomb tests on Bikini Atoll, Jul 1946, while deployed on Kwajalein. Rotated aircraft and crews to Andersen AFB, Guam, in support of Southeast Asia Operations, 1966–1969. Not operational, Nov 1969–Jun 1971. First operational B-2 squadron in USAF; received B-2 nicknamed “Spirit of Missouri” on 17 Dec 1993. Squadron took the aircraft into its first combat mission when two of the B-2s attacked targets in support of Operation Allied Force in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. After terrorist attacks on the US on 11 Sep 2001, participated in Operation Enduring Freedom by flying a world record 44 hour sortie. Mar 2003, first combat deployment of B-2s at start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rotated to Andersen AFB, Guam as part of Asia-Pacific bomber presence, 2005-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater; Global War on Terrorism (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific. Kosovo: Air Campaign.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jul-14 Aug 1945. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 2005-31 May 2007; 1 Jun 2007-31 May 2008; 1 Jun 2008-31 May 2009; 1 Jun 2009-31 May 2010; l Jun 2010-31 May 2011; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2013. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Apr–1 Oct 1968; 1 Jul 1977–30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1981–30 Jun 1982; 1 Jul 1982–30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1988–30 Jun 1990; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2015; 1 Jan 2018-31 Dec 2019. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 5 Mar–14 Oct 1969.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 20 Jan 2021.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Apr 2011.
Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Sep 2018.
Emblem. Approved on 15 Jul 1957; latest rendition approved on 12 Jul 2007.
Prepared by Margaret Ream.