Lineage. Constituted 77 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated 77 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 9 Oct 1944. Inactivated on 5 Nov 1945. Redesignated 77 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 15 Jul 1946. Activated on 4 Aug 1946. Redesignated: 77 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948; 77 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 16 May 1949; 77 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic on 1 Apr 1950; 77 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy on 16 Jul 1950; 77 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 Oct 1955; 77 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1995. Activated on 1 Apr 1997. Inactivated on 19 Sep 2002. Redesignated 77 Weapons Squadron on 24 Jan 2003. Activated on 3 Feb 2003-.
Assignments. 42 Bombardment Group, 15 Jan 1941; 28 Composite (later, 28 Bombardment) Group, 2 Jan 1942; Eleventh Air Force, 20 Oct-5 Nov 1945. 28 Bombardment (later, 28 Strategic Reconnaissance) Group, 4 Aug 1946 (attached to 28 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952); 28 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 28 Bombardment) Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 28 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-31 Mar 1995. 28 Operations Group, 1 Apr 1997-19 Sep 2002. USAF Weapons School, 3 Feb 2003-.
Stations. Salt Lake City, UT, 15 Jan 1941; Boise, ID, 4 Jun-14 Dec 1941; Elmendorf Field, AK, 29 Dec 1941 (air echelon operated from Umnak beginning 30 May 1942); Adak, 3 Oct 1942 (air echelon operated from Adak beginning 12 Dec 1942, from Amchitka beginning 9 Mar 1943, and from Attu beginning 10 Jul 1943); Amchitka, 11 Sep 1943; Attu, AK, 11 Feb 1944-19 Oct 1945; Fort Lawton, WA, 29 Oct-5 Nov 1945. Grand Island AAFld, NE, 4 Aug-6 Oct 1946; Elmendorf Field, AK, 20 Oct 1946-24 Apr 1947; Rapid City AAFld (later, Rapid City AFB; Ellsworth AFB), SD, 17 Apr 1947 (air echelon), 3 May 1947 (ground echelon)-31 Mar 1995. Ellsworth AFB, SD, 1 Apr 1997-19 Sep 2002. Dyess AFB, TX, 3 Feb 2003-.
Commanders. 1st Lt Elbert O. Meals, 15 Jan 1941; Maj Harry Wilson, 23 Jan 1941; Major Robert O. Cork, 1 Aug 1941; Maj Elbert O. Meals, 27 Feb 1942; Maj John G. Pickard, 27 Oct 1942; Maj Richard D. Salter, 7 Mar 1943; Maj James L. Hudelson, 12 Sep 1943; Maj Robert S. Hamby, 23 Jan 1944; Capt Edward A. Fenker, 31 Jan-Sep 1945; unkn, Oct-5 Nov 1945. Maj Gordon F. Goyt, 4 Aug 1946; Lt Col Kenneth S. Steele, 16 Dec 1946; Maj Marshall Nelson, 1 Jan 1949; Lt Col Solomon Cutcher, 17 Jan 1949; Lt Col Albert F. Fahy Jr., 25 Jul 1950; Lt Col Richard Taylor, 1 Jul 1951; Lt Col Clare H. Royce, 24 Jun 1952; Lt Col Frank L. Amend, Jan 1953; Lt Col Darold K. Barker, May 1954; Lt Col Lewis R. Riley, Feb 1955; Lt Col Charles E. Kammer, Nov 1955; Lt Col Donald E. Stout, 1 Mar 1959; Lt Col James S. Connell, 16 Aug 1960; Lt Col John R. Henton Jr., 26 Jul 1961; Lt Col William F. Cochran, 1 Jul 1962; Lt Col James E. Ferguson, Jan 1963; Lt Col Howard R. Catlin, c. Nov 1966; Lt Col Richard C. Blackburn, 15 Nov 1969; Lt Col Paul F. Marsh, 15 Jul 1971; Lt Col Leland A. Schmoker, 8 Jun 1972; Lt Col Joseph B. Hunt, 19 Jul 1973; Lt Col Ronald R. Kadera, 22 Apr 1974; Lt Col William F. Mohr, 15 Aug 1975; Lt Col Robert F. Durkin, 13 Apr 1976; Lt Col Richard H. Brodeur, 1 Jul 1977; Lt Col Robert L. Murphy, 13 Nov 1978; Lt Col William O. McCabe, 17 Apr 1980; Lt Col Kenneth J. Hacker, 3 Mar 1981; Lt Col Dennis P. McGuirk, 13 Jan 1983; Lt Col Larry Saunders, c. Jul 1984; Lt Col Terrance W. Bott, 1 Oct 1985; Maj Christopher P. Moore, 22 May 1986; Lt Col Terrance W. Bott, 1 Oct 1986; Lt Col Paul T. Shorock, 1 Feb 1988; Lt Col Anthony C. Beat, 30 Oct 1989; Lt Col James F. Long, 27 Nov 1991; Lt Col Wendell L. Griffin, 16 Sep 1992; Lt Col John S. Chilstrom, 3 Sep 1993-31 Mar 1995. Lt Col Robert B. Bush, 1 Apr 1997; Lt Col Steven P. Dickman, 24 Apr 1999-unkn.
Aircraft. B-18, 1941, 1942-1943; PT-17, 1941; B-26, 1941-1943; B-25, 1942-1945. B-29, 1946-1950; B-36, 1949-1950; RB-29, 1950; RB-36, 1950-1957; B-52, 1957-1966, 1966-1968, 1968-1969, 1970-1986; B-1, 1987-1995. B-1, 1997-c. 2002.
Operations. Trained for combat, Jan 1941-Feb 1942. Flew patrols in Alaska, Feb-Jun 1942. Combat in Aleutians and northern Pacific, Jun 1942-Jul 1945. Trained for strategic bombardment missions, 1946-1950, 1955-1995, and 1997-c.2002. Flew strategic reconnaissance training missions, 1950-1954.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Aleutian Islands; Air Offensive, Japan; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Kurile Islands, 1 Apr 1944-[17 Jul] 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 19 Aug 1969-23 Mar 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Sep 1957-30 Jun 1958; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1966; 1 Jan-1 Mar 1968; 2 Mar-1 Jul 1968; 9 Jun-10 Jul 1972; 1 Jul 1976-30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978-30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1981-30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1988-30 Jun 1990; 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1993; 1 Jun-30 Nov 1994; [29] Mar-10 Jun 1999. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 19 Aug 1969-23 Mar 1970.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 14 May 2003.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 1999.
Emblem. Approved on 17 Mar 1997; latest rendition, 27 Mar 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared on 12 Jun 1998.
Prepared by A. Timothy Warnock.
Approved by Judy G. Endicott.