Lineage. Established as 509 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, on 3 Nov 1947. Organized on 17 Nov 1947. Redesignated as: 509 Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 1 Aug 1948; 509 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 2 Apr 1966; 509 Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 1 Dec 1969; 509 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 30 Sep 1990; 509 Bomb Wing on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. Eighth Air Force, 17 Nov 1947 (attached to 3 Air Division, 1 Feb 1951– ); 47 Air Division, 10 Feb 1951 (remained attached to 3 Air Division to 4 May 1951; attached to 7 Air Division, 4 Jun–2 Sep 1952; 3 Air Division, 10 Jul–8 Oct 1954; 7 Air Division, 26 Jan–30 Apr 1956); 817 Air Division, 1 Jul 1958; 45 Air Division, 30 Jun 1971; Eighth Air Force, 29 Mar 1989; 100 Air Division, 30 Sep 1990; Eighth Air Force (later, Eighth Air Force [Air Forces Strategic]), 26 Jul 1991–.
Operational Components. Wing. 33 Fighter: attached 17 Nov 1947–15 Nov 1948. Groups. 33 Fighter: attached 17 Nov 1947–15 Nov 1948. 509 Bombardment (later, 509 Operations): 17 Nov 1947–16 Jun 1952; 15 Jul 1993–. Squadrons. 34 Air Refueling: 25 Jun 1966–31 Mar 1976. 393 Bombardment: attached 17 Nov 1947–14 Sep 1948; attached 1 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–30 Sep 1990 (detached 18 Jun–c. 18 Sep 1953). 509 Air Refueling: attached 19 Jul–14 Sep 1948; attached 1 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–5 Jan 1958 (detached 10 Jul–5 Nov 1954, 14 Jun– 5 Aug 1955, and 27 Feb–1 May 1957); assigned 8 Jul 1958–25 Jun 1965; assigned 2 Oct 1966–1 Jul 1990. 661 Bombardment: 1 Mar 1959–1 Jan 1962. 715 Bombardment: attached 17 Nov 1947–14 Sep 1948; attached 1 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–25 Jun 1966; assigned 1 Jan 1970–30 Sep 1990. 830 Bombardment: attached 17 Nov 1947–14 Sep 1948; attached 1 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–25 Jun 1966 (detached 15 Mar–19 Jun 1953). 900 Air Refueling: 2 Apr–25 Jun 1966.
Stations. Roswell AAFld (later, Walker AFB), NM, 17 Nov 1947; Pease AFB, NH, 1 Jul 1958; Whiteman AFB, MO, 30 Sep 1990–.
Commanders. Col William H. Blanchard, 17 Nov 1947; Col John D. Ryan, 1 Aug 1948; Brig Gen Clarence S. Irvine, 15 Sep 1948; Col James A. DeMarco, 3 Jan 1950; Brig Gen Hunter Harris Jr., 15 Jan 1950; Col Thomas S. Jeffrey Jr., 10 Jan 1951; Col John D. Ryan, 1 Feb 1951; Col Berton H. Burns, by 19 Jul 1951; Col William H. Blanchard, 21 Jul 1951; Col Berton H. Burns, c. 15 Jan 1952; Brig Gen William H. Blanchard, c. 7 Apr 1952; Col Wilson R. Wood, 11 Feb 1953; Col Howard E. Jackson, 22 Apr 1953; Col Harold E. Humfeld, c. 12 May 1953; Col Wilson R. Wood, c. 15 May 1953; Col Harold E. Humfeld, 30 Jul 1953; Col Wilson R. Wood, 23 Nov 1953; Col Clifford F. Macomber, 16 May 1955; Col Neil W. Wemple, c. 8 Jan 1957; Col Clifford F. Macomber, by 29 Jan 1957; Col Brooks A. Lawhon, 11 Feb 1959; Col Donald G. McPherson, 1 Jun 1960; Col Edward D. Edwards, 10 Mar 1962; Col James O. Frankosky, 21 Oct 1963; Col Joseph V. Adams Jr., 27 Jan 1966; Col James O. Frankosky, c. 2 Mar 1966; Col Madison M. McBrayer, 23 Jan 1967; Col Joseph V. Adams Jr., 28 Mar 1968; Col Robert E. Blauw, c. 1 Oct 1968; Col William R. Thorstenson, 19 Mar 1969; Col Robert E. Blauw, 20 Sep 1969; Col William R. Thorstenson, 18 Nov 1969; Col Winston E. Moore, 11 Dec 1969; Col John M. Parker, 22 Feb 1972; Col Alan L. Hichew, 14 Jun 1972; Col Isaac M. Glass, 26 Mar 1973; Col Paul W. Maul, 21 Aug 1973; Col Richard A. Burpee, 26 Feb 1974; Col Fredric E. Roth, 1 Apr 1975; Col Guy L. Hecker Jr., 3 May 1976; Col James M. Greer, 11 Jan 1978; Col Samuel H. Swart Jr., 4 May 1979; Col John A. Dramesi, 22 Jun 1981; Col Trevor A. Hammond, 21 Dec 1981; Col Denis L. Walsh, 10 May 1983; Col Frederick A. Fiedler, 13 Jun 1984; Col Robert J. McCracken, 14 May 1985; Col Thad A. Wolf, 27 Feb 1987; Col Orin L. Godsey, 25 Feb 1988; Col William C. Brooks, 28 Feb–30 Sep 1990; none (not manned) 30 Sep 1990–31 Mar 1993; Brig Gen Ronald C. Marcotte, 1 Apr 1993; Brig Gen Thomas B. Goslin Jr., 26 Mar 1996; Brig Gen Leroy Barnidge Jr., 8 Jun 1998; Brig Gen Anthony F. Przybyslawski, 7 Jun 2000; Brig Gen Douglas L. Raaberg, 22 Apr 2002; Brig Gen Christopher D. Miller, 24 Apr 2004; Brig Gen Gregory A. Biscone, 1 May 2006; Col Garrett Harencak; 1 Sep 2007; Col Robert E. Wheeler, 1 Mar 2009; Brig Gen Scott A. Vander Hamm, 23 Aug 2010; Brig Gen Thomas A. Bussiere, 18 Jun 2012; Brig Gen Glen D. Vanherck, 21 Feb 2014; Brig Gen Paul W. Tibbets IV, 5 Jun 2015-.
Aircraft. F–51, 1947–1948; F–84, 1948; B–29, 1947–1952; B–50, 1949–1955; KB–29, 1951–1954; KC–97, 1954–1958, 1958–1965; B–47, 1955–1965; B–52, 1966–1969; KC–135, 1966–1990; FB–111, 1970–1990. None, 1991-1992. B-2, 1993-; T-38, 1993-.
Operations. Maintained combat proficiency with B–29 bombers and F–51 and F–84 fighters, 1947–1948. Added air refueling capability in Sep 1948, initially with B–29M hose-type tankers and later with B/KB–29P boom–type tankers. Charged with strategic bombardment training and air refueling, 1949–1958. Deployed as a wing several times in the early 1950s, three times to England and once to Guam, and also deployed individual squadrons at other times. Temporarily had no refueling unit during 1958. Phased down for inactivation in late 1965, but was converted to a B–52/KC–135 wing in 1966. Supported Strategic Air Command (SAC) combat and contingency operations in Southeast Asia with KC–135 aircraft and crews, Nov 1966–Dec 1975, with B–52 aircraft and crews, Nov 1966–Sep 1969, and with B–52 crews, 1970. From 1 Apr to 1 Oct 1968 and 26 Mar to c. 20 Sep 1969, more than one-half of the wing was involved in SAC operations in Southeast Asia. From Nov 1969 to Dec 1970, the wing had no bombardment aircraft but continued refueling operations and performed FB–111 ground training. Resumed bombardment flying training in Dec 1970 and assumed FB–111 alert commitments from 1 Jul 1971 until Sep 1990. Won the SAC Bombing and Navigation competition and the Fairchild trophy in 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1983. Awarded the Sanders trophy for best air refueling unit in 1982. Moved on paper to Whiteman AFB, MO on 30 Sep 1990, but not manned until Apr 1993. Received first B–2 aircraft on 17 Dec 1993. Since 1993, furnished USAF’s only source of stealth heavy bomber capability. In 1999, flew nonstop bombing missions from Whiteman AFB, MO to Serbia and during Operation Allied Force. At the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom, in October 2001, six of the wing’s B-2s flew the longest bombing missions in history, from Whitman to Afghanistan after flying across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Each of those flights took more than 40 hours. After landing at Diego Garcia briefly, the six B-2s returned to Whiteman, after 30 more hours of flying, but with different crews. The wing also took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, flying non-stop flights from Missouri to targets in Iraq. Wing B-2s also flew missions during Operation Odyssey Dawn in 2011. Maintained combat-ready resources to conduct conventional or nuclear operations.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Kosovo: Air Campaign.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. 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; 1 Jun 2010-31 May 2011; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2013. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Apr-1 Oct 1968; 1 Jul 1981-30 Jun 1982; 1 Jul 1982-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 509 Composite Group prior to 17 Nov 1947. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Western Pacific. Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jul-14 Aug 1945.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 3 Aug 2015.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 3 Aug 2015.
Supersedes statement prepared on 19 Dec 2012.
Emblem. Approved on 10 Jul 1952.
Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman.
Reviewed by Carl E. Bailey.