Lineage. Established as 2 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 15 Oct 1947. Organized on 5 Nov 1947. Redesignated as: 2 Bombardment Wing, Medium on 12 Jul 1948; 2 Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 Apr 1963; 2 Wing on 1 Sep 1991; 2 Bomb Wing on 1 Oct 1993.
Assignments. Eighth Air Force, 5 Nov 1947 (attached to 43 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1947–31 Dec 1948); Second Air Force, 1 Apr 1950 (attached to 7 Air Division, 4 May–31 Aug 1951); 38 Air Division, 10 Oct 1951 (attached to 7 Air Division, 10 Sep–4 Dec 1952; 5 Air Division, 4 Aug– 20 Sep 1954 and 6 Jul–26 Aug 1956); 6 Air Division, 1 Nov 1959; 823 Air Division, 1 Apr 1961; 4 Air Division, 1 Apr 1963; 19 Air Division, 1 Sep 1964; 42 Air Division, 1 Jul 1965; 19 Air Division, 2 Jul 1969; 42 Air Division, 1 Dec 1982; Eighth Air Force (later, Eighth Air Force [Air Forces Strategic]), 16 Jun 1988-.
Operational Components. Group. 2 Bombardment (later, 2 Operations): 5 Nov 1947–16 Jun 1952 (detached 17 Nov 1947–31 Dec 1948 and 18 Feb–16 May 1950); 1 Sep 1991–. Squadrons. 2 Air Refueling: attached 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–1 Apr 1963; assigned 3 Jan 1989–1 Sep 1991. 20 Bombardment: attached 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–25 Jun 1965. 32 Air Refueling: 1 Nov 1981–1 Sep 1991. 49 Bombardment: attached 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–1 Apr 1963. 62 Bombardment: 25 Jun 1965–1 Sep 1991. 71 Air Refueling: 15 Apr 1968–1 Sep 1991. 96 Bombardment: attached 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–1 Apr 1963. 308 Air Refueling: 1 Jul 1959–1 Mar 1960. 429 Bombardment: 1 Oct 1958–1 Jan 1962. 596 Bombardment: 15 Apr 1968–1 Sep 1991. 913 Air Refueling: 1 Apr 1963–1 Nov 1981.
Stations. Davis-Monthan Field (later, AFB), AZ, 5 Nov 1947; Chatham AFB, GA, 1 Apr 1949; Hunter AFB, GA, 22 Sep 1950; Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Apr 1963–.
Commanders. None (not manned), 5 Nov 1947–31 Dec 1948; Col William E. Eubank Jr., 1 Jan 1949; Brig Gen Frederic E. Glantzberg, 4 Apr 1949; Brig Gen John M. Reynolds, c. 31 Jan 1952; Col Rollin M. Winingham, 12 Aug 1953; Col Osce V. Jones, 5 Oct 1953; Col Austin J. Russell, 26 Oct 1953; Col Arthur J. Walker, 14 Jul 1955; Col Robert M. Tuttle, 10 Sep 1956; Col Seth J. McKee, 15 Dec 1956; Col Robert C. Whipple, 26 Aug 1958; Brig Gen William B. Kieffer, 1 Jun 1959; Col Brooks A. Lawhon, 13 Jun 1960; Col John W. Kline,19 Jun 1961; Col Harrison R. Christy Jr., 7 Mar 1963; Col Frank B. Elliott, 1 Apr 1963; Col Louis M. Sowers, 15 May 1964; Col Melvin R. Schultz, 16 May 1966; Col Arthur W. Holderness Jr., 17 Dec 1966; Col Edmund A. Rafalko, 13 Oct 1967; Brig Gen Edward O. Martin, 11 Nov 1968; Col Samuel E. Dyke, 5 May 1970; Col Harold R. Jewell, 16 Jun 1972; Col Stanley C. Beck, 2 Apr 1973; Col Jerome R. Barnes Jr., 10 Jun 1974; Col Kelly H. Burke, 1 Jul 1974; Col Jerome E. Wechter, 2 Jun 1975; Col Jerome R. Barnes Jr., 1 Jun 1976; Col George A. Dugard, 2 Feb 1977; Col Jerome R. Barnes Jr., c. 20 Mar 1977; Col George R. Dugard, 18 Apr 1977; Col Jerome R. Barnes Jr., 8 May 1977; Col Kenneth M. Patterson, 27 May 1977; Col Jack K. Farris, 15 Mar 1979; Col Alfred D. Herring, 23 Feb 1981; Col Loring R. Astorino, 16 Feb 1982; Col Larry D. Fortner, 13 Jun 1983; Col James W. Evatt, 22 May 1984; Col Frederick A. Fiedler, 20 May 1985; Col Eugene E. Habiger, 14 Jan 1986; Col Brett M. Dula, 28 Jan 1987; Col Charles T. Robertson Jr., 14 Jan 1988; Col Joseph F. Mudd, 17 Jan 1989; Col Ronald C. Marcotte, 30 Jul 1990; Col William J. Liquori, 12 Jan 1991 (temporary); Col Ronald C. Marcotte, c. 17 Apr 1991; Col Albert W. Perez II, 20 Feb 1992; Brig Gen George P. Cole Jr., 23 Apr 1992; Brig Gen David L. Young, 12 Aug 1994; Brig Gen Andrew W. Smoak, 10 Mar 1997; Brig Gen William M. Fraser III, 17 May 1999; Brig Gen Curtis M. Bedke, 6 Dec 2000; Col Stephen L. Wolborsky, 2 Oct 2001 (temporary); Brig Gen Curtis M. Bedke, 11 Nov 2001; Col Anthony A. Imondi, 20 Feb 2002 (temporary); Brig Gen Curtis M. Bedke, 7 Jul 2002; Col Floyd L. Carpenter, 9 Jul 2002; Col Charles H. McGuirk Jr., 22 Sep 2002 (temporary); Col Floyd L. Carpenter, 18 Oct 2002; Col Charles H. McGuirk Jr., 27 Nov 2002 (temporary); Col Floyd L. Carpenter, 22 May 2003; Col Michael R. Moeller, 17 Feb 2004; Col Roderick E. Gillis, 11 Jul 2004 (temporary); Col Michael R. Moeller, 18 Jul 2004; Col Eldon A. Woodie, 27 Mar 2005 (temporary); Col Michael R. Moeller, 6 May 2005; Col Roderick E. Gillis, 10 Jun 2005 (temporary); Col Michael R. Moeller, 22 Jun 2005; Col Daniel J. Charchian, 22 Sep 2005; Col Robert E. Wheeler, 26 Jul 2007; Col Steven L. Basham, 23 Mar 2009; Col Timothy G. Fay, 19 Jul 2010; Col Andrew J. Gebara, 14 May 2012; Col Kristin E. Goodwin, 1 Oct 2014; Col Ty W. Neuman, 20 May 2016-..
Aircraft. B-29, 1949–1950; B-50, 1949–1953; KB-29, 1950–1953; KC-97, 1953–1963; B-47, 1954–1963; B-52, 1963–1965, 1965–1977, 1977–; KC-135, 1963–1993; EC-135, 1966–1970; RC-135, 1977–1979; KC-10, 1981–1992.
Operations. Wing Headquarters not operational, 5 Nov 1947–31 Dec 1948. The 2 Bombardment Group, except for a short period it spent in England in 1948, was attached to the 43 Bombardment Group, 17 Nov 1947–31 Dec 1948. Entire wing moved from Arizona to Georgia on 1 Jan 1949 and manned from resources of other organizations. Converted from B-29 to B-50 bombers in 1949–1950 and trained in global bombardment operations from Jan 1949. Added air refueling mission in Dec 1950. Deployed at RAF Mildenhall, England, May–Aug 1951, RAF Upper Heyford, England, Sep–Dec 1952, and Sidi Slimane AB, French Morocco, Aug–Sep 1954 and Jul–Aug 1956. Converted to B-47 jet bombers in 1954. Service-tested a “super wing” concept with 70 B-47s, Jul 1959–Apr 1961. Moved to Barksdale AFB, LA, on 1 Apr 1963, replacing 4238 Strategic Wing and absorbing that wing’s B-52 and KC-135 resources. Supported Second Air Force’s post-attack command and control system, Apr 1963–Mar 1970. Conducted bombardment training and air refueling operations from Apr 1963 except for periods when all aircraft and crews were on loan to Strategic Air Command (SAC) organizations involved in combat operations in Southeast Asia. Began supporting SAC operations in Southeast Asia with aircraft and personnel in 1965, and increasingly supported these operations in 1966 and 1967. On 15 Apr 1968, gained a second B-52 and a second KC-135 squadron, again becoming a SAC “super” wing. From late May 1972 until 26 Oct 1973, loaned all wing B-52 resources to SAC organizations in the Far East and Southeast Asia; from May 1972 to early Nov 1972, loaned all but four of the wing’s KC-135s and a few aircrews to other SAC units. After the return of combat resources, the wing continued supporting SAC operations in Southeast Asia into 1975, on a reduced scale. Gained KC-10 tankers in Nov 1981 to augment refueling operations for the USAF, AFRES, and ANG. Provided air refueling for rescue efforts in Grenada, Oct–Nov 1983, the attack on Libya, Apr 1986, and the invasion of Panama, Dec 1989–Jan 1990. Presented the Omaha Trophy for “the Outstanding Wing in the Strategic Air Command” for 1988 and 1992 and, after inactivation of SAC, received the trophy from the U.S. Strategic Command as the “best flying unit in STRATCOM” for 1994 and 1996. Deployed B-52, KC-135, and KC-10 aircraft, aircrews, and support personnel to several locations in support of operations in Southwest Asia, 7 Aug 1990–17 Apr 1991. On 16 Jan 1991, launched seven B-52s from Barksdale AFB against enemy targets in Iraq, and launched conventional Air Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCM) for the first time in combat. Gave up the 2 and 32 Air Refueling Squadrons and all KC-10s to Air Mobility Command on 1 Jun 1992. After the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia went into force in Dec 1994, Barksdale AFB was the first base selected for compliance inspection in Jul 1995 and underwent such inspections yearly thereafter. Continued to train for long range conventional strike capability as well as maintaining nuclear operational readiness. In response to Saddam Hussein’s attacks against the Kurdish minority in northern Iraq, wing crews (96 BS) deployed and launched attacks against military targets in Iraq in Sep 1996 (Operation Desert Strike). 96 BS crews received the Mackay trophy for this 33-hour long mission as the most meritorious flight of 1996. Continued to deploy aircraft and personnel to SWA to support the Allied watch on the southern and northern “no-fly” zones in Iraq. Flew combat missions against targets in Iraq, 17-18 Dec 1998, in response to Iraq’s refusal to allow UN weapons inspectors to continue work (Operation Desert Fox). Flew combat missions against targets in Yugoslavia, 24 Mar-9 Jun 1999, in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. In Oct 1999 began deploying personnel in support of aerospace expeditionary forces (AEF) worldwide and taking its turn as lead wing for such AEF taskings. After the terrorist attacks against the U.S. on 11 Sep 2001, the wing has been committed to almost non-stop action in the war against global terrorism. On 19 Sep 2001, wing elements, including the 20 BS, deployed to Diego Garcia and on 7 Oct flew early attacks on targets in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom to rid that country of terrorist bases and its extremist Taliban rulers; later flew airborne alert missions and, in Operation Anaconda, flew bombing missions against targets in eastern Afghanistan, 1-18 Mar 2002. In the invasion of Iraq in Mar 2003, flew missions on 21 Mar in “shock and awe” strikes against command and control targets (Operation Iraqi Freedom). Provided bomber combat power and expeditionary combat support to warfighters, 2004-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Grenada, 1983.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Nov 1956–1 Apr 1957; 1 Jul 1986– 30 Jun 1987; 1 Jul 1987–30 Jun 1989; 1 Oct 1993-31 May 1995; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002; 1 Jan 2008-31 Dec 2009; 1 Jan 2010-31 Dec 2011; 1 Jan 2012-31 Dec 2013; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2014; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2015.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 2 Bombardment Group prior to 5 Nov 1947.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War I: St. Mihiel; Lorraine; Meuse-Argonne. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Steyr, Austria, 24 Feb 1944; Germany, 25 Feb 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 14 Aug 2017.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 14 Aug 2017.
Supersedes statement prepared 15 Nov 2016.
Emblem. Approved for 2 Group on 19 Jan 1924 and 2 Wing on 10 Aug 1951; latest rendering, 16 Oct 2018.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.