Lineage. Organized as 18 Aero Squadron on 16 Jun 1917. Redesignated as 23 Aero Squadron (Repair) on 22 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 22 Mar 1919. Reconstituted, and consolidated (1924) with 23 Squadron, which was authorized on 30 Aug 1921, organized on 1 Oct 1921, redesignated as 23 Bombardment Squadron on 25 Jan 1923. Redesignated as: 23 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 23 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940; 23 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 Mar 1944; 23 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 30 Apr 1946. Inactivated on 10 Mar 1947. Redesignated as 23 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 16 Sep 1947. Activated on 20 Oct 1947. Redesignated as: 23 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 16 Jun 1949; 23 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy, on 14 Nov 1950; 23 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Oct 1955; 23 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. Unkn, 16 Jun 1917–22 Mar 1919. Ninth Corps Area, 1 Oct 1921; 5 Group (Observation) (later, 5 Group [Pursuit and Bombardment]; 5 Group [Composite]; 5 Composite Group), 29 Mar 1922; 19 Bombardment Group, 8 May 1929 (attached to 5 Composite [later, 5 Bombardment] Group, 8 May 1929–11 Oct 1938); 5 Bombardment Group, 12 Oct 1938–10 Mar 1947. 5 Reconnaissance, (later, 5 Strategic Reconnaissance) Group, 20 Oct 1947 (attached to 71 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 18–24 Aug 1948; 32 Composite Wing, 24 Aug 1948–16 Mar 1949; 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1–17 Jun 1949; 5 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952); 5 Strategic Reconnaissance, (later, 5 Bombardment) Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 5 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991–.
Stations. Camp Kelly, TX, 16 Jun 1917; Hazelhurst Field, NY, 5 Sep 1917–6 Jul 1918;
Thetford, England, c. 25 Jul 1918 (detachments at Hucknall Torkard and Salisbury, c. 18 Aug–c. 5 Nov 1918); Duxford, England, 2 Sep 1918; Codford, England, 5 Nov 1918; Cherbourg, France, 11 Nov 1918; St Maixent, France, 18 Nov 1918; St Nazaire, France, c. 29 Jan–20 Feb 1919; Garden City, NY, c. 8–22 Mar 1919. March Field, CA, 1 Oct 1921–21 Mar 1922; Luke Field, TH, 29 Mar 1922; Hickam Field, TH, 1 Jan 1939; Mokuleia, TH, 24 Mar–3 Nov 1942; Espiritu Santo, 1 Dec 1942–3 Jan 1944 (air echelon operated from Guadalcanal, 31 Mar–24 Aug 1943, and 21 Oct–7 Dec 1943); Munda, New Georgia, 9 Jan 1944; Momote Airfield, Los Negros, 16 Apr 1944; Wakde, c. 20 Aug 1944; Noemfoor, c. 30 Sep 1944; Moratai, c. 16 Oct 1944; Samar, 20 Feb 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Dec 1945–10 Mar 1947. Clark Field, Luzon, 20 Oct 1947; Kadena AB, Okinawa, 15 May 1948; Yokota AB, Japan, 16 Mar–2 May 1949; Fairfield–Suisun AFB, CA, 19 May 1949; Topeka (later, Forbes) AFB, KS, 1 Jun 1949; Mountain Home, ID, 25 Jun 1949; Fairfield–Suisun (later, Travis) AFB, CA, 1 Nov 1949 (deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, 14 Jan–12 Apr 1955); Minot AFB, ND, 25 Jul 1968–.
Commanders. None, 16-21 Jun 1917; Capt Jack W. Heard, 22 Jun 1917; Capt W. P. Jernigan, 20 Jul 1917; Maj H. M. Clarke, 23 Aug 1917; 1 Lt Clarke Thompson, 2 Sep 1917; Capt Frank T. Coffyn, 9 Sep 1917; Capt Andrew J. MacElroy, 23 Nov 1917; 1 Lt Paul S. Duenweg, 14 Feb 1918; 1 Lt Charles F. Littlejohn, 12 Mar 1918; 2 Lt James J. Penny, 19 Apr 1918; Lt Ray D. Wells, 23-30 Jun 1918; None (not manned), 1 Jul-17 Sep 1918; 1 Lt Paul S. Duenweg, 18 Sep 1918; 2 Lt C. M. Hamilton, 10 Nov 1918-unkn. Capt A. F. Harold, 1 Oct 1921; 1 Lt Harold Brand, 1 Mar 1922; Capt R. J. Kirkpatrick, 19 Mar 1922; 1 Lt Frederick A. Johnson, 24 Aug 1922; 1 Lt Grandison Gardner, 14 Nov 1923; 1 Lt Merrill D. Mann, 11 Dec 1923; Capt Karl H. Gorman, 10 Mar 1924; 1 Lt Grandison Gardner, 23 Nov 1925; Lt Post, 13 Apr 1926-unkn; Unkn, 1926-30 Jun 1942; Lt Col George A. Blakey, 1 Jul 1942-unkn; Maj Russell C. Dellinger, 1 Sep 1944; Maj James A. Saalfield, 1 Dec 1944; Capt C. Goldsbury, 1 Jan 1945; Capt A. L. Leslie, by Apr 1945; Capt J. E. Mills Jr., by Jun 1945; Capt Richard W. Boyd, 10 Aug 1945-unkn; Unkn, through 10 Mar 1947. Unkn, 20 Oct 1947-31 Dec 1949; Lt Col Fitzburgh A. Whitfield, Jan 1950; Lt Col Earl L. Johnson, 10 Feb 1951; Lt Col Robert E. Walber, by Jan 1953; Lt Col Peter J. O’Carroll, by Feb 1953; Lt Col Thomas F. Doyle Jr., 30 Apr 1955; Lt Col Carleton W. Hansen, 1 Feb 1957; Lt Col Robert E. Busch, by May 1958; Maj Jean G. Pratt, by Jun 1958; Lt Col Keith A. Whitaker, by Jul 1958; Lt Col Steedly P. Hawkins, by Jun 1960; Lt Col Clarence M. Nunneley, by Jun 1963; Lt Col Harold W. Petree, by Aug 1963; Lt Col Harry W. Barrett, Jan 1965-unkn; Unkn, 1966-30 Jun 1968; Lt Col Harlan E. McLean, Jul 1968; Lt Col James L. Carr, Dec 1969; Lt Col William J. Anderson, Nov 1970; Lt Col Donald L. Sprague, Aug 1972; Lt Col Robert W. Lamb, Nov 1974; Lt Col Loring R. Astorino, Sep 1976; Lt Col Thomas E. Coblentz, Sep 1977; Lt Col Wallace C. Jacobson, 16 Apr 1979; Lt Col William M. Harley, 30 May 1980; Lt Col Glen R. Schaumberg, 31 Aug 1981; Lt Col Joseph Wilson, 9 Jul 1982; Lt Col Frederick M. Anderson, 1 Jul 1983; Lt Col Ronald W. Bashant, 15 Jun 1984; Lt Col Charles R. Henderson, 15 Apr 1985; Lt Col Douglas D. Scraper, 20 Jun 1986; Lt Col Joseph C. Stein, 16 May 1988; Lt Col James Hawkins, 21 Aug 1989; Lt Col Mark Holmes, 9 Jan 1991; Lt Col Randall W. Spetman, 28 Feb 1992; Lt Col James W. Ewing, 2 Jul 1993; Lt Col Stephen D. Schmidt, 11 Jul 1994; Lt Col Theodore T. LaPlante, 31 May 1996; Lt Col Douglas C. Hayner, 4 May 1997; Lt Col Tom Gilbert, 23 Apr 1999; Lt Col Bruce C. Emig, 24 Feb 2001; Lt Col Robert F. Bussian, 24 Jul 2002; Lt Col Robert D. Hyde, 17 May 2004; Lt Col Gerald L. Hounchell, 23 Jun 2006; Lt Col Shannon Kruse, 5 Oct 2007; Lt Col Mark R. Ely, 17 Apr 2009; Lt Col Robert L. Billings, 24 Jan 2011; Lt Col Brandon D. Parker, 13 Aug 2012; Lt Col Ryan E. Gorecki, 23 Jun 2014; Lt Col Michael D. Maginess, 23 May 2016.
Aircraft. In addition to NBS–1, included JN–6, DH–4 and others during period 1922–1929; primarily B–4, B–5, and LB–6 during period 1929–1937; B–12, 1937–1939; B–18, 1938–1942; B–17, 1941–1943; B–24, 1943–1945. C–46, 1947–1948; B/FB–17, 1947–1948; F–2, 1947–1948; RB–29, 1948–1951; RB–36, 1951–1955; B/RB–36, 1955–1958; B–52, 1959–.
Operations. Repaired and maintained aircraft and engines, 1917–1918. Bombed lava flowing from Mauna Loa, diverting it from the city of Hilo, Hawaii, 27 Dec 1935. Patrols over the Pacific, 8 Dec 1941–Nov 1942; 26 Aug–18 Oct 1943. Awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) for service in Southwest Pacific, [1-9] Dec 1942. Combat in South, Southwest, and Western Pacific, 27 Apr–16 Aug 1943, 22 Oct–6 Dec 1943, 22 Jan–1 Mar 1944, 18 Apr 1944–12 Aug 1945. Awarded Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs) for performance at Woleai Island, 18 Apr-15 May 1944 and Borneo, 30 Sep 1944. Non–operational, 1946–1947. Photo-mapping in the Philippines, Formosa, and Southwest Pacific, Nov 1947–Mar 1949. Performed strategic reconnaissance, 1949–1952. Assumed a strategic bombardment mission in 1953. In 1959, completed conversion to B-52 bomber aircraft; supported Air Reserve and Air National Guard programs and participated in disaster relief and other domestic emergency programs. Increased bomber sorties, airborne and ground alert status during Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct 1962. In Jul 1968, moved without personnel or equipment from Travis AFB, CA to Minot AFB, ND. From 1968 to 1975 provided qualified B–52 aircrews to other SAC units involved in combat operations in Southeast Asia. In 1980s and 1990s, maintained operational capabilities to conduct strategic warfare and conventional contingency operations. As Cold War ended in Sep 1991, bombers removed from nuclear alert for first time in over 25 years. Maintained capability to deliver nuclear and conventional weapons worldwide using bomber aircraft, 2000-.
Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations; Global War on Terrorism (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Central Pacific; Guadalcanal; China Defensive; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Woleai Island, 18 Apr–15 May 1944; Borneo, 30 Sep 1944. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy): Southwest Pacific, [1–9 Dec] 1942. Meritorious Unit Award: 11 May-31 Dec 2005. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Feb-31 May 2003. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1977–30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1983–30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1985–30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986–30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1991–30 Jun 1993; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Jan 2011-31 Dec 2012; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2013. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 7 May 2018.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 7 May 2018.
Supersedes statement prepared on Oct 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 30 Sep 1931 and reinstated on 13 Jan 1994; latest rendering, 28 Dec 2018.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.