Lineage. Established as Northwest Air District on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 18 Dec 1940. Redesignated as: 2 Air Force on 26 Mar 1941; Second Air Force on 18 Sep 1942. Inactivated on 30 Mar 1946. Activated on 6 Jun 1946. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1948. Activated on 1 Nov 1949. Inactivated on 1 Jan 1975. Activated on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1993. Activated on 1 Jul 1993.
Assignments. General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command) 18 Dec 1940; Western Defense Command, 11 Dec 1941; Air Force Combat Command (later, Army Air Forces), 5 Jan 1942; Continental Air Forces (later, Strategic Air Command), 16 Apr 1945-30 Mar 1946. Air Defense Command, 6 Jun 1946-1 Jul 1948. Strategic Air Command, 1 Nov 1949-1 Jan 1975. Strategic Air Command, 1 Sep 1991; Air Combat Command, 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1993. Air Education and Training Command, 1 Jul 1993-.
Major Components. Commands. I Bomber (later, XX Bomber): 1 May-6 Oct 1943. 2 Air Force Service (later, 2 Air Force Base): 1 Oct 1941-20 May 1942. 2 Air Support (later, 2 Ground Air Support; II Air Support): 1 Sep 1941-25 Jan 1943. 2 Bomber (later, II Bomber): 5 Sep 1941-6 Oct 1943. 4 Air Support (later, IV Air Support): 12 Aug 1942-21 Jan 1943. XX Bomber: 20 Nov 1943-29 Jun 1944. XXI Bomber: 1 Mar 1944-9 Nov 1944. XXII Bomber: 14 Aug 1944-13 Feb 1945.
Divisions: 4 Air (later, 4 Strategic Aerospace): 16 Jun 1952-31 Mar 1970. 6 Air: 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952; 16 Jun 1952-1 Jan 1959. 17 Air (later, 17 Strategic Aerospace): 15 Jul 1959-1 Jul 1963. 19 Air: 1 Jul 1955-1 Jan 1975. 21 Air (later, 21 Strategic Aerospace): 1 Jan 1959-1 Sep 1964. 22 Air: 15 Jul 1959-9 Sep 1960. 37 Air: 10 Oct 1951-28 May 1952. 38 Air: 10 Oct 1951-16 Jun 1952; 16 Jun 1952-1 Jan 1959. 40 Air: 14 Mar 1951-1 Jul 1952; 1 Jul 1952-1 Apr 1957; 1 Jul 1959-1 Jan 1975. 42 Air (later, 42 Strategic Aerospace; 42 Air): 1 Apr 1955-1 Jul 1957; 15 Jul 1959-2 Jul 1969; 1 Jan 1970-1 Jan 1975. 45 Air: 31 Mar 1970-1 Jan 1975. 47 Air: 31 Mar 1970-1 Jul 1971. 73 Air (formerly, 73 Bombardment Wing): 12 Jun 1947-1 Jul 1948. 96 Air (formerly, 96 Bombardment Wing): 12 Jun 1947-1 Jul 1948. 322 Air (formerly, 322 Troop Carrier Wing): 12 Jun 1947-1 Jul 1948. 801 Air: 28 May 1952-1 Jul 1955. 806 Air: 16 Jun 1952-15 Jun 1960. 810 Strategic Aerospace: 1 Jul 1963-2 Jul 1966. 813 Air: 15 Jul 1954-1 Jun 1956. 816 Air (later, 816 Strategic Aerospace): 1 Jul 1958-1 Jul 1965. 817 Air: 31 Mar 1970-30 Jun 1971. 818 Air (later, 818 Strategic Aerospace): 1 Jan 1959-25 Mar 1965. 819 Strategic Aerospace: 1 Jul 1965-2 Jul 1966. 823 Air: 1 Jun 1956-1 Jan 1959; 31 Mar 1970-30 Jun 1971. 825 Air (later, 825 Strategic Aerospace): 1 Aug 1955-1 Jan 1970.
Wings: 17 Training, 1 Jul 1993-; 37 Training, 1 Jul 1993-; 81 Training, 1 Jul 1993-; 82 Training, 1 Jul 1993-; Special Warfare Training, 17 Oct 2018-.
Groups: 336 Training: 1 Jun 2012-30 Apr 2013. 381 Training: 1 Oct 1994-8 Jul 2020. 602 Training (Provisional): attached, 20 Apr 2007-.
Center: Technical Training Operations: 24 Jun 2008-.
Stations. McChord Field, WA, 18 Dec 1940; Fort George Wright, WA, 9 Jan 1941; Colorado Springs, CO, 13 Jun 1943-30 Mar 1946. Fort Crook, NE, 6 Jun 1946-1 Jul 1948. Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Nov 1949-1 Jan 1975. Beale AFB, CA, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1993. Keesler AFB, MS. 1 Jul 1993-.
Commanders. Maj Gen John F. Curry, 18 Dec 1940; Maj Gen Millard F. Harmon, 5 Aug 1941; Brig Gen John B. Brooks, 19 Dec 1941; Maj Gen Frederick L. Martin, 1 Feb 1942; Maj Gen Robert Olds, 14 May 1942; Maj Gen Davenport Johnson, 25 Feb 1943; Maj Gen St Clair Streett, 9 Sep 1943; Maj Gen Uzal G. Ent, 14 Jan 1944; Maj Gen Robert B. Williams, 28 Oct 1944; Brig Gen Julius K. Lacey, 21 Nov 1945; Maj Gen Charles B. Stone III, 21 Feb 1946; Brig Gen Charles F. Born, 19-30 Mar 1946. Brig Gen Walter R. Peck, 6 Jun 1946; Maj Gen Frederick W. Evans, 15 Jul 1946; Brig Gen Walter R. Peck, 23 Jun 1947; Maj Gen Paul L. Williams, 15 Sep 1947-1 Jul 1948. Brig Gen Paul T. Cullen, I Nov 1949; Maj Gen Joseph H. Atkinson, 10 Nov 1949; Maj Gen Frank A. Armstrong Jr, 16 Nov 1952; Maj Gen George W. Mundy, 15 Jul 1956; Maj Gen John P. McConnell, 1 Nov 1957; Lt Gen John D. Ryan, 1 Jul 1961; Lt Gen David Wade, 1 Aug 1963; Lt Gen Austin J. Russell, 1 Aug 1966; Lt Gen David C. Jones, 1 Aug 1969; Lt Gen Russell F. Dougherty, 3 Apr 1971; Lt Gen James M. Keck, 1 May 1972; Lt Gen Richard M. Hoban, 3 Oct 1973-1 Jan 1975. Brig Gen Lawrence A. Mitchell, 1 Sep 1991; Maj Gen Brett M. Dula, 18 Aug 1992-1 Jul 1993. Maj Gen John C. Griffith, 1 Jul 1993; Maj Gen Henry M. Hobgood, 13 Jun 1995; Maj Gen Lance W. Lord, 28 Aug 1996; Maj Gen Andrew J. Pelak Jr, 1 Aug 1997; Maj Gen John F. Regni, 25 Aug 2000; Maj Gen Lloyd S. Utterback, 8 Jul 2004; Maj Gen Michael C. Gould, 9 Nov 2005; Maj Gen Alfred K. Flowers, May 2008; Maj Gen Mary Kay Hertog, 29 Sep 2009; Maj Gen Leonard A. Patrick, 21 Jul 2011; Maj Gen Mark A. Brown, 3 Jul 2014; Maj Gen Robert D. LaBrutta, 26 Aug 2016; Maj Gen Timothy J. Leahy, 23 Aug 2017; Maj Gen Andrea D. Tullos, 29 Aug 2019-.
Operations. Trained bomber, fighter, and other units for assignment overseas, 1940-1946. Second Air Force units also participated in combat training maneuvers with Army ground forces, and provided aircraft for defense of the continental United States. In November 1943, the Second Air Force received command jurisdiction for the B-29 bomber program. Tested and formulated standard procedures for flying the new aircraft, 1943-1946. Beginning in Jun 1946, assumed responsibility for the air defense of certain portions of the continental United States until Jul 1948. From Nov 1949 until Jan 1975, maintained a strategic deterrent through units utilizing long-range bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles. During this period, subordinate units deployed aircraft and crews for combat operations in Korea and Vietnam. With the end of the Cold War and the restructuring of Strategic Air Command (SAC), became the steward for reconnaissance and battlefield management assets from Jan 1991-Jul 1993. Managed basic military and technical training programs from Jul 1993 and special warfare training from Oct 2018-present.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1994; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2011; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2014-30 Jun 2016; 1 Jul 2016-30 Jun 2018.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 27 Aug 2020.
Commanders and Operations through 27 Aug 2020.
Supersedes statement prepared on 24 Aug 2017.
Emblem. Approved on 16 Dec 1943; revised on 14 Apr 1993, newest rendition approved 10 Jan 2017.
Prepared by Margaret Ream.