28 Bomb Wing (ACC)

Lineage. Established as 28 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 28 Jul 1947.  Organized on 15 Aug 1947.  Redesignated as: 28 Bombardment Wing, Medium on 12 Jul 1948; 28 Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 16 May 1949; 28 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 1 Apr 1950; 28 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Heavy on 16 Jul 1950; 28 Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 Oct 1955; 28 Wing on 1 Sep 1991; 28 Bomb Wing on 1 Jun 1992.

Assignments.  Fifteenth Air Force, 15 Aug 1947; Eighth Air Force, 1 Apr 1950; Fifteenth Air Force, 1 Apr 1955 (attached to 3 Air Division, 14 Apr–24 Jul 1955); 821 Air (later, 821 Strategic Aerospace) Division, 1 Jan 1959; 47 Air Division, 30 Jun 1971; 4 Strategic Missile (later, 4 Air) Division, 15 Jan 1973; 57 Air Division, 1 May 1982; 4 Air Division, 23 Jan 1987; 12 Air Division, 15 Jul 1988; Strategic Warfare Center, 31 Jul 1990; Eighth Air Force, 1 Sep 1991; Twelfth Air Force (later, Twelfth Air Force [Air Forces Southern]), 1 Oct 2002; Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), 1 Oct 2015–.

Operational Components.  Group. 28 Bombardment (later, 28 Strategic Reconnaissance; 28 Operations): 15 Aug 1947–16 Jun 1952 (detached 19 Jul–18 Oct 1948); 1 Sep 1991–.  Squadrons. 4 Airborne Command and Control: 1 Apr 1970–1 Sep 1991.  28 Air Refueling: 1 Oct 1960–1 Sep 1991 (detached c. 9 Mar–c. 21 Sep 1966, c. 15 Jan–c. 19 Jul 1968, c. 19 Aug 1969–c. 23 Mar 1970).  37 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1977–1 Oct 1982; 1 Jan 1987–1 Sep 1991. 77 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 77 Bombardment) attached 10 Feb 1951– 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–1 Sep 1991 (detached c. 9 Mar–c. 21 Sep 1966, c. 15 Jan–c. 19 Jul 1968, c. 19 Aug 1969–c. 23 Mar 1970).  97 Air Refueling: 1 Jul 1962–15 Mar 1964.  717 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 717 Bombardment): attached 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–1 Feb 1960. 718 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 718 Bombardment): attached 10 Feb 1951– 15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–20 Feb 1960.  850 Strategic Missile: 1 Dec 1960–1 Jan 1962.  928 Air Refueling: 1 Feb 1959–1 Oct 1960.

 

Stations.  Rapid City AAFld (later, Rapid City AFB; Ellsworth AFB), SD, 15 Aug 1947–.

 

Commanders.  Col Thomas J. Gent Jr., 15 Aug 1947; Col Raymond L. Curtice, 17 Sep 1947; Lt Col Everett W. Holstrom, 28 Sep 1947; Col Raymond L. Curtice, 9 Oct 1947; Col Thomas J. Gent Jr., 15 Oct 1947; Col William W. Jones, c. 10 Jul 1948; Col Albert T. Wilson Jr., 19 Aug 1948; Brig Gen Richard E. Ellsworth, 15 Nov 1950; Col Howard W. Moore, 18 Mar 1953; Col Ariel W. Nielsen, 30 Apr 1953; Col Neil D. Van Sickle, 15 Jun 1955; Col Loran D. Briggs, 20 Apr 1957; Col Francis W. Nye, 6 Jul 1959; Col Allen B. Rowlett, Jun 1962; Col Leo C. Lewis, c. 1 Jul 1962; Col Albert H. Schneider, 10 Jul 1965; Col Edgar S. Harris Jr., 27 Dec 1966; Col Albert H. Schneider, 4 May 1967; Col Edgar S. Harris Jr., 2 Jun 1967; Col James Wagner, 24 Jul 1968; Col Richard L. Lawson, 1 Feb 1970; Col Junior B. Reed, 18 Jun 1971; Col Harold B. Coffee, 30 May 1973; Col James E. Light Jr., 8 Apr 1974; Col Harold J. M. Williams, 21 Apr 1976; Brig Gen Clinton H. Winne Jr., 11 May 1976; Col Clarence R. Autery, 24 Apr 1978; Col Alan B. Renshaw, 5 Mar 1979; Col Wayne W. Lambert, 18 Aug 1980; Col Robert F. Durkin, 26 Oct 1981; Col Carl B. Kreuger, 20 May 1983; Col Steve W. Nielson, 28 Aug 1984; Col Harold B. Adams, 21 Mar 1986; Col Thomas A. Twomey, 15 Apr 1988; Col Charles R. Henderson, 4 Apr 1990; Col Edgar A. Ott, 25 Nov 1991 (acting); Brig Gen Joseph C. Wilson Jr., 22 Jan 1992; Col Robert C. Hinson, 1 Dec 1994; Col Leroy Barnidge Jr., 22 Aug 1995; Col William M. Fraser III, 19 Feb 1997; Col Anthony F. Przybyslawski, 27 May 1998; Col Edward A. Rice, 30 May 2000; Col James M. Kowalski, 29 Apr 2002; Col Joseph D. Brown, 27 Feb 2004; Col Jeffry F. Smith, 6 Jun 2005; Col Scott M. Vander Hamm, 1 Jun 2007; Col Jeffrey B. Talaiferro, Jun 2009; Col Mark E. Weatherington, 13 May 2011; Col Kevin B. Kennedy, 5 Apr 2013; Col Gentry W. Boswell, 4 Jun 2015–.

 

Aircraft.    B-29, 1947–1950; B-36, 1949–1950; RB-29, 1950; RB-36, 1950–1957; B-52, 1957–1966, 1966–1968, 1968–1969, 1970–1986; KC-135, 1959–1966, 1966–1968, 1968–1969, 1970–1992; KC-97, 1962–1964; EC-135, 1965–1992; B-1, 1987–; MQ-9, 2012-.

 

Operations.  Maintained proficiency in heavy bombardment, 1947–1948.  Maintained proficiency in global bombardment, deploying tactical components or segments thereof as needed, 1948–1950.  Performed global strategic reconnaissance, 1950–1955, with bombardment as a secondary mission, 1954–1955. Trained primarily as a bombardment wing from 1955, but retained a reconnaissance capability to Sep 1956.  Deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, Apr–Jul 1955.  Added aerial refueling to mission in 1959 and began operating post-attack command and control system for Fifteenth Air Force in Jan 1965, maintaining this capability through a rear echelon during the absences of the remainder of the wing. Controlled a non-equipped Titan missile squadron, Dec 1960–Dec 1961. Except for a small rear echelon left at Ellsworth AFB, SD, the wing’s headquarters staff, tactical aircraft and crews, and most support personnel were integrated into ARC LIGHT forces for combat in Southeast Asia, c. 9 Mar–c. 21 Sep 1966, c. 15 Jan–c. 19 Jul 1968, and c. 9 Sep 1969–c. 18 Mar 1970.  From Apr 1972 to Oct 1973 the wing also had most of its tactical aircraft and crews on loan to SAC organizations involved in combat operations, and the wing continued supporting Pacific forces with planes and crews into 1975.  Converted from B–52G to B–52H models in 1977.  Performed airborne launch control functions for USAF Minuteman missile wings with EC–135 aircraft and provided logistic support to the 44 Missile Wing. Expanded B–52H mission in 1984 to include sea reconnaissance, surveillance, and conventional operations from forward bases overseas.  Upgraded tanker force to KC–135R in 1985–1986 and replaced B–52H with B–1B bomber in 1987.  In 1989, won the Fairchild Trophy for excellence in bombing and navigation and the Omaha Trophy, presented to the outstanding wing in SAC.  Provided tanker support for restoration of democracy in Panama (Dec 1989–Jan 1990), and deployed tanker and airborne command post aircraft to Southwest Asia (Aug 1990– Mar 1991). Lost air refueling mission in Jun 1992 and airborne command post mission in Sep 1992.  In Aug 1993, flew B-1s around the world for the first time.  Elements deployed to various locations for training exercises, including occasionally to Egypt (Nov 1993; Aug-Dec 1999) and England (May-Jun 1996; Jun-Jul 1997).  In Nov 1997, deployed four B-1s and crews to Southwest Asia for a show of force against Iraq, the first real-world contingency use of the B-1 bomber.  A year later (Nov 1998), the wing deployed three B-1s and crews to Southwest Asia for punitive attacks against Iraqi targets, the first combat use of the B-1.  After terrorist attacks against the United States in Sep 2001, the wing deployed B-1 aircraft and crews to Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean, for bombing missions against enemy targets in Afghanistan.  Deployed personnel and aircraft to Libya on a mission to attack military targets, Mar 2011.  Reassigned from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command on 1 Oct 2015.

 

Service Streamers.   None.

 

Campaign Streamers.  None.

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

 

Decorations.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2003; 20 Sep 2001-17 Jan 2002 (conferred).  Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 2009-31 May 2011; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2013; 1 Jun 2013-31 May 2015.  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 Jun-30 Nov 1994; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005; 1 Jun 2007-31 May 2009. 

 

Bestowed Honors.  Authorized to display honors earned by the 28 Operations Group prior to 15 Aug 1947.  Service Streamers. None.  Campaign

 

Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Aleutian Islands.  Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Kuril Islands, 1 Apr 1944–13 Aug 1945.

 

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 11 Apr 2018.

 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 9 Oct 2015.

 

Supersedes statement prepared on 9 Oct 2015.

 

Emblem.  Approved for 28 Group on 14 Nov 1941 and for 28 Wing on 11 Jun 1952; latest rendering, 26 Aug 2019. 

 

Prepared by Daniel Haulman.