Lineage. Established as 509 Composite Group on 9 Dec 1944. Activated on 17 Dec 1944. Redesignated as: 509 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 10 Jul 1946; 509 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 2 Jul 1948. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as 509 Operations Group on 12 Mar 1993. Activated on 15 Jul 1993.
Assignments. Second Air Force, 17 Dec 1944; 315 Bombardment Wing, 18 Dec 1944; 313 Bombardment Wing, c. Jun 1945; Second Air Force, 10 Oct 1945; 58 Bombardment Wing, 17 Jan 1946; Fifteenth Air Force, 31 Mar 1946; Eighth Air Force, 1 Nov 1946; 509 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1947-16 Jun 1952. 509 Bomb Wing, 15 Jul 1993-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 13 Bomb: 9 Sep 2005-. 320 Troop Carrier: 17 Dec 1944-19 Aug 1946. 325 Bomb (later, 325 Weapons): 6 Jan 1998-9 Sep 2005. 393 Bombardment (later 393 Bomb): 17 Dec 1944-16 Jun 1952 (detached 17 Nov 1947-14 Sep 1948 and 1 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952); 27 Aug 1993-. 394 Bombardment (later, 394 Combat Training): 6 Nov 1996-. 509 Air Refueling: 19 Jul 1948-16 Jun 1952 (detached 19 Jul-14 Sep 1948 and 1 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 715 Bombardment: 6 May 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 17 Nov 1947-14 Sep 1948 and 1 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 830 Bombardment: 6 May 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 17 Nov 1947-14 Sep 1948 and 1 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952).
Stations. Wendover Field, UT, 17 Dec 1944-26 Apr 1945. Tinian, Mariana Islands, 29 May-17 Oct 1945; Roswell AAFld (later, Walker AFB), NM, 6 Nov 1945-16 Jun 1952. Whiteman AFB, MO, 15 Jul 1993-.
Commanders. Col Paul W. Tibbets Jr., 17 Dec 1944; Col William H. Blanchard, 22 Jan 1946; Col John D. Ryan, 15 Sep 1948; Col William H. Blanchard, 21 Jul 1951-16 Jun 1952. Col William M. Fraser III, 15 Jul 1993; Col Gregory H. Power, 23 Jan 1995; Col Wilhelm F. Percival, 15 Jul 1996; Col Anthony A. Imondi, 30 Jun 1998; Col Jonathan D. George, 6 Jan 2000; Col Gregory A. Biscone, 7 Dec 2001; Col Curtiss R. Petrek, 22 May 2003; Col Robert E. Wheeler, 28 Jun 2005; Col Thomas A. Bussiere, 9 Jul 2007; Col James Dawkins Jr., 1 Jun 2009; Lt Col Robert S. Spalding, 30 Mar 2011-.
Aircraft. B-29, 1944-1950; C-47, 1944-1945; C-54, 1945-1946; KB-29, 1948-1952; B-50, 1949-1952. B-2, 1993-; T-38, 1993-.
Operations. The 509 Composite Group, the first Army Air Forces group to be organized, equipped, and trained for atomic warfare, moved to Tinian by Jun 1945 and flew practice missions through Jul. On 6 Aug 1945 a B-29 named the “Enola Gay,” piloted by the group commander, Col Paul W. Tibbets Jr., dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later “Bockscar” piloted by Maj Charles W. Sweeney, dropped a similar bomb on Nagasaki. These two bombs, the first atomic weapons ever employed, contributed immensely to the war’s end. The group returned to the United States, Oct-Nov 1945. In Mar 1946, the group provided the nucleus for the Strategic Air Command’s atomic striking force. Later in 1946, participated in atomic tests (Operation CROSSROADS) in the Marshall Islands. After CROSSROADS, except for two periods when the group was not operational (17 Nov 1947-14 Sep 1948 and 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952), trained in long-range bombardment and air-to-air refueling missions. The group inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Since 1993, supported, maintained and operated aircraft fleet that enabled the 509 Bomb Wing to fulfill its mission of conducting conventional or nuclear operations. Equipped with B-2s. Since 1993, with like-numbered wing to which it was assigned, furnished USAF’s only source of stealth heavy bomber capability. In 1999, flew nonstop bombing missions from Whiteman AFB, MO to Serbia during Operation Allied Force. At the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom, in October 2001, six of the group’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 group also took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, flying non-stop flights from Missouri to targets in Iraq. Maintained combat-ready resources to conduct conventional or nuclear operations. In Feb 2005 started continuous deployments to Andersen AFB, Guam to provide bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Group B-2s also flew missions during Operation Odyssey Dawn in 2011.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Western Pacific. Kosovo: Air Campaign.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jul-14 Aug 1945. 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; l Jun 2010-31 May 2011; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2013. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 21 Jun 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Mar 2011.
Supersedes statement prepared on 26 Dec 2012.
Emblem. Approved on 20 Nov 2019.
Prepared by Daniel Haulman.