93rd Bomb Squadron


The 93rd Bomb Squadron, sometimes written as 93d Bomb Squadron, is a squadron of the United States Air Force Reserve. It is assigned to the 307th Operations Group of Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The squadron is equipped with the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, and is the Air Force's B-52 Formal Training Unit.
It is one of two reserve bomber squadrons in the United States Air Force. The 93rd is one of the oldest and most decorated units in the United States Air Force.

History

World War I

Established as the 93d Aero Squadron in the Air Service during the summer of 1917 in Texas during World War I. Its first predecessor was organized as the 93rd Aero Squadron on 21 August 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to France in October 1917 and trained for aerial combat with the French Air Force. The 93d fought on the Western Front during World War I as a pursuit squadron from 11 August until 10 November 1918. The unit was demobilized after the war in March 1919. The squadron's second predecessor was constituted as the 93rd Attack Squadron in 1929 as part of the United States Army Air Corps.
The squadron was reactivated in 1939 as part of the General Headquarters Air Force as the 93d Bombardment Squadron and assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group at March Field, California. Initially equipped with Martin B-10s, later Douglas B-18 Bolos, receiving early model Boeing B-17C Flying Fortresses before the end of the year.

B-17 Service in the Philippines and Australia

The squadron deployed to the Philippines as the 93rd Bombardment Squadron in 1941, engaging in combat during the 1941-42 Battle of the Philippines at the beginning of World War II. Withdrawn to Australia, it fought in the Dutch East Indies campaign before returning to the United States and being re-equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers. It returned to the Pacific Theater of Operations in early 1945 to carry out strategic bombing missions over the Japanese Home Islands.
The 93rd deployed with part of the 19th Group to the Philippines Air Force at Clark Field, Philippines in October 1941 as a reinforcement unit for the Far East Air Force when tensions were escalating between the United States and the Japanese Empire. On 6 December the 93d was sent to Del Monte Field, a new field established on Mindanao as a dispersal measure.
On 8 December 1941 nearly half of the 19th Group's bombers were destroyed on the ground during an air raid at Clark. The survivors at Del Monte engaged in combat from secondary airfields against the invading Japanese forces until the situation in the Philippines became untenable and they were withdrawn to Australia. The survivors of the ground echelon fought as infantry during Battle of Bataan and after their surrender, were subjected to the Bataan Death March, although some did escape to Australia and some presumably fought on as unorganized guerrilla forces during the Japanese occupation.
In Australia, the escaped airmen and aircraft of the squadron reformed into a combat unit; engaging in combat during the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea Campaigns flying heavy bomber combat missions from Australia.
In late 1942, the B-17C/D and a few F models in Australia were replaced by long-range Consolidated B-24 Liberators, and the unit was returned to the United States and became an operational training unit with Second Air Force for replacement B-17 personnel.

Harl Pease Medal of Honor

On August 7, 1942, Captain Harl Pease led an all-volunteer crew from the 93d in a B-17 with a makeshift, hand-pumped fuel system on a mission over Rabaul, New Britain. While the crew was successful in bombing their target, Pease and his crew were shot down, captured and beheaded by Japanese forces. Pease posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his bravery, and Pease Air Force Base in his hometown of Portsmouth, New Hampshire was named in his honor in 1957.

B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan

It was redesignated on 1 April 1944 as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.
Its groups flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Caroline Islands and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.
The squadron continued attacking urban areas until the end of the war in August 1945, its subordinate units conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B-29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.
it remained on Guam after the war conducted sea-search, photographic mapping, and training missions in the western Pacific.

Korean War

Deployed to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa in June 1950 as a result of the Korean War. Flew strategic bombing missions over North Korea; targets included an oil refinery and port facilities at Wonsan, a railroad bridge at Pyongyang, and Yonpo Airfield. After United Nations ground forces pushed the communists out of South Korea, the squadron turned to strategic objectives in North Korea, including industrial and hydroelectric facilities. It also continued to attack bridges, marshalling yards, supply centers, artillery and troop positions, barracks, port facilities, and airfields.
During the Cold War it carried out B-29 bombardment missions over North Korea during the Korean War, later being a Boeing B-47 Stratojet and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress squadron as part of Strategic Air Command.
Continued bombardment operations until the June 1953 armistice in Korea; returned to the United States in May 1954; the squadrons B-29s being sent to reclamation.

Strategic Air Command

Re-equipped with Boeing B-47 Stratojets in 1954 as part of Strategic Air Command. Flew strategic bombardment training missions until 1962 when B-47s were being phased out of the inventory. In 1960 was reassigned to SAC 4239th Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with Boeing B-52H Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers. The squadron moved to Kinchloe Air Force Base, Michigan to disperse its heavy bomber force. Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent. Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings, redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings. Squadron was inactivated with aircraft, personnel and equipment being transferred to the 716th Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.

Air Force reserve

Reactivated in the Air Force Reserve in 1993, conducting bombardment training. It won the B-52 category of the 1995 Gunsmoke competition and participated in training exercises through the 1990s.
In September 2001 deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom where it flew 88 combat missions before redeploying to Barksdale Air Force Base in January 2002. It deployed in support of operations in Afghanistan again from May–September 2002. In March 2003 the 93d deployed to RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Between March and August 2003 the 93d flew more than 100 combat sorties and dropped over 1 million pounds of munitions. From January–March 2005 the squadron deployed to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam as part of an ongoing bomber rotation to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the Asian-Pacific region by the U.S. Pacific Command.
On March 3rd 2017, Lt. Col. Steven R. Smith became the first WSO to reach 10,000 hours on the B-52. As an flight instructor with the 93rd Bomb Squadron, Lt. Col.Smith had 496 combat hours and over 30 Years on B-52.

B-52 Formal Training Unit

In March 2009 the unit assigned the responsibility of being Air Force's Formal Training Unit and will train and prepare Air Combat Command and AFRC B-52 aircrews for worldwide missions. The squadron's aircraft complement grew from eight to 16, with the new assets transferring over from Barksdale's active duty 2nd Bomb Wing. The 2nd BW's 11th BS, the current B-52 FTU, became an active associate to the 93rd BS. The squadron will provide aircraft and produce sorties for the 340th Weapons School and the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron, a B-52 test organization, at Barksdale AFB.
Although the 93rd BS will no longer be an operational squadron once the FTU stands up, a small classic association comprised four crews will maintain combat proficiency with the 2nd BW.

Lineage

; 93d Aero Squadron
; 93d Bomb Squadron