Lineage. Established as 28 Composite Group on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as 28 Bombardment Group (Composite) on 11 Dec 1943. Inactivated on 20 Oct 1945. Redesignated as 28 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 15 Jul 1946. Activated on 4 Aug 1946. Redesignated as: 28 Bombardment Group, Medium on 28 May 1948; 28 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 16 May 1949; 28 Strategic Reconnaissance Group on 1 Apr 1950; 28 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, Heavy on 16 Jul 1950. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as: 28 Bombardment Group, Heavy on 31 Jul 1985; 28 Operations Group on 29 Aug 1991. Activated on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. 1 Wing (later, 1 Bombardment Wing), 1 Feb 1940; Alaska Defense Command, 23 Feb 1941 (attached to Air Field Forces, Alaska Defense Command, 21 May-16 Oct 1941; Air Force, Alaska Defense Command, 17 Oct 1941-14 Jan 1942); Alaskan (later, 11; Eleventh) Air Force, 15 Jan 1942 (attached to Provisional XI Bomber Command, c. 5 Feb 1942-18 Mar 1943); XI Bomber Command, 19 Mar 1943; Eleventh Air Force, 31 Mar 1944-20 Oct 1945. Fifteenth Air Force, 4 Aug 1946 (attached to Alaskan Air Command, 20 Oct 1946-); Strategic Air Command, 1 Jan 1947 (remained attached to Alaskan Air Command to 3 Feb 1947); Alaskan Air Command, 4 Feb 1947; Fifteenth Air Force, 10 Mar 1947; 28 Bombardment (later, 28 Strategic Reconnaissance) Wing, 15 Aug 1947-16 Jun 1952 (attached to 3 Air Division, 19 Jul-18 Oct 1948). 28 Wing (later, 28 Bomb Wing), 1 Sep 1991-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 4 Airborne Command and Control: 1 Sep 1991-30 Sep 1992. 11 Pursuit (later, 11 Fighter): 2 Feb-7 Jun 1942. 18 Pursuit (later, 18 Fighter): 24 Feb 1941-7 Jun 1942. 21 Bombardment: attached 9 Jan 1942-c. 19 Sep 1943. 28 Air Refueling: 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992. 34 Bomb: 19 Sep 2002-. 34 Pursuit: 1 Feb-30 Nov 1940. 36 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1940-19 Oct 1943. 37 Bombardment (later, 37 Bomb): 1 Feb 1940-23 Apr 1941; 1 Sep 1991-. 73 Bombardment: 3 May 1941-6 Oct 1943. 77 Bombardment (later, 77 Strategic Reconnaissance; 77 Bomb): 2 Jan 1942-20 Oct 1945; 4 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952); 1 Sep 1991-31 Mar 1995; 1 Apr 1997-19 Sep 2002. 404 Bombardment: attached c. 12 Jul-c. 20 Sep 1942, assigned c. 21 Sep 1942-20 Oct 1945. 406 Bombardment: attached c. Jun 1942-c. Oct 1943. 432 Attack: 1 Oct 2011-. 717 Bombardment (later, 717 Strategic Reconnaissance): 4 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952). 718 Bombardment (later, 718 Strategic Reconnaissance): 4 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952).
Stations. March Field, CA, 1 Feb 1940; Moffett Field, CA, 10 Dec 1940-12 Feb 1941; Elmendorf Field, Alaska, 23 Feb 1941; Adak, Aleutian Islands, 14 Mar 1943; Shemya, Aleutian Islands, 26 Feb 1944-20 Oct 1945. Grand Island AAFld, NE, 4 Aug-6 Oct 1946; Elmendorf Field, Alaska, 20 Oct 1946-25 Apr 1947; Rapid City AAB (later, Rapid City Afld; Rapid City AFB), SD, 3 May 1947-16 Jun 1952 (deployed at RAF Station Scampton, England, 19 Jul-19 Oct 1948). Ellsworth AFB, SD, 1 Sep 1991-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Aleutian Islands.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Kuril Islands, 1 Apr 1944-13 Aug 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2003. 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 1991-1 Jul 1993; 1 Jun-30 Nov 1994; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005; 1 Jun 2007-31 May 2009.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 11 Apr 2018.
Commanders through Jul 2009; Aircraft, and Operations through Jan 2012.
Supersedes statement prepared on 8 Oct 2015.
Emblem. Approved on 7 Feb 2019.
Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman.