Lineage. Established as 307 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, on 28 Jul 1947. Organized on 15 Aug 1947. Redesignated as 307 Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 28 May 1948. Discontinued and inactivated on 25 Mar 1965. Redesignated as 307 Strategic Wing on 21 Jan 1970. Activated on 1 Apr 1970. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1975. Redesignated as 307 Bomb Wing on 8 Dec 2010. Activated on 1 Jan 2011.
Assignments. Strategic Air Command, 15 Aug 1947-12 Jul 1948. Strategic Air Command, 12 Jul 1948; Fifteenth Air Force, 16 Dec 1948; Second Air Force, 1 Apr 1950; 6 Air Division, 10 Feb 1951 (attached to Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional, 10 Feb-11 Aug 1951; Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional, ADVON, 12 Aug-11 Sep 1951; Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional, 12 Sep 1951-17 Jun 1954; Twentieth Air Force, 18 Jun 1954-); 818 Air (later, 818 Strategic Aerospace) Division, 11 Oct 1954-25 Mar 1965 (remained attached to Twentieth Air Force to 19 Nov 1954; attached to 7 Air Division, 7 Jul-5 Oct 1956). Eighth Air Force, 1 Apr 1970 (attached to Air Division Provisional, 17, 1 Jun 1972-31 Dec 1974); 3 Air Division, 1 Jan-30 Sep 1975. Tenth Air Force, 1 Jan 2011-.
Operational Components. Wing: 82 Fighter: attached 12 Jul-15 Dec 1948. Groups: 306 Bombardment: attached 1 Aug 1948-31 Aug 1950 (not operational, 1-12 Aug 1948). 307 Bombardment (later, 307 Operations): 15 Aug 1947-16 Jun 1952 (detached 16 Jul-3 Nov 1948 and 8 Aug 1950-9 Feb 1951; not operational, 10 Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952); 1 Jan 2011-. 489 Bombardment, 17 Oct 2015-. Squadrons: 99 Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 1 Jan-30 Sep 1975. 307 Air Refueling: attached c. 1 Aug-15 Sep 1950 (not operational, c. 1 Aug-15 Sep 1950); assigned 16 Jun 1952-1 Jul 1953 (detached 16 Jun 1952-1 Jul 1953); assigned 8 Nov 1954-1 Jun 1960 (detached 8 Nov 1954-31 Jan 1955, 8 Apr-21 May 1955, 2 Jul-3 Oct 1957, c. 1 Oct 1958-9 Jan 1959, and c. 4 Jul-5 Oct 1959). Bombardment Squadron, Provisional, 364: attached 1 Jul 1972-30 Jun 1975 (not operational, 1 Jul 1972-c. 29 Jan 1973 and 9-30 Jun 1975). Bombardment Squadron, Provisional, 365: attached 1 Jul 1972-1 Jul 1974 (not operational, 1 Jul 1972-c. 29 Jan 1973). 370 Bombardment: attached 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952-25 Mar 1965. 371 Bombardment: attached 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952-25 Mar 1965. 372 Bombardment: attached 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952-25 Mar 1965. 424 Bombardment: 1 Sep 1958-1 Jan 1962. Air Refueling Squadron Provisional, 901: attached 1 Jul 1974-30 Sep 1975. 4180 Bombardment: 1 Oct 1970-31 Dec 1971 (not operational, 1 Oct 1970-31 Dec 1971). 4181 Bombardment: 1 Apr 1970-31 Mar 1972 (not operational, 1 Apr 1970-31 Mar 1972). 4362 Support (later, 4362 Post Attack Command Control): attached 20 Jul 1962-24 Dec 1964 (not operational, 20 Jul-c. 31 Jul 1962).
Stations. MacDill Field (later, AFB), FL, 15 Aug 1947-12 Jul 1948. MacDill AFB, FL, 12 Jul 1948-14 Aug 1953 (deployed at Kadena AB, Okinawa, 10 Feb 1951-14 Aug 1953); Kadena AB, Okinawa, 15 Aug 1953-19 Nov 1954; Lincoln AFB, NE, 20 Nov 1954-25 Mar 1965 (deployed at RAF Lakenheath, England, 7 Jul-5 Oct 1956). U-Tapao Air Field, Thailand, 1 Apr 1970-30 Sep 1975. Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Jan 2011-.
Commanders. Col Bayard Johnson, 15 Aug 1947; Brig Gen Donald R. Hutchison, c. 5 Sep 1947; Col Bayard Johnson, 28 Apr 1948; Brig Gen Donald R. Hutchison, 17 May 1948; Col Bayard Johnson, 16 Mar 1949; Brig Gen James E. Briggs, 28 Mar 1949; Col Thayer S. Olds, c. 1 Aug 1950; Col John M. Reynolds, 23 Sep 1950; Col Thayer S. Olds, c. 8 Oct 1950; Col John A. Hilger, 10 Feb 1951; Col John M. Reynolds, 15 Mar 1951; Col William H. Hanson, 20 Aug 1951; Col John C. Jennison Jr., 4 Feb 1952; Brig Gen Raymond L. Winn, 8 May 1952; Col Charles S. Overstreet, c. 1 Oct 1952; Col Austin J. Russell, 29 Dec 1952; Col James W. Wilson, 14 Sep 1953; Col Louis G. Thorup, 8 Jun 1954; Maj William T. Minor, 20 Nov 1954; Lt Col Douglas M. Conlan, 1 Dec 1954; Col Louis G. Thorup, 15 Dec 1954; Col Ernest C. Hardin Jr., 11 Jan 1955; Col Ralph G. Vaughn, 23 Feb 1955; Col Ernest C. Hardin Jr., 26 Feb 1955; Col Louis G. Thorup, 15 Mar 1955; Col Robert B. Nowell, 13 May 1957; Col Elkins Read Jr., 18 May 1957; Col Walter W. Berg, 14 Oct 1960; Col William E. Bertram, 27 Nov 1961; Col William E. Riggs, 5 Apr 1963; Col Arthur W. Holderness Jr., 18 Jan-c. 25 Mar 1965. Brig Gen Woodrow A. Abbott, 1 Apr 1970; Brig Gen John R. Hinton Jr., 5 Jul 1970; Brig Gen Frank W. Elliott Jr., 5 Jul 1971; Col Donald M. Davis, 1 Jun 1972; Col Bill V. Brown, 11 Feb 1973; Col Frank J. Apel Jr., 21 Aug 1973; Col Ernest J. Stirman, 10 Apr 1974; Brig Gen George D. Miller, 1 Jan 1975; Col Ernest J. Stirman, 22 Jan 1975; Col Caryl W. Calhoun, 6 Mar 1975; Col George A. Dugard, 12 Aug-30 Sep 1975. Brig Gen John Mooney III, 1 Jan 2011; Col Jonathan M. Ellis, 11 Feb 2012-.
Aircraft. P-51 (later, F-51), 1947-1948; B-29, 1947-1950, 1951-1954; B-50, 1950; B-47, 1955-1965; KC-97, 1955-1960; EB-47, 1962-1964. B-52, 1970-1975; KC-135, 1970-1972, 1974-1975; RC-135, 1975. B-52, 2011-. B1, 17 Oct 2015-.
Operations. On 15 Aug 1947, the 307 Bombardment Wing replaced the 94 Combat Bombardment Wing Provisional, 1 Combat Airdrome Group (Provisional); 326 AAF Base Unit and 330 Air Service Group as part of an Air Force-wide service test of a new wing-base plan at MacDill Field, FL. It also controlled Grenier Field, NH and Avon Park Army Air Field, FL. Beginning in Sep 1947, the wing trained other Strategic Air Command units in antisubmarine warfare operations. Between Feb 1949 and Aug 1950 it also operated a B-29 transition training school and combat crew standardization training for SAC units. On 1 Sep 1950 the 306 Bombardment Wing activated at MacDill AFB, FL and the 307 Wing’s mission became one of operating the base. It relinquished all of its personnel to man the 6 Air Division and transferred to Kadena AB, Okinawa without personnel and equipment on 10 Feb 1951. At Kadena, the Wing absorbed the resources of the 307 Bombardment Group and assumed a combat role in Korea. From Feb 1950 through Jul 1953, the Wing performed day attacks against bridges, troop concentrations, airfields, supply dumps, rail yards, lines of communication, and night attacks against enemy front-line positions and industrial targets. When hostilities ended in a truce, the wing remained in the Far East until late 1954, constantly training to maintain combat readiness. During this period, it flew missions to Korea, Japan, Formosa, and the Philippines for joint maneuvers and operations with air defense and naval forces. Crews began to arrive at Lincoln AFB, NE in Mar 1955. The wing trained intensively until combat ready in Apr 1956. From then until Jan 1956, the wing performed routine bombardment training operations, including a deployment to England in 1956. It won the Fairchild Trophy in Oct 1959 during the SAC bombing competition. Activated in Thailand in Apr 1970, the wing replaced and absorbed the resources of the 4258 Strategic Wing. Over the next five years, it was the only regular Air Force SAC wing in Southeast Asia. Tanker and bomber aircraft were furnished on temporary duty by other SAC wings. Its mission consisted of conventional bombing operations and aerial refueling of US aircraft. Splitting its assets between Air Division Provisional, 17 and Strategic Wing Provisional, 310, the latter assumed control over all KC-135 assets in SEA in Jun 1972. Two provisional bomb squadrons were attached but neither was manned before combat operations ceased in Vietnam. From late Jan 1973, the wing flew numerous training missions, and after 14 Aug 1973 reverted entirely to bombardment training and air refueling operations and training. It was awarded the Omaha Trophy as the best wing in SAC, 1972 and the Air Force Association’s 1972 “David C. Schilling Award” in recognition of its outstanding Linebacker II combat operations. In 1969 and again in 1972, the wing won the “CINCSAC Flying Unit of the Year” awards. The wing B-52 force began dwindling in May 1974, and the final bomber left U-Tapao in Jun 1975, leaving only KC and RC-135s. For its final nine months, control of the wing passed to 3 Air Division at Anderson AFB, Guam. The wing was gradually reduced in both strength and in the scope of operations in support of the US withdrawal of combat forces from Thailand. Equipped with B-52 aircraft; conducted formal aircrew training and global operational taskings, 2011-. In Oct 2015, with the addition of the 489 Bombardment Group, assumed a formal B1 training mission element along with combat support operations.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Korea: First UN Counter Offensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall 1953. Vietnam: Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: (Korea), 11-27 Jul 1953. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 Apr 1970-31 Mar 1971; 1 Apr 1971-31 Mar 1972; 1 Apr 1972-28 Jan 1973; 29 Jan-31 Dec 1973. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [10 Feb 1951]-27 Jul 1953. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 8 Feb-31 Mar 1971; [1 Apr 1970]-28 Jan 1973.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 307 Bombardment Group prior to 28 Jul 1947. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Central Pacific; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: (Truk), 29 Mar 1944; (Borneo), 3 Oct 1944. Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Aircraft, Operations, and Honors through 6 Aug 2019.
Commanders through Oct 2012.
Supersedes statement prepared in Oct 2012.
Emblem. Approved on 23 Dec 1952, newest rendition approved 10 Dec 2014
Prepared by James M. Musser.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.