Lineage. Organized as 20 Aero Squadron on 26 Jun1917. Redesignated: 20 Squadron on 14 Mar 1921; 20 Bombardment Squadron on 25 Jan 1923; 20 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 Dec 1939; 20 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 26 Mar 1943. Inactivated on 28 Feb 1946. Redesignated 20 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 5 Apr 1946. Activated on 1 Jul 1947. Redesignated: 20 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 28 May 1948; 20 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Apr 1963; 20 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. Unkn, 26 Jun 1917-9 Sep 1918; 1 Day Bombardment Group, 10 Sep 1918; unkn, Nov 1918-18 Sep 1919; 1 Day Bombardment (later, 2 Bombardment) Group, 18 Sep 1919-28 Feb 1946. 2 Bombardment Group, 1 Jul 1947 (attached to 3 Air Division, 6 Aug-16 Nov 1948; 2 Bombardment Wing, 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952); 2 Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 7 Bombardment Wing, 25 Jun 1965; 7 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 2 Operations Group, 18 Dec 1992-.
Stations. Camp Kelly, TX, 26 Jun 1917; Wilbur Wright Field, OH, 31 Jun 1917; Garden City, NY, 1 Nov-17 Dec 1917; Stamford, England, 7 Jan 1918; Delouze, France, 26 Aug 1918; Amanty, France, 7 Sep 1918; Maulan, France, 23 Sep 1918; Colombey-les-Belles, France, 17 Jan 1919; Guitres, France, 19 Jan 1919; St. Denis de Pile, France, 14 Feb 1919; Libourne (Bordeaux), France, 27 Feb-20 Apr 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, 2 May 1919; Ellington Field, TX, Jun 1919; Kelly Field, TX, 24 Sep 1919; Langley Field, VA, 30 Jun 1922 (Operated from Mitchel Field, NY, 8 Dec 1941-24 Jan 1942); Ephrata, WA, 29 Oct 1942; Great Falls AAB, MT, 28 Nov 1942-13 Mar 1943; Navarin, Algeria, 25 Apr 1943; Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 27 Apr 1943; Ain M'Lila, Algeria, 17 Jun 1943; Massicault, Tunisia, 31 Jul 1943; Amendola, Italy, 8 Dec 1943; Foggia, Italy, 10 Oct 1945-28 Feb 1946. Andrews Field, MD, 1 Jul 1947; Davis-Monthan Field (later, AFB), AZ, 24 Sep 1947 (deployed at Lakenheath RAF Station, England, 6 Aug-16 Nov 1948); Chatham AFB, GA, 1 May 1949; Hunter AFB, GA, 29 Sep 1950 (deployed at Wyton RAF Station, England, 4 May-7 Sep 1951; Upper Heyford RAF, England, 6 Sep-3 Dec 1952; Sidi Slimane AB, French Morocco, 5 Aug-30 Sep 1954, 3-7 Nov 1955, 8-18 Mar 1956, and 6 Jul-26 Aug 1956; RAF Lakenheath, England; 10-18 Mar 1958); Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Apr 1963; Carswell AFB, TX, 25 Jun 1965; Barksdale AFB, LA, 17 Dec 1992-.
Commanders. Capt W. W. Wynne, 26 Jun 1917; 1 Lt Henry D. Lindsley, c. Aug 1917; unkn, 7 Jan 1918; 1 Lt H. N. Lyndall, 1 May 1918; 2 Lt J. M. Fallon, 7 Aug 1918; 1 Lt Cecil G. Sellers, 17 Aug 1918; unkn, c. May 1919; Capt Donald P. Muse, 23 Jul 1919; Lt Gerald E. Brower, 29 Aug 1919; unkn, 24 Sep 1919; Capt Willis H. Hale, 1 Apr 1924; unkn, 6 Jul 1927; Capt Asa N. Duncan, 18 Aug 1927; unkn, c. Jul 1930; Capt Robert T. Cronau, Sep 1930; 1 Lt Frederick E. Glantzberg, c. 26 Mar 1935; Maj Barney M. Giles, c. 31 May 1935; 1 Lt Frederick E. Glantzberg, 26 Jul 1936; Capt Ward J. Davies, c. 13 Sep 1936; Maj Vincent J. Meloy, c. Oct 1936; Maj Theodore J. Koenig, 5 Aug 1939; Capt Carl B. McDaniel, 1 Feb 1940; Maj William L. Ritchie, 25 Oct 1940; Maj Herbert K. Baisley, 15 Jan 1941; unkn, c. Apr 1941; Maj Dale O. Smith, 1941; Maj Charles A. Esau, 1942; Capt Joseph L. Triggs, 29 Oct 1942; Capt Harold L. Chrisman, 25 Jan 1944; Maj James G. Ellis, 20 Mar 1944; Capt Charles W. Shepard, 25 Sep 1944; Lt Col Maurice A. Berry, 26 Dec 1944; Capt William J. Horton, 10 May 1945; Lt Col Harry W. Robb, 2 Sep 1945; Capt William J. Horton, c. 8 Sep 1945; Maj Marion H. Crum, 3 Oct 1945; Capt Frank L. Voightman, 15 Nov 1945; none (not manned), 20-28 Feb 1946. None (not manned), 1 Jul 1947; Maj Jack O. Brown, c. Oct 1947; Lt Col Henry J. Lawrence, 22 Dec 1947; Lt Col Lyle C. Maritzen, 4 Oct 1948; Maj Hugh B. Vail, Jun 1949; Lt Col Julian A. Harvey, 1 Sep 1949; Lt Col Lyle C. Maritzen, Jul 1950; Maj Floyd H. Haywood, Jr., 25 Jun 1951; Lt Col Earle F. MacDonald, 5 Oct 1953; Maj Paul C. Watson, 24 Mar 1954; Maj John B. Boynton, 18 Jul 1956; Maj Jesse G. Morris, 28 Mar 1958; Maj Joseph Hojanacki, 5 Aug 1958; Maj George O. Bolen, 3 Jun 1959; Maj Kenneth A. Krig, 15 Jun 1959; Lt Col Thomas Glassburner, Aug 1960; Maj Harold B. Buckley, 18 Jun 1961; Lt Col Frederick C. Keish, 1 Apr 1963; Lt Col James D. Naler, 15 Jul 1963; Lt Col Joe B. Bruce, c. 15 Jun 1965; Lt Col Richard E. Fitzhugh, 15 Dec 1966; Lt Col Judson H. Ruth, 20 Apr 1969; Lt Col Allen Kempe Jr., 15 Sep 1971; Lt Col Vincent S. Fazio, 21 Aug 1972; Maj John Banta, 7 Feb 1973; Lt Col Vincent S. Fazio, 31 Jul 1973; Lt Col Billy S. Lyons, 7 Jun 1974; Lt Col Robert J. Mellody, 1 Sep 1975; Lt Col Ronnie W. Beezley, 31 May 1977; Lt Col Robert J. Issak, 30 May 1979; Lt Col George P. Cole Jr., 21 Mar 1980; Lt Col Kenneth L. Hagemann, 10 Apr 1981; Lt Col Gary R. Hinkle, 23 Jul 1982; Lt Col Edgar A. Ott, 30 Sep 1983; Lt Col Julian B. Hall, 1 Oct 1984; Lt Col Donald D. Karle, 24 Apr 1986; Lt Col Ronald Handley, 17 Feb 1987; Lt Col Gary A. Winterberger, 15 Apr 1987; Lt Col Jeffrey L. Wall, 27 Jun 1989; Lt Col John C. Moore, 5 Apr 1991; Lt Col Clifford L. Sjolund, 22 May 1992; Lt Col David A. Sarver, 20 Sep 1993; Lt Col Johnnie R. Madison, 3 May 1995; Lt Col James P. Stanton, 31 May 1996; Lt Col David A. Crockett, 27 May 1998; Lt Col William P. Rushing III, 19 Jul 1999; Lt Col Paul G. Bell, 20 Nov 2000; Lt Col John W. Robinson Jr., 3 May 2002; Lt Col Edwin F. Donaldson III, 25 Jul 2003; Lt Col Stephen M. Matson, 8 Sep 2004 (temporary); Lt Col Edwin F. Donaldson III, 14 Jan 2005; Lt Col Mark S. Maryak, 22 Jul 2005-.
Aircraft. DH-4; 1918-c. 1927; MB-2 (NBS-1), 1921-1927; O-400, 1921-unkn; XLB-1, 1927 (service test); XLB-5, 1927 (service test); LB-5, 1927-1929; LB-6, 1929-unkn; LB-7, 1929-unkn; B-3, 1931-unkn; B-5, 1931; B-6, 1932-1935; Y1B-9, 1932-1936; B-2, 1935-unkn; YB-10, 1936-1937; B-10, 1936-unkn; YB-12, 1936-1937; YB-17, 1937-1941 (service test); B-17, 1937-1945; B-18, 1938-1942; BC-1, 1938-unkn; B-23, c. 1939; A-17, c. 1939-1940; A-20, c. 1940-unkn; B-34, c. 1941-unkn; B-25, 1941-1942; B-29, 1947-1950; B-50, 1949-1953; B-47, 1954-1963; B-52, 1963-.
Operations. Combat as day bombardment unit with First Army, 14 Sep-5 Nov 1918; demonstrated effectiveness of aerial bombardment on warships, 5 Sep 1923; good-will flights to South America, 1938, 1939. Antisubmarine patrols, 8 Dec 1941-c. 28 Oct 1942; combat in MTO and ETO, 28 Apr 1943-1 May 1945. Electronic countermeasures testing and evaluation, May 1950-May 1952. Deployed B-52s and aircrews for combat in Southeast Asia, Sep 1969-Mar 1970. During the 1980s, conducted B-52 training missions over bombing range sites and supported wing primary mission of aerial bombardment. From 1999-2000, trained for global conventional bombardment missions and maintained nuclear operational readiness. After terrorist attack against the U.S. on 11 Sep 2001, deployed to the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean; on 7 Oct 2001 flew attacks on targets in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. In Feb 2003, deployed to Guam to deter North Korean aggression. Since 1994, supported worldwide conventional taskings and maintained nuclear readiness.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War I: St. Mihiel; Lorraine; Meuse-Argonne. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Steyr, Austria, 24 Feb 1944; Germany, 25 Feb 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 Sep 1969-28 Mar 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Nov 1956-1 Apr 1957; 21 Jun-1 Dec 1965; 1 Jul 1976-30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1984-30 Jun 1986; 1 Oct 1993-31 May 1995; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Sep 1969-28 Mar 1970.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 8 Sep 2006.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through8 Sep 2006.
Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999).
Emblem. Approved 12 Jun 1924; latest rendering, 27 Jun 2019.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.