| 11th Bomb Squadron | |
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11th Bomb Squadron Patch |
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| Active | 26 June 1917 - 31 July 1927 1 June 1928 - 2 November 1945 1 September 1954 - 18 June 1958 1 October 1982 - 31 May 1991 1 July 1994 - present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Strategic Bombing |
| Part of | Air Force Global Strike Command 8th Air Force 2d Bomb Wing 2d Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Barksdale Air Force Base |
| Nickname | Jiggs Squadron or Bewilderment Group |
| Colors | Gold and Black |
| Mascot | Mr. Jiggs |
| Engagements | World War I World War II |
| Decorations | DCU AFOUA |
The 11th Bomb Squadron (11 BS) is part of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It operates B-52 Stratofortress aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.
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Exceptional warriors ready now to provide responsive, flexible and accurate bomber combat power and expeditionary combat support to warfighting commanders… anytime… anywhere..[1]
The 11th saw combat as a day bombardment unit with First Army, 14 September 1918, which was a bloody baptism of fire. But an attempted raid the following day practically devastated the fledgling squadron. "Out of a formation of six planes which crossed the lines," remembered surviving veteran Paul S. Green, "only one succeeded in staggering back in a riddled condition." Henceforward, the 11th Squadron, earlier and officially designated the "Jiggs Squadron" was unkindly referred to throughout the U.S. Air Service as the "Bewilderment Group."[2] Jiggs was a cartoon character invented five years before by an 11th Squadron officer, George McManus, whose comic strip, "Bringing Up Father," was the first of its kind to attract a worldwide readership. The Bewilderment Group's emblem featured the famous Jiggs with a bomb tucked under his arm.[3] The 11th flew from then to the 5th of November 1918 and went on to fly Mexican border patrol from c. August-November 1919. It participated in demonstrations of effectiveness of aerial bombardment on warships on 5 September 1923.
The 11th flew Antisubmarine patrols off the California coast from, 8-c. 10 December 1941 in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor Attack. Deployed to Australia in late 1941, being assigned to Fifth Air Force and the heavy bomb squadrons being formed there after the withdrawal of B-17s from Clark Field in January 1942 when operations from Clark became untenable during the 1942 Battle of the Philippines. Engaged Japanese forces during the Dutch East Indies campaign, flying bombing missions from Java until again forced to withdrawal to Australia in April 1942.
Squadron returned to the United States in mid-1942, leaving B-17s in Australia and being re-equipped under Third Air Force as a B-25 Mitchell medium bombardment squadron. Deployed to Tenth Air Force in India, later being assigned to Fourteenth Air Force in China, engaging in tactical bombing of enemy targets and supporting British and Chinese ground forces in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. Most personnel demobilized in India in the fall of 1945, equipment being turned over to Indian forces after the war. Squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November 1945.
Activated in 1954 as a MGM-1 Matador tactical missile squadron under Ninth Air Force. It was subsequently redesignated the 11th Tactical Missile Squadron on 8 June 1955, and on 1 July 1956 the 11th deployed to Europe attached to the 7382nd Guided Missile Group (Tactical) at Hahn AB, West Germany, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe. It was reassigned to the 587th Tactical Missile Group, also at Hahn AB.
On 18 June 1958, the 11th TMS was inactivated and replaced with the 822d Tactical Missile Squadron, 587th Tactical Missile Group, with the activation of the 38th Tactical Missile Wing at Hahn AB and the deactivation of the 701st TMW.
Reactivated in 1982 as a BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile squadron at RAF Greenham Common, England. Inactivated in 1991 with the elimination of GLCMs from Europe as a result of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
Re-designated as a Heavy Bomb Squadron and equipped with B-52Hs at Barksdale AFB in 1994 as part of Air Combat Command; reassigned to Global Strike Command in 2010.
Since 1994, it has trained B-52 combat crews, maintained readiness to deploy in support of national objectives, and maintained ability to sustain heavy firepower in global situations.
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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