| 93d Bomb Squadron | |
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93d Bomb Squadron Patch |
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| Active | 21 August 1917 - 31 March 1919 20 October 1939 - 1 February 1963 1 October 1993 - Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Strategic Bombing |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command Tenth Air Force 307th Bomb Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Barksdale Air Force Base |
| Engagements | Battle of the Philippines |
| Decorations | DCU AFOUA PPUC ROK PUC |
The 93d Bomb Squadron (93 BS) is part of the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It operates B-52 Stratofortress aircraft providing strategic bombing capability. It is one of two reserve bomber units in the United States Air Force.
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Employ the bomber in support of Air Force worldwide conventional commitments.
Established as the 93d Aero Squadron in the Air Service during the summer of 1917 in Texas during World War I. Deployed to France in October 1917 and trained for aerial combat with the French Air Force. Deployed to the Western Front and the squadron flew combat missions in France as a pursuit unit from 11 August 1918 – 10 November 1918. Remained in France until March 1919 when the squadron returned to the United States and inactivated.
Was reactivated in 1939 as part of the General Headquarters Air Force as the 93d Bombardment Squadron, assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group at March Field, California. Initially equipped with Martin B-10s, later B-18 Bolos, receiving early model B-17C Flying Fortresses in 1939.
Deployed to the Philippines Air Force at Clark Field, Philippine Commonwealth in October 1941 as a reinforcement unit when tensions were escalating between the United States and the Japanese Empire. On 8 December 1941 many of the squadrons aircraft were destroyed during an air raid at Clark in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor Attack; the survivors engaging on combat from secondary airfields against the invading Japanese forces until the situation in the Philippines became untenable and withdrew 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 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.
In April 1944, re-equipped with B-29 Superfortresses and assigned to XXI Bomber Command in the Northern Mariana Islands. Engaged in very long-range strategic bombing of the Japanese Home Islands until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. Squadron remained as part of Far East Air Forces Twentieth Air Force on Guam during the postwar era. Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa after the eruption of the Korean War, flew long range strategic combat missions over enemy targets in North Korea until 1954 when returned to the United States; the squadrons B-29s being sent to reclamation.
Re-equipped with 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 provisional 4133d Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52H Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers. Was reassigned to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota by SAC 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/equipment being redesignated 46th Bombardment Squadron in an in-place, name-only transfer.
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 Barskdale AFB 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.
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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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