96th Bomb Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 96th Bomb Squadron (96 BS) is part of the 2d Bomb Wing
at Barksdale Air Force Base
, Louisiana
. It operates B-52 Stratofortress
aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.
The 96th saw combat as part of the 1st Day Bombardment Group, supporting the French Eighth
and U.S. First Army from, 12 June 1918 – 4 November 1918. It operated French-made Breguet 14
planes and was involved in an embarrassing fiasco when the entire squadron landed around Koblenz, Germany by accident, providing all of their planes intact to the Germans. Nonetheless, it was the most heavily engaged and most successful USAS bomber squadron. Between the two World Wars it flew Mexican border
patrol from, August 1919-10 January 1920, participated in demonstrations of the effectiveness of aerial bombardment on warships from, June–September 1921, and on 5 September 1923, and took part in good-will flights to South America between 1938 and 1939.
During the Second World War the 96th flew antisubmarine
patrols from, 8 December 1941-c. 28 October 1942 before flying combat missions in the European Theater of Operations
and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
from, 28 April 1943-1 May 1945. It performed occupational duty in Europe from, June 1945-June 1946.
The 96th conducted strategic bombardment training from, 1 July 1947-1 April 1963. In September 1996, deployed and launched attacks against military targets in Iraq
. It earned the 1996 Mackay Trophy
for the 33-hour long mission from Louisiana to Iraq and back as the most meritorious flight of the year. Since 1993 it has conducted combat operations to support worldwide conventional
and nuclear
taskings and provided long-range, heavy strike, initial response, and sustained firepower in support of all regional and global warfighting commanders.
Other accounts speak of the "mermaid of the lagoon" whom aided a famished crew member from drowning across the shark infested lagoon of Diego Garcia to safety and sustenance on the shore.
2d Bomb Wing
The 2d Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale...
at Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. It operates B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.
History
The 96th Aero Squadron was America's first bomber group and was formed at Kelly Field, Texas. Originally consisting of 80 men, largely college graduates or college dropouts, volunteers all, and something of an elite group, since their aeronautical qualifications were the highest in the U.S. Army Air Service. Just before embarking upon its first aerial warfare, the squadron decided upon its insignia, a black triangle outlined by a white strip enclosing the profile of a red devil thumbing his nose at the ground with his right hand. In his left, he held a white bomb. This distinctive emblem was designed by the squadron's talented graphic artist, Harry O. Lawson.The 96th saw combat as part of the 1st Day Bombardment Group, supporting the French Eighth
Eighth Army (France)
The Eighth Army was a Field army of the French Army during the World War I and World War II.After the armistice it was part of the occupation of the Rhineland...
and U.S. First Army from, 12 June 1918 – 4 November 1918. It operated French-made Breguet 14
Breguet 14
-See also:-References:*Tomasz J. Kowalski, Samolot Breguet 14, TBiU no.197, Warsaw 2002, ISBN 83-11-09461-6...
planes and was involved in an embarrassing fiasco when the entire squadron landed around Koblenz, Germany by accident, providing all of their planes intact to the Germans. Nonetheless, it was the most heavily engaged and most successful USAS bomber squadron. Between the two World Wars it flew Mexican border
United States–Mexico border
The United States–Mexico border is the international border between the United States and Mexico. It runs from Imperial Beach, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east, and traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from major...
patrol from, August 1919-10 January 1920, participated in demonstrations of the effectiveness of aerial bombardment on warships from, June–September 1921, and on 5 September 1923, and took part in good-will flights to South America between 1938 and 1939.
During the Second World War the 96th flew antisubmarine
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
patrols from, 8 December 1941-c. 28 October 1942 before flying combat missions in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
from, 28 April 1943-1 May 1945. It performed occupational duty in Europe from, June 1945-June 1946.
The 96th conducted strategic bombardment training from, 1 July 1947-1 April 1963. In September 1996, deployed and launched attacks against military targets in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. It earned the 1996 Mackay Trophy
MacKay trophy
The Mackay Trophy was established on 27 January 1911 by Clarence Hungerford Mackay, who was then head of the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company and the Commercial Cable Company. Originally, aviators could compete for the trophy annually under rules made each year or the War Department could award the...
for the 33-hour long mission from Louisiana to Iraq and back as the most meritorious flight of the year. Since 1993 it has conducted combat operations to support worldwide conventional
Conventional warfare
Conventional warfare is a form of warfare conducted byusing conventional military weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more states in open confrontation. The forces on each side are well-defined, and fight using weapons that primarily target the opposing army...
and nuclear
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
taskings and provided long-range, heavy strike, initial response, and sustained firepower in support of all regional and global warfighting commanders.
Lineage
- Organized as 96 Aero Squadron on 20 Aug 1917
- Redesignated: 96 Squadron (Bombardment) on 14 Mar 1921
- Redesignated: 96 Bombardment Squadron on 25 Jan 1923
- Redesignated: 96 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 Dec 1939
- Redesignated: 96 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, c. 6 Mar 1944
- Inactivated on 28 Feb 1946
- Redesignated 96 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 5 Apr 1946
- Activated on 1 Jul 1947
- Redesignated 96 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 28 May 1948
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Apr 1963
- Redesignated 96 Bomb Squadron on 28 Sep 1993
- Activated on 1 Oct 1993.
- Operates as: 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron (Provisional) when deployed to combat areas after 11 Sept 2001
Assignments
- Unknown, 20 Aug 1917 – Sep 1918
- 1st Day Bombardment Group, Sep–Nov 1918
- Unknown Nov 1918 – Sep 1919
- 1st Day Bombardment (later, 2d Bombardment) Group, 18 Sep 1919–28 Feb 1946
- Attached to 1st Surveillance Group, 12 Nov 1919-10 Jan 1921
- Attached to 1st Provisional Air Brigade, May–Oct 1921
- 2d Bombardment Group, 1 Jul 1947
- Attached to 2d Bombardment Wing, 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952
- 2d Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1963
- 2d Operations Group2d Operations GroupThe 2d Operations Group is the flying component of the United States Air Force 2d Bomb Wing, assigned to the Air Combat Command Eighth Air Force. The group is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 1 Oct 1993-Presnet
- Attached to Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
when aircraft/personnel deployed to combat areas after 11 Sep 2001
Stations
- Camp Kelly, Texas (1917)
- Clermont-FerrandClermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, France (1917–1918) - AmantyAmantyAmanty is a commune in the Meuse department in the Lorraine region in north-eastern France....
, France (1918) - MaulanMaulanMaulan is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
, France (1918–1919) - Colombey-les-BellesColombey-les-BellesColombey-les-Belles is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-Heraldry:-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department...
, France (1919) - Saint-Denis-de-PileSaint-Denis-de-PileSaint-Denis-de-Pile is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, France (1919) - LibourneLibourneLibourne is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.-Geography:...
, France (1918–1919) - Mitchel Field, New York (1919)
- Ellington FieldEllington FieldEllington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...
, New York (1919) - Camp Furlong, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
(1919) - Fort BlissFort BlissFort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
, Texas (1919–1920) - Kelly Field, Texas (1920–1922)
- Langley Field, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(1922–1942) - Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington (1942)
- Glasgow Army Airfield, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
(1942–1943) - Navarin AirfieldNavarin AirfieldNavarin Airfield is a World War II military airfield in Algeria, located approximately 10 km est of El Eulma in Sétif Province. It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force during the North African Campaign for heavy B-17 Flying Fortress bombers against the German Afrika...
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(1943) - Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel AirfieldChateau-dun-du-Rhumel AirfieldChateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 6 km north-northwest of Chelghoum el Aid, in Mila province, about 47 km southwest of Constantine....
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(1943)
- Ain M'lila AirfieldAin M'lila AirfieldAin M'lila Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Algeria, located approximately 17 km north-northwest of Aïn Kercha in Oum el Bouaghi province, about 50 km south-southeast of Constantine...
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(1943) - Massicault Airfield, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
(1943) - Amendola Airfield, Italy (1943–1945)
- Foggia Airfield, Italy (1945–1946)
- Andrews Field, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(1947) - Davis-Monthan Air Force BaseDavis-Monthan Air Force BaseDavis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(1947–1949) - Chatham Air Force Base, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1949–1950) - Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia (1950–1963)
- Deployed: RAF BassingbournRAF BassingbournRAF Bassingbourn is a former military airbase located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston, Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge. During World War II it served first as an RAF station and then as a bomber base of the U.S. Eighth Air Force...
, England (4 May – 24 September 1951) - Deployed: RAF Upper HeyfordRAF Upper HeyfordRAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
, England (4 September – 3 December 1952) - Deployed: Sidi Slimane Air BaseSidi Slimane Air BaseSidi Slimane Air Base is a military air base in Sidi Slimane, a city in the Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen region in Morocco. It is also known as the Fifth Royal Air Force Base, operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force.-History:...
, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
(11 August – 20 September 1954) - Deployed: Sidi Slimane Air BaseSidi Slimane Air BaseSidi Slimane Air Base is a military air base in Sidi Slimane, a city in the Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen region in Morocco. It is also known as the Fifth Royal Air Force Base, operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force.-History:...
, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
(6 July – 26 August 1956)
- Deployed: RAF Bassingbourn
- Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
(1993–Present)
Aircraft Operated
- Breguet 14Breguet 14-See also:-References:*Tomasz J. Kowalski, Samolot Breguet 14, TBiU no.197, Warsaw 2002, ISBN 83-11-09461-6...
(1918) - DH-4 (1918–1928)
- Caproni Ca.3Caproni Ca.3|-See also:-External links:* *...
(1919–1928) - NBS-1 (MB-2) (1919–1928)
- LB-5 (1928–1932)
- LB-7Keystone LB-6|-See also:-References:* John Andrade. U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, p.135. Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-904597-22-9....
(1929–1931)
- B-3Keystone B-3|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979, pp. 43, 135. ISBN 0-904597-22-9....
(1928–1931) - B-5Keystone B-5|-See also:-External links:**...
(1928–1931) - B-6Keystone B-6|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes. New York: Doubleday, 1982. ISBN 0-930083-17-2.-External links:**...
(1932–1936) - B-10Martin B-10The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to go into regular use by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934...
(1936–1942) - B-17 Flying Fortress (1936–1945)
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
(1936–1942)
- B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
(1936–1942) - B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
(1947–1950) - B-50 SuperfortressB-50 SuperfortressThe Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
(1949–1954) - B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
(1954–1963) - B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
(1993–Present)
Operations
- World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
- Operation Desert StrikeOperation Desert StrikeThe 1996 cruise missile strikes on Iraq occurred in September 1996 during the Kurdish Civil War. On August 31, 1996, the Iraqi military launched its biggest offensive since 1991 against the city of Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. This attack stoked American fears that Saddam intended to launch a...
- Operation Desert FoxOperation Desert FoxThe December 1998 bombing of Iraq was a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from December 16–19, 1998 by the United States and United Kingdom...
- Operation Allied ForceOperation Allied ForceThe NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
- Operation Enduring Freedom
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
Mermaid Heritage/Bomber Lore
The 96th has a long history of association with the so called mythical mermaid. From the extensive use of bomber aircraft in the Pacific theatre to the more modern day continuous presence on Diego Garcia and Guam, several times has the song and beauty of the mermaid saved crew dogs from certain peril. More specifically the pacific mermaid, know for here impecable structure and are undeniably artistic form, has aided unconscious downed aircrew into their life rafts. Only glimpses of these striking creatures have been seen as they make their escape once they have nursed their benefactor back to safety. During Vietnam, a Captain by the name of Mike "Merman" Brogan attempted to ditch his B-52 bomber because he was too low for his offenders to safely eject. While the offenders were able to free themselves from the wreckage, Captain Brogan was trapped in his seat. According to Merman, the most striking being he had ever laid eyes on freed him from the plunging wreckage and swam him to the refreshing and reviving surface. His memory not only vividly remembers her astetic qualities but as he had his arm around her, he remembers the feel of her body being extremely firm and perfectly conforming to his hand. Capt. Brogan contacted the most gifted artist in the squadron as soon as he got back to Guam know as "Picasso". The master piece created not only conformed to the hand of its owner in the same perfect manner, it also could be used to refresh as well. A beer stein with the mermaid handle has been a staple in the bomber squadron ever since.Other accounts speak of the "mermaid of the lagoon" whom aided a famished crew member from drowning across the shark infested lagoon of Diego Garcia to safety and sustenance on the shore.
See also
- List of American Aero Squadrons
- Robert D. KnappRobert D. KnappRobert Duane Knapp, Jr. was a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force and an aviation pioneer. He held United States pilot license #185 and led the first Allied aerial attack on Rome in World War II. Knapp received a Silver Star for leading an unescorted bombing raid on a fighter-defended...
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force