Description
PVC made/mounted on velcro 4.0 inch-100mm
20th BOMB SQUADRON (ACC)
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-.
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.
Emblem. Approved 12 Jun 1924.