93rd Bomb Squadron
The 93rd Bomb Squadron (93rd BS), sometimes written as 93d Bomb Squadron, is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron. It is part of the 307th Operations Group, stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The squadron flies the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress and serves as the Air Force’s B-52 Formal Training Unit (FTU), training aircrews from across the Air Force. It is one of two reserve bomber squadrons and is among the oldest and most decorated units in the U.S. Air Force, with lineage dating back to 1917. It has earned nine Presidential Unit Citations, along with citations from the Philippines and South Korea.
Origins and early history: The squadron’s first predecessor, the 93d Aero Squadron, formed in 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas. It deployed to France during World War I and fought on the Western Front as a pursuit squadron from August to November 1918 before being demobilized in 1919. A second predecessor, the 93rd Attack/Bombardment Squadron, was constituted in 1929 and reactivated in 1939 as the 93d Bombardment Squadron.
World War II and beyond: In its early WWII era, the squadron flew B-10s, B-18 Bolos, and early B-17s, then deployed to the Philippines in 1941 and fought in the 1941–42 campaigns. After withdrawing to Australia and enduring the Bataan Death March faced by some personnel, airmen reformed there and fought in the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea campaigns. The unit later transitioned to B-24 Liberators, returned to the United States, and served as a training unit for B-17 personnel. A notable member, Captain Harl Pease, led a B-17 raid on Rabaul and was awarded the Medal of Honor; Pease Air Force Base was named in his honor. In 1944 the squadron became a B-29 unit, trained on Guam, and conducted strategic bombing of Japan from early 1945, including firebombing missions, until the end of the war in August 1945.
Postwar to the Cold War: After World War II, the squadron conducted various operations in the western Pacific. It deployed to Kadena Air Base in 1950 for the Korean War, bombing targets in North Korea and supporting UN forces. Returning to the United States, the squadron re-equipped with B-47 Stratojets in 1954, then with B-52 Stratofortresses in 1960 as part of Strategic Air Command. It moved to Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan for dispersed, nuclear deterrence missions. In 1963 SAC reorganized its wings, and the 93rd was inactivated with its personnel and equipment transferred to the 716th Bombardment Squadron.
Resurrection in the Reserve and recent operations: The squadron was reactivated in 1993 in the Air Force Reserve as a bombardment unit. It has trained with B-52s, won the B-52 category of the Gunsmoke competition in 1995, and participated in training exercises through the 1990s. The 93rd deployed to support operations in Afghanistan (Enduring Freedom) in 2001–2002 and again in 2002, and to the region for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, flying more than 100 combat sorties and delivering over a million pounds of munitions. It deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam in 2005 as part of a bomber rotation.
FTU mission and current focus: In 2009 the 93rd took on the Air Force’s B-52 Formal Training Unit mission, training Air Combat Command and Air Force Reserve Command B-52 crews for worldwide operations. As the FTU stands up, the squadron has expanded its aircraft and works closely with the active-duty 2nd Bomb Wing’s 11th Bomb Squadron, which serves as an active associate to the 93rd. The 93rd remains focused on training and readiness to keep the bomber force prepared for global missions.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:13 (CET).