2nd Operations Group

2nd Operations Group
Unit name	2nd Operations Group
Dates	1922–1945; 1946–1947; 1991–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States
Type	Operations Support
Command structure	Air Combat Command
Garrison	Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

2nd Operations Group. The 2nd Operations Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Second Air Force within Air Education and Training Command. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and serves as the formal training unit for the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bomber aircraft. The group's history traces back to the 2nd Bombardment Group, a distinguished unit that saw extensive combat during World War II in both the European Theater of Operations and the Pacific Theater of Operations.

History

The group was originally constituted as the 2nd Bombardment Group in 1922, with its early years spent at Langley Field in Virginia. It transitioned through several aircraft, including the Martin B-10, before the outbreak of World War II. During the war, the group's squadrons, such as the 20th Bomb Squadron, deployed to the European Theater of Operations, flying missions from bases in England and North Africa as part of the Eighth Air Force and later the Twelfth Air Force. It participated in key campaigns including the Combined Bomber Offensive, the Allied invasion of Sicily, and the Battle of the Bulge. The group was inactivated shortly after the war's end in 1945, but was reactivated briefly in the late 1940s before another period of inactivation. The unit was redesignated the 2nd Operations Group and reactivated in 1991 at Barksdale Air Force Base, assuming its current training role under Air Combat Command and later Air Education and Training Command.

Assignments

Throughout its history, the group has been assigned to various major commands and numbered air forces. Its initial assignment was to the GHQ Air Force. During World War II, it operated under the VIII Bomber Command and the XII Bomber Command. In the postwar era, it was part of the Strategic Air Command during its brief reactivation. Since 1991, its primary assignments have been to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, under the oversight of Air Combat Command and, subsequently, Air Education and Training Command. The group is currently a component of the Second Air Force.

Aircraft

The group has operated a wide array of aircraft over its long service. Early models included the Keystone B-3A and the Martin B-10. During World War II, it was primarily equipped with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator for its heavy bombardment missions. In the postwar period, it briefly flew the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. In its modern incarnation as a formal training unit, the group's primary aircraft are the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, providing specialized instruction for aircrews destined for operational bomber squadrons.

Operations

The group's operational history is defined by its combat service in World War II. It conducted strategic bombing campaigns against Nazi Germany, targeting industrial facilities, transportation networks, and enemy airfields. Notable operations included raids on Ploiești, Berlin, and Schweinfurt. The group also provided tactical air support for ground forces during the Allied invasion of Normandy and the advance across France and Germany. In the modern era, its operations are exclusively focused on training. The group conducts initial and recurring qualification training for pilots, navigators, and weapons systems officers on strategic bomber systems, ensuring combat readiness for the global strike force.

Lineage and honors

The group was first constituted as the 2nd Bombardment Group on 24 March 1922. It was activated on 1 September 1922. It has been redesignated several times, including as the 2nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) in 1939, the 2nd Bombardment Group, Very Heavy in 1945, and finally as the 2nd Operations Group on 29 August 1991. The group's campaign streamers include participation in major offensives such as the Air Offensive, Europe, Normandy, and Central Europe. Its decorated squadrons, like the 96th Bomb Squadron, have earned multiple Distinguished Unit Citations for actions over Europe.

Emblem

The group's emblem, approved in 1994, features a shield with a stylized B-2 Spirit in flight, symbolizing its modern training mission. The crest includes a knight's helmet, reflecting the unit's historical lineage and chivalric tradition of aerial combat. The motto "Libertatem Defendimus" (We Defend Freedom) is inscribed on a scroll below the shield, encapsulating the unit's enduring strategic role in national defense. The design incorporates elements from the insignia of its predecessor, the 2nd Bombardment Group.

Category:Operations groups of the United States Air Force Category:Military units and formations established in 1922 Category:1922 establishments in the United States