22d Bomb Group

22d Bomb Group
Unit name	22d Bomb Group
Dates	1939–1945; 1946–1949; 1951–1952; 1991–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces; United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment group
Role	Strategic bombardment
Size	Group
Battles	World War II; Pacific War; Aleutian Islands Campaign; Philippines Campaign
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation; Presidential Unit Citation; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Notable commanders	Haywood S. Hansell Jr.; Claire L. Chennault; William H. Tunner

22d Bomb Group

The 22d Bomb Group is a United States bomber organization with roots in World War II. Activated before Pearl Harbor and engaged in the Pacific War and the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the group later served in Strategic Air Command and modern Air Force Global Strike Command missions. It has operated a succession of heavy and strategic bombers including the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-29 Superfortress, B-36 Peacemaker, and B-52 Stratofortress.

History

The group was constituted during the prelude to World War II under the United States Army Air Corps and entered combat after the Attack on Pearl Harbor during the Pacific Theater of World War II. In the immediate postwar era the group transitioned into the newly created United States Air Force and integrated into Strategic Air Command amid early Cold War reorganization. Reactivations and inactivations mirrored USAF restructuring during the Korean War and the Cold War nuclear deterrence posture. Following the end of the Cold War, the group’s lineage was consolidated under modern strategic forces aligned with Air Force Global Strike Command and the reconfigured bomber force structure responding to post‑9/11 operational requirements and National Defense Strategy priorities.

Organization and Assignments

Throughout its history the group was organized with subordinate bombardment squadrons assigned to execute strategic and tactical missions. Early wartime structure reflected United States Army Air Forces organizational doctrine with numbered bombardment squadrons and service elements attached to Far East Air Forces and later to Twentieth Air Force for long‑range operations. Postwar assignments included attachment to Eighth Air Force, integration into Second Air Force training and readiness chains, and periods under 15th Air Force and Strategic Air Command wings and divisions responsible for nuclear strike planning. Administrative control at various times was exercised by commands such as Air Training Command and Pacific Air Forces during overseas deployments.

Aircraft and Equipment

The group’s initial equipment included the B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber used in early Pacific Theater operations. It later converted to the B-29 Superfortress for strategic bombing against Japanese targets under Twentieth Air Force doctrine developed by leaders who participated in planning at Joint Chiefs of Staff levels. During the Cold War the group flew the intercontinental Convair B-36 Peacemaker and subsequently the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress for nuclear deterrence missions aligned with Strategic Air Command posture. Support and reconnaissance platforms interfaced with the group included instances of the KC-97 Stratofreighter and KC-135 Stratotanker for air refueling, and maintenance equipment standardized by Air Force Materiel Command procurement protocols.

Operational History

In World War II the group conducted long‑range bombing over Japanese occupied territories including campaigns in the Philippines Campaign (1944–45), raids supporting the liberation of Luzon, and missions staged from bases in the Aleutian Islands Campaign and island airfields in the Central Pacific. The group’s operational employment was influenced by strategic planning from Arnold, Henry H. era doctrine and theater directives issued by leaders in South West Pacific Area command relationships. During the Cold War the group executed alert rotations for Strategic Air Command nuclear forces, participated in large scale exercises such as Operation Chrome Dome and readiness inspections by Joint Chiefs of Staff taskings, and supported crisis deployments during tensions with the Soviet Union and crises in Cuba and Korea. In the post‑Cold War era the group’s descendants have supported global strike operations, force projection tasks, and integration with United States Northern Command homeland defense missions.

Stations

The group has been based at multiple airfields and bases reflecting operational needs: prewar and wartime locations across Hawaii, Alaska, and Pacific island bases; stateside Cold War bases including Carswell Air Force Base, McConnell Air Force Base, and other Strategic Air Command hubs; and modern basing under Air Force Global Strike Command at heavy bomber bases such as Barksdale Air Force Base and Minot Air Force Base. Overseas deployments included expeditionary basing at Clark Air Base, Andersen Air Force Base, and staging areas tied to Pacific Air Forces operations.

Honors and Campaigns

Combat campaigns credited to the group include participation in the Aleutian Islands Campaign, Philippines Campaign (1944–45), and broader Pacific Theater of World War II operations. The group and its squadrons received unit citations such as the Distinguished Unit Citation and later Presidential Unit Citation for exemplary performance in strategic bombing and support missions. Cold War awards recognized sustained readiness and nuclear deterrence contributions documented in Air Force Outstanding Unit Award citations and honors associated with long‑duration deployments supporting Strategic Air Command deterrent posture.

Notable Personnel and Commanders

Notable figures associated with the group include commanders and aviators who also served in broader theaters and staffs: leaders who worked alongside figures from Army Air Forces Training Command and planners tied to Twentieth Air Force operations, officers who later commanded in Strategic Air Command and interfaced with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and aircrew decorated for valor in World War II operations. Senior airmen connected by service with the group later held positions in commands such as Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and joint assignments at NATO and United States European Command headquarters.

Category:Bombardment groups of the United States Army Air Forces Category:Groups of the United States Air Force