13th Bomb Squadron

13th Bomb Squadron
B-2 Spirit of the 509th Operations Group
Active1917–1919
1917–1924; 1928–1929; 1929–1968; 1969–1973; 2003–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeSquadron
RoleBombardment
Part ofAir Force Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQWhiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
Nickname(s)The Devil's Own Grim Reapers
Motto(s)Fear the Reaper[citation needed]
ColorsRed and black[citation needed]
Mascot(s)Oscar[1]
Tail Code"WM"
Engagements

  • World War I

  • World War II – Antisubmarine

  • World War II – Asia-Pacific Theater

  • Korean War

  • Vietnam War – Operation Arc Light

  • Vietnam Ceasefire

  • Afghanistan Campaign

  • Iraq Campaign[2]
Decorations

  • Distinguished Unit Citation (7x)

  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device (6x)

  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (2x)

  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (5x)

  • Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

  • Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[2]
Commanders
Current
commander		Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Yanez
Notable
commanders		Captain Charles Biddle
Lieutenant Colonel Rob Fortney
Lieutenant Colonel Robert McCormick
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Bussiere
Insignia
13th Bomb Squadron emblem[2][note 1]
13th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 14 February 1924)[2]
13th Aero Squadron emblem (approved by AEF 18 November 1918)[3]
104th Aero Squadron emblem (approved by AEF 18 November 1918)[3]

The 13th Bomb Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 509th Operations Group, Air Force Global Strike Command, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron is equipped with the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber.[2]

The 13th is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force, first being organized as the 13th Aero Squadron' on 14 June 1917 at Camp Kelly (later Kelly Field), Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during World War I as a pursuit squadron. The unit was demobilized after the war in 1919.[4] On 16 October 1936, the squadron was consolidated with the 104th Aero Squadron, another AEF combat squadron on the Western Front, which was organized on 25 August 1917.[5]

Reorganized in 1921 as part of the permanent United States Army Air Service, the squadron became part of Fifth Air Force in the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II flying North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. During the Cold War, it fought in the Korean War and Vietnam War as a Martin B-57 Canberra tactical bomber squadron.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference BriefHistory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Haulman, Daniel L. (30 August 2011). "Factsheet 13 Bomb Squadron (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b "World War I Aero Squadrons". Cross and Cockade Journal. 5 (2). Society of World War I Aero Historians: 145. 1964.
  4. ^ Gorrell, Series E, Volume 2, [page needed]
  5. ^ Gorrell, Series E, Volume 17, [page needed]
  6. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 70–72


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