Had the president ordered an atomic attack in 1947 or 1948, the 509th Composite Bomb Group would have needed five or six days to obtain the bombs from the Atomic Energy Commission and arrive at the base it would attack from.

T-38C of the 509th Bomb Wing

The host unit at Whiteman AFB is the 509th Bomb Wing ( 509 BW ), assigned to the Eighth Air Force of the Air Force Global Strike Command.

The commander of the 509th Bomb Wing is Brigadier General Thomas A. Bussiere.

Its host unit is the U. S. Air Force's 509th Bomb Wing ( 509 BW ).

The 509th Bomb Wing consists of the following groups:

It is located at Whiteman AFB as an associate unit of the 509th Bomb Wing

Several months after the air division's activation, on Sept. 30, 1990, the 509th Bomb Wing moved its headquarters to Whiteman albeit in an unmanned and non-operational state.

On Feb. 1, 2010, the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base became part of the newly created Air Force Global Strike Command.

* 509th Bomb Wing, 30 September 1990 – present

These aircraft, less their nuclear delivery capability, were transferred to Cannon following the disbandment of SAC's 509th Bomb Wing at Pease AFB, New Hampshire and the 380th Bomb Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York.

A United States Army Air Force bombing range, used by elements of the 509th Bomb Wing out of Kirtland Army Air Field, later Kirtland Air Force Base, was located here during and after World War II.

Tibbets briefly commanded the 393rd Bomb Squadron during his tenure in the 509th Composite Group.

The 393rd is one of two operational squadrons under the same unit his grandfather commanded, the 509th Bomb Wing.

On July 8, 1947, the Roswell Army Air Field ( RAAF ) public information officer Walter Haut in Roswell, New Mexico, issued a press release stating that personnel from the field's 509th Bomb Group had recovered a crashed " flying disk " from a ranch near Roswell, sparking intense media interest.

Martin-Omaha B-29-40-MO Superfortress Serial 44-27353 of the 509th Bomb Wing, Walker AFB, 1948.

B-2A Block 10 ( upgraded to Block 30 ) Spirit, 82-1069, " Spirit of Indiana ", of the Eighth Air Force 509th Bomb Wing

: 509th Bomb Wing, B-2 Stealth Bomber Wing

* 509th Bombardment ( later, 509 Bomb ) Wing, 29 Mar 1989 – present

In November 1945 the 509th Composite Group left Tinian and was reassigned to Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico, taking the Atomic Bomb delivery capability of PACUSA to the United States.

An unofficial badge of the 509th Bomb Wing based in Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, shows a space alien with huge eyes holding a stealth bomber near its mouth.

Visiting TDY rotational units at Upper Heyford were: 93rd Bomb Wing, 97th Air Refueling Squadron, 509th Air Refueling Squadron, 301st Bomb Wing, 8th Air Sea Rescue Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing, 5th Bomb Wing Detachment, and the 22nd Bomb Wing.

There was also the 58th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, which supervised the Silverplate atomic-capable 509th Composite Group.

SAC FB-111 bombers assigned to the 509th Bombardment Wing ( Medium ) from Pease AFB, New Hampshire.

:: 509th Bombardment Wing established on 3 November 1947.

: Attached to 509th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, Walker AFB, New Mexico 17 November 1947

: 509th Bombardment Wing ( B-29, B-50 Superfortress )

*: Detached from 509th Bombardment Wing, Walker AFB, New Mexico

The first US Army Combat Jump was near Oran, Algeria, in North Africa on November 8, 1942 conducted by elements of the 509th Parachute Infantry.

Torch was the first major airborne assault carried out by the U. S. The U. S. 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment flew all the way from Britain, over Spain, intending to drop near Oran and capture airfields at Tafraoui and La Senia respectively and south of Oran.

The 43rd ARS, along with the 509th ARS at Walker AFB, New Mexico, was the first dedicated air refueling unit in history.

The wartime history of the 509th Parachute Infantry ," authors and 509th veterans Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart described how their unit formed the first U. S. Army pathfinder unit.

Let us set the record straight: The 509th, the world's most experienced bad drop specialists, first saw the need for them.

The same night, the newly formed pathfinder detachment from the 509th PIB saw their first action in that capacity at Avellino, Italy.

He served as commanding officer of the first American paratroop unit to jump into combat, the 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, near Oran as part of Operation Torch.

On 24 July, a directive was sent to General Carl A. Spaatz ordering the 509th to deliver its first atomic bomb as soon as weather would permit.

The 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment ( 509th PIR ) was the first combat paratrooper unit of the United States Army formed during World War II.

Just prior to its first operation, it was again redesignated on 2 November 1942 as the 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

The 509th carried out the first US combat drop during the invasion of North Africa.

Paul B. Huff, a member of the 509th, was the first American Paratrooper awarded the Medal of Honor on 29 February 1944 for action at Anzio, Italy.

531 men of the U. S. 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment flew over at night from Britain, over Spain, intending to drop near Oran and capture two airfields.

On 16 December 1991 the 509th TFS flew its last operational mission.