Air Offensive Asia-Pacific Theater, Air Offensive Japan[1]
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (12x) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
The unit activated on 15 January 1941 at Fort Douglas, Utah. After combat operations in the Pacific theater during World War II, the 77th contributed to America's nuclear deterrent during the Cold War and formed the backbone of the Air Force's B-52 force during the Vietnam War.
When the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands in June 1942, the squadron was reassigned to Fort Glenn Army AirfieldonAdak Island; and began combat missions over the captured islands of Kiska and Attu. Flew combat missions with B-26 Marauders and later North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers during the Aleutian Campaign, remaining in Alaska until the end of World War II in 1945 when the squadron personnel were demobilized and the unit inactivated as a paper unit in early November 1945. SSgt Charlton Heston served as a radio operator and gunner aboard a B-25 of the 77th from 1944–45.[3]
Reactivated as a Strategic Air CommandBoeing B-29 Superfortress squadron in 1946, being trained in the Midwest then moved to Alaska in late 1946. Mission changed from strategic bombardment training to strategic reconnaissance and mapping; engaging in very long range reconnaissance missions in the Bering Straits; North Pacific coast and Arctic Ocean coastline of the Soviet Union. Squadron performed charting and other mapping missions, most likely including ferret and ELINT missions, possibly overflying Soviet airspace.
Squadron returned to the Continental United States in 1947, being equipped with Convair B-36 Peacemaker strategic bombers, both in the bomber and strategic reconnaissance versions. Undertook strategic bombardment training missions on a global scale, including strategic reconnaissance missions with the RB-36s until the phaseout of the B-36 from SAC in 1957.
Re-equipped with Boeing B-52D Stratofortresses and stood nuclear alert and conducted global strategic bombardment training missions until 1966. Began rotational deployments to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam where squadron began flying conventional strategic bombardment Operation Arc Light missions over Indochina (1966–1970). Converted to B-52G in 1971 and returned to nuclear alert status; upgrading to B-52H in 1977. Received first production Rockwell B-1B Lancers in 1985 and maintained nuclear alert until taken off alert after the end of the Cold War in 1991. Performed strategic bombardment training until inactivated in 1997 as part of the drawdown of the USAF.
Organization established as the USAF Weapons School B-1 Division on 28 August 1992 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Replaced by the 77th Weapons Squadron in 2003. It provides training to B-1 aircrews at Dyess.
Elmendorf Field, Alaska, 29 December 1941 (air echelon operated from Fort Glenn Army Air Field, Alaska beginning 30 May 1942
Adak Army Air Field, Alaska Territory, 3 October 1942 (air echelon operated from Adak Army Air Field, Alaska, beginning 12 December 1942 and from Amchitka Army Air Field, Alaska, beginning 9 March 1943)
Air echelon operated from Attu Airfield, Alaska, beginning 10 July 1943
Amchitka Army Air Field, Alaska, 11 September 1943
Attu Airfield, Alaska, 11 February 1944 – 19 October 1945
Fort Lawton, Washington, 29 October-5 November 1945
Elmendorf Field, Alaska, 20 October 1946 – 24 April 1947
Rapid City Army Air Field (later Rapid City Air Force Base; Ellsworth Air Force Base), South Dakota, 17 April 1947 (air echelon), 3 May 1947 (ground echelon) – 31 March 1995
Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, 1 April 1997 – 19 September 2002
^Approved 17 May 1997. This emblem is based on the unofficial emblem designed for the squadron c. December 1941 by the Disney Studios. Although the emblem is partly imaged on this most recently archived page showing the emblem, the link to the full emblem is broken. The image is available on the version of the page archived on 24 November 2016 at [1].