For over 100 years, the men and women of the 2nd Bomber Wing have upheld the unit motto of “LIBERTATEM DEFENDIUM,” Latin for “Liberty We Defend.” The Wing was first organized as the 1st Day Bombardment Group at Amanty Airdrome, France on 10 September 2018. Eventually participating in three World War I campaigns (St. Mihiel, Lorraine, Meuse-Argonne), the Group flew British DeHavilland DH-4 and French-built Breguet 14 bombers on missions up until the signing of the Armistice on 11 November.
Following the war, the unit was redesignated the 2nd Bombardment Group and based at Langley Field until the outbreak of World War II, at which point was assigned to anti-submarine patrol duties. In March 1943, it saw combat for the first time in North Africa, and the following year, now designated the 2nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), it began flying B-17s on attacks against Axis targets in the Mediterranean. Between 28 April and 1 May 1945, the Group flew 412 combat missions, delivering their payloads to targets in Africa, Italy, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Poland, and Romania.
The wing has been associated with B-52 bombers since 1963, when it transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. In 1992, the wing acquired its B-52H Stratofortresses, and on 1 August 1994 two of them embarked on the first-ever around-the world bombing mission. The mission took 47.2 hours, making it the longest jet flight ever taken. Today, the wing consists of three squadrons of B-52H’s: the 20th, 96th, and the 11th, which is a training squadron.
The 2nd Bomb Wing insignia features a shield divided in the middle by a horizontal nebuly line (denoting clouds); the top half is made up alternating green and black stripes (the colors of the unit during World War I) and a fleur-de-lis in the middle, which is a symbol of France and service in that nation. The golden yellow beneath the nebuly is an Air Force color; the four bombs stand for the number of squadrons that made up the 1st Day Bombardment Group while simultaneously recalling the unit’s present role as a heavy bombardment wing of U.S. Air Combat Command.