393d Bomb Squadron

393d Bomb Squadron
393d Bomb Squadron Patch
Active	11 March 1944–30 September 1990 27 August 1993–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Strategic Bombing
Part of	Air Force Global Strike Command 8th Air Force 509th Bomb Wing 509th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Whiteman Air Force Base
Engagements	World War II Vietnam War Operation Crossroads
Decorations	AFOUA RVGC w/ Palm

The 393d Bomb Squadron (393 BS) is part of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

The 393d Bombardment Squadron is the only United States Air Force squadron to carry out a nuclear attack on an enemy in combat. During World War II, its aircraft attacked Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and Nagasaki, Japan 9 August 1945 with atomic bombs.

It operates B-2 Spirit aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.

Activated as a B-29 Superfortress squadron in early 1944; trained under Second Air Force. Due to a shortage of B-29s, the squadron was initially equipped with former II Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortresses previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel as engineering flaws were being worked out of the B-29.. The squadron was then reassigned for advanced training and received B-29s at Fairmont Army Airfield, Nebraska during the late spring and summer of 1944.

In December 1944 reassigned as the only operational B-29 squadron to 509th Composite Group at Wendover Field, Utah in December. Aircraft were refitted to Silverplate configuration becoming atomic bomb capable under a highly classified program. Deployed to North Field, Tinian in late May 1945, flying non-combat missions practicing atomic bomb delivery techniques. The squadron carried out two Atomic Bombing missions over Japan in August 1945, being the only squadron in the world to ever carry out and deliver nuclear weapons in combat. Dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on 6 August 1945, and the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, on 9 August 1945.