9th Bomb Squadron

9th Bomb Squadron
9th Bomb Squadron – Rockwell B-1B Lancer Lot IV 85-0069
Active	14 June 1917 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Bomb
Part of	Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQ	Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
Nickname(s)	"Bats"
Tail Code	black tail stripe "Bat"
Engagements	World War I World War II – Antisubmarine World War II – Asia-Pacific Theater Vietnam War – Operation Arc Light Operation Linebacker II Afghanistan Campaign
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (2×) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7×) Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
9th Bomb Squadron Patch
Aircraft flown
Bomber	B-1B Lancer

The 9th Bomb Squadron (9 BS) is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 7th Operations Group, Global Strike Command, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The squadron is equipped with the B-1B Lancer bomber.

Formed in June 1917, the 9 BS is the oldest bomb squadron in the Air Force. During World War I, the squadron was the first American night reconnaissance squadron to be organized. Later, it served with the Army Air Service and Army Air Corps in the Inter-War period and then served in Australia, Egypt and India during World War II. A part of Strategic Air Command during the Cold War, today the squadron is engaged as part of the Global War on Terrorism.

The 9th Bomb Squadron maintains combat readiness to deliver rapid, decisive airpower on a large scale in support of conventional warfare taskings. Squadron experts provide warfighting commanders with the best in maintenance support, operational aircrews and B-1B aircraft.

The squadron repairs, services, launches, recovers and inspects 15 B-1B Lancer aircraft capable of sustained intercontinental missions and worldwide deployment/employment from forward operating locations.

The 9th Bomb Squadron's patch features 3 spotlights aiming skyward, to represent the 3 major campaigns the 9th participated in during WWI. One spotlight shines vertically, while the other two cross each other. This forms an IX, which is the Roman Numeral for 9.

The 9th Bombardment Squadron began as the 9th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas on 14 June 1917. World War I had begun in April of that year and the unit was targeted for overseas combat duty. Their first European stop was Winchester, England in December 1917. Following the holidays the unit moved on to RFC Grantham, England to train for combat flying the Sopwith Scout. After eight months of intensive training, the unit moved to the Western Front in August 1918.