77th Weapons Squadron: Difference between revisions

| image= A B-1 Lancer performs a fly-by during a firepower demonstration.jpg

| image_size = 300

|caption= B-1B Lancer from [[Dyess AFB]], Texas performing a fly-by during a firepower demonstration

|country={{flagu|United States|23pxUSA}}

|branch={{air force|United States|23pxUSA}}

|type= Squadron

|role= Advanced B-1 Lancer Training

|command_structure= [[USAFAir WeaponsCombat SchoolCommand]]

|decorations= [[File:Streamer PUC Army.PNG|150px]]<br>Distinguished Unit Citation<br>[[File:AFOUA with Valor.jpg|150px]]<br>[[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]] with Combat "V" Device<br>[[File:US Air Force Outstanding Unit Award - Stremer.jpg|150px]]<br>[[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]] (12x)<br>[[File:Vietnam Gallantry Cross - Streamer.jpg|150px]]<br>Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm<ref name=77WSfacts/>

|identification_symbol=[[File:77th77 Weapons SquadronSq emblem.jpgpng|165px]]

|identification_symbol_2=[[File:7777th BombWeapons Sq emblemSquadron.pngjpg|165px]]

The '''77th Weapons Squadron''' is a [[United States Air Force]] unit assigned to the [[USAF Weapons School]], stationed at [[Dyess Air Force Base]], Texas. The 77th is a Geographicallygeographically Separatedseparated Unitunit of the [[57th Wing]], stationed at [[Nellis Air Force Base]], Nevada. The mission of the squadron is to provide [[B-1 Lancer]] instructional flying.

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]].

==OverviewMission==

The 77th provides weapons training to B-1B Lancer squadrons at [[Dyess Air Force Base]], TX and [[Ellsworth AFBAir Force Base]], SDSouth Dakota.

The [[squadron (aviation)|squadron]] was activated in January 1941 as a [[Northwest Air District]] [[medium bomber]] squadron, equipped with a mixture of [[Douglas B-18 Bolo]]s, [[Stearman PT-17 StearmanKaydet]] trainers and early model [[Martin B-26 Marauder]]s. Upon completion of training, it was assigned to the new [[Elmendorf Field]], near [[Anchorage, Alaska]]; being one of the first [[United States Army Air Corps]] units assigned to Alaska. After the [[Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor]], the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the [[Gulf of Alaska]].

When the Japanese invaded the [[Aleutian Islands]] in June 1942, the squadron was reassigned to [[Fort Glenn Army Airfield]] on [[Adak Island]]; and began combat missions over the captured islands of [[Kiska]] and [[Attu Island|Attu]]. Flew combat missions with [[B-26 Marauder]]sMarauders 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 of November 1945. SSgt [[Charlton Heston]] served as a radio operator and gunner aboard a B-25 of the 77th from 1944–45.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mecca|first=Pete|url=http://www.covnews.com/archives/47708|title=During World War II, Hollywood got serious|publisher=The Covington News|date=10 December 2013|accessdateaccess-date=24 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904044627/http://www.covnews.com/archives/47708/|archive-date=4 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Reactivated as a [[Strategic Air Command]] [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] squadron in 1946, being trained in the midwestMidwest then reassignedmoved to Alaska in late 1946. Mission changed from [[strategic bombardment]] training to [[aerial reconnaissance|strategic reconnaissance and mapping]]; engaging in very long range reconnaissance missions in the [[Bering Strait]]s; 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 Stratofortress]]es and stood nuclear [[alert status|alert]] and conducted global strategic bombardment training missions until 1966. Began rotational deployments to [[Andersen AFBAir Force Base]], Guam where squadron began flying conventional strategic bombardment [[Operation Arc Light|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 Lancer]]s 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 organizedestablished 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 [[Fort GlennAmchitka Army Air Field]], Alaska, beginning 309 MayMarch 19421943)

* [[Amchitka Army Airfield]]Air Field, Alaska, 11 September 1943

* [[Elmendorf Field]], Alaska, 20 October 1946 – 24 April 1947

* [[Douglas B-18 Bolo]], 1941, 1942–1943

* [[Stearman PT-17 Kaydet]], 1941

* [[Martin B-26 Marauder]], 1941–1943

* [[North American B-25 Mitchell]], 1942–1945

* [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]], 1946–1950

* [[Convair B-36 Peacemaker]], 1949–1950; 1950–1957

* [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress]]

* [[Rockwell B-1B Lancer]], 1985–1995, 1997–2002, 2003 – present<ref name=77WSfacts/>

{{Reflist|40em}}

* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|origyearorig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|accessdateaccess-date= 17 December 2016|edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}

* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|origyearorig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |edition= reprint|accessdateaccess-date= 17 December 2016|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}

* {{cite book|last=Ravenstein|first=Charles A.|title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977|url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave|accessdateaccess-date=17 December 2016|year=1984|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-12-9|url-access=registration}}