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96th BOMB SQUADRON MISSION LINEAGE 96th Aero Squadron organized, 20 Aug 1917 Redesignated 96th Squadron (Bombardment), 14 Mar 1921 Redesignated 96th Bombardment Squadron, 25 Jan 1923 Redesignated 96th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 6 Dec 1939 Redesignated 96th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, 6 Mar 1944 Inactivated, 28 Feb 1946 Redesignated 96th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, 5 Apr 1946 Activated, 1 Jul 1947 Redesignated 96th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, 28 May 1948 Discontinued and inactivated, 1 Apr 1963 Redesignated 96th Bomb Squadron, 28 Sep 1993 Activated, 1 Oct 1993 STATIONS Kelly Field, TX, 20 Aug–7 Oct 1917 Clermont-Ferrand, France, 16 Nov 1917 Amanty, France, 18 May 1918 Maulan, France, 23 Sep 1918 Colombey-les-Belles, France, 10 Jan 1919 St Denis de Pile, France, 13 Feb 1919 Libourne, France, 12–16 Apr 1919 Mitchel Field, NY, 2 May 1919 Ellington Field, TX, 26 May 1919 Camp Furlong, NM, 28 Jun 1919 Fort Bliss, TX, 3 Jul 1919 (flight operated from Douglas, AZ, 10 Aug 1919–10 Jan 1920) Kelly Field, TX, 12 Jan 1920 (operated from Langley Field, VA, 20 May–26 Oct 1921) Langley Field, VA, 30 Jun 1922 Ephrata, WA, 29 Oct 1942 Glasgow, MT, 29 Nov 1942–14 Mar 1943 Navarin, Algeria, 25 Apr 1943 Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 27 Apr 1943 Ain M’lila, Algeria, 17 Jun 1943 Massicault, Tunisia, 30 Jul 1943 Amendola, Italy, 10 Dec 1943 Foggia, Italy, 20 Oct 1945–28 Feb 1946 Andrews Field, MD, 1 Jul 1947 Davis-Monthan Field (later, AFB), AZ, 24 Sep 1947 Chatham AFB, GA, 1 May 1949 Hunter AFB, GA, 29 Sep 1950–1 Apr 1963 Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Oct 1993 DEPLOYED STATIONS Lakenheath, England, 22 Feb 1950-12 May 1950 Bassingbourne RAF Station, England, 4 May–24 Sep 1951 Upper Heyford RAF, England, 4 Sep–3 Dec 1952 Sidi Slimane Afld, French Morocco, 11 Aug–20 Sep 1954 and 6 Jul–24 Aug 1956 ASSIGNMENTS Unkn, 20 Aug 1917–Sep 1918 1st Day Bombardment Group, Sep–Nov 1918 Unkn, Nov 1918–Sep 1919 1st Day Bombardment (later, 2nd Bombardment) Group, 18 Sep 1919–28 Feb 1946 2nd Bombardment Group, 1 Jul 1947 2nd Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952–1 Apr 1963 2nd Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993 ATTACHMENTS 1st Surveillance Group, 12 Nov 1919–10 Jan 1921 1st Provisional Air Brigade, May–Oct 1921 2nd Bombardment Wing, 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952 WEAPON SYSTEMS Breguet 14 DH–4, 1918 DH–4, Caproni HP 0/400 MB–2 (NBS–1) LB–5 LB–7 B–3 B–5 B–6 B-6A B–10 B-10B B–17 B-17E B-17F B-17G B–18 B-18A B–25 B–17, 1942–1945 B–29, 1947–1950 B–50, 1949–1954 B-50A B-50D B–47, 1954–1963 B-52H COMMANDERS Cpt George C. Thomas Jr., 9 Oct 1917 Maj H. M. Brown, 18 May 1918 Cpt James A. Summersett Jr., 10 Jul 1918 (temporary) Maj J. L. Dunsworth, 16 Jul 1918 1Lt Devereaux M. Myers, Dec 1920 Cpt Henry Pascale, 20 May 1921 Cpt Wolcott P. Hayes, 1 Sep 1921 Cpt Edward C. Black, 1 Feb 1922 Cpt Richard J. Kirkpatrick, 1 Feb 1926 Cpt Charles H. Rust, 1 May 1926 1Lt Lewis H. Webster, 24 Jan 1928 1Lt Harold W. Beaton, 1 Mar 1928 Cpt James M. Gillespie, 5 Sep 1930 Cpt John P. Richter, 20 Jul 1931 Cpt Milo McCune, 26 Dec 1933 2Lt Dwight B. Schannep, 23 Feb 1934 2Lt Maurice C. Bisson, 13 May 1934 1Lt Edward A. Hillery, 31 May 1934 Cpt Edward C. Black, 1 Jun 1934 Maj. Jasper K. McDuffie, 9 Mar 1935 Maj. Harold L. George, 1 Jul 1937 Cpt Darr H. Alkire, 1 Feb 1940 Maj. Cecil F. Reynolds, Nov 1941-Mar 1942 1Lt Richard W. Weitzenfeld, 10 Nov 1942 Cpt John J. Melcher, 10 Dec 1942 Maj Marion F. Caruthers, 17 Dec 1942 Maj Bradford A. Evans, 2 Nov 1943 Maj Charles H. Hillhouse, 23 Mar 1944 Cpt Robert D. Doyle, 9 Jul 1944 Maj Lawrence R. Jordan, 11 Jul 1944 Maj George A. Redden, 14 Nov 1944 Cpt George H. Chadwick Jr., 3 Jan 1945 Maj George A. Redden, 15 Jan 1945 LTC Robert K. Martin, 25 Apr 1945 Maj George M. Dwight Jr., 25 Jun 1945 1Lt James G. Johnson, 24 Aug 1945 Maj Arthur D. Alsobrook, 7 Oct 1945 Cpt Wilfred F. Skinner, 30 Jan 1946 Unkn, 14-28 Feb 1946 LTC Bernard V. Ogas, 7 Nov 1947 LTC Harry E. Stengele III, Mar 1951 LTC John W. Carroll, May 1952 LTC Joseph N. Donovan, Aug 1952 LTC Harry E. Stengele III, Feb 1953 LTC Robert J. Hill, Mar 1955 LTC Edmund A. Rafalko, May 1956 Maj Clifford W. Hargrove, Apr 1957 Maj Hiram M. Snowden, 1957 Maj Kenneth E. Gross, Aug 1958 Maj John A. Runge Jr., Nov 1958 Maj Fito J. Fierro, Mar 1961 Maj Ira W. Misenheimer, 25 Jul 1961-1 Apr 1963 LTC John A. Kurtz, 11 May 1993 LTC Paul A. Thomasson, 1 Jul 1994 LTC Floyd L. Carpenter, 2 Apr 1996 LTC Thomas J. Griffith, 24 Jun 1997 LTC Timothy S. Leaptrott, 30 Aug 1999 LTC Timothy M. Ray, 4 Jun 2001 LTC Edwin F. Donaldson III, 3 Dec 2002 (temporary) LTC Timothy M. Ray, 22 May 2003 LTC Robert A. Colella, 2 Jul 2003 LTC Bruce K. Way, 24 May 2004 (temporary) LTC Robert A. Colella, 10 Sep 2004 LTC Douglas A. Cox, 13 Sep 2004 (temporary) LTC Robert A. Colella, 3 Oct 2004 LTC Stephen M. Matson, 19 Jul 2005 HONORS Service Streamers None Campaign Streamers World War I Lorraine St Mihiel Meuse-Argonne World War II Antisubmarine, American Theater Air Offensive, Europe Tunisia Sicily Naples-Foggia Anzio Rome-Arno Normandy Northern France Southern France North Apennines Rhineland Central Europe Po Valley Air Combat, EAME Theater Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers None Decorations Distinguished Unit Citations Steyr, Austria, 24 Feb 1944 Germany, 25 Feb 1944 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 Nov 1956–1 Apr 1957 1 Oct 1993-31 May 1995 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1996 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1997 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002 EMBLEM On a Black disc edged with a narrow White inner border and a narrow Black outer border a Red demi-devil issuing from base grasping in its right hand a White aerial bomb pointing to base. (Approved, 4 Mar 1924 and slightly modified, 1994) On a disc Vert, a caricatured devil Proper facing dexter, grasping in his dexter hand a bomb Argent inside a triangle of the second and filled Sable, all within a narrow border Yellow. Attached below the disc, a Blue scroll edged with a narrow Yellow border and inscribed "96TH BOMB SQ” in Yellow letters. SIGNIFICANCE: Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. Symbolic of the “Daredevil” qualities of fearlessness and boldness, the devil characterizes the spirit of the Squadron and its past and present personnel. The bomb represents the historic mission of the unit, which it has performed since the beginning of aerial warfare in WW 1. MOTTO NICKNAME OPERATIONS Combat as a day bombardment unit with the French Eighth and American First Army, 12 Jun–4 Nov 1918. When the 96th Aero Squadron was formed at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, August 20, 1917, it was just like all other infant organizations of the rapidly growing army; it had no definite conception of what lay in store, whether it would be among the fortunate units to be sent across the water for immediate service in the field, or whether it would be retained for equally important but less stirring duties at some home flying field. Not one of the successive Commanding Officers, not any of the enlisted men, who had come in a body to Fort Slocum, could have prophesied the particular work laid out for the Squadron in the war, the coveted honor of being the first Squadron of the American Air Service to carry bombs over the lines, and for months the only Squadron in active operations against the enemy. During its stay at Kelly Field, the Squadron was thoroughly drilled every day, and given considerable fatigue duty to harden the men. The organization was threatened with complete disruption by a severe attack of ptomaine poisoning, which put half of the personnel in the Hospital, but which did not result in any deaths. On October 9th, the Squadron, commanded by Captain George C. Thomas Jr., A.S., U.S.A., was ordered to the Aviation Concentration and Supply Depot at Mineola, N.Y., to be outfitted for overseas duty. The voyage was made on the R.M.S.S. "Adriatic", leaving Pier 61, New York, October 27th, and arriving in Liverpool, November 10th. The Squadron was then ordered to southern England for six months training but upon arriving in Southampton, a change in orders caused immediate departure for France, where the Squadron was stationed at the 7th Aviation, Instruction Center, Clermont-Ferrand, Put-de-Dome. As a pioneer, Squadron in the new school of bombardment instruction, the 96th was given complete control of the hangars, transportation and armament, and assisted in organizing the systems of management still in force. The technicians of the squadron acquired a complete knowledge of the Breguet day bombardment plane and of the Renault motor, by daily visits to the nearby Michelin factory where the planes were made.
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