Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on 19 January 1942, the ground echelon of the squadron departed for Australia. The air echelon remained at Jackson and continued training until May 1942, when it departed for the Southwest Pacific Theater, However, when the squadron reached the Hawaiian Islands, it was detained there and participated in the defense of Midway Island. Although it was not formally reassigned from the 38th Group until 1943, it was no longer under the control of the 38th from this time.[1][2]
Combat in the Pacific
Attacked enemy forces in the Philippines during early 1945 as part of the liberation from Japanese control; continued combat missions until the Japanese capitulation in August 1945. Became part of the Fifth Air Force forces in Occupied Japan in 1946 before being inactivated in May 1946.
B-25 Mitchell's assigned to the squadron in Cape Sansapor, New Guinea, Sep 1944-Feb 1945
The 69th was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its pre-invasion bombing of Balikpapan between 23 and 30 June 1945. Balikpapan was a center for oil refining on Borneo held by the Japanese. These attacks included bombing and strafing enemy shore installations. The round trip to the target was over 1700 miles and was among the longest flown by medium bombers during the war. Pre-mission experiments determined that the squadron's bombers could carry a bomb load over this distance with fuel tanks installed in their radio compartments despite having to take off from a runway damaged by enemy action. Four of the missions encountered severe tropical weather fronts. Despite intense and accurate flak, the squadron destroyed gun positions, warehouses, roadblocks, fuel and ammunition dumps, a radar station as well as huge stores of gasoline and oil which the enemy had placed in a position to be released into shallow pits oil the beach and ignited when the Australian ground troops made their assaults. The group attacked the beach while naval underwater demolition teams operated offshore without losing a man. The attacks were so effective that the Australian Seventh Division was able to come ashore without enemy opposition.[3]
On 16 September 1958, a B-52D (serial number 55-65) assigned to the squadron crashed in the vicinity of St Paul, Minnesota, while transiting en route on a continental United States (CONUS) training mission. The cause of the crash was believed to be a separation of flight controls that led to the tail separating from the aircraft. Of the eight crewmembers involved, only the copilot survived while several civilians were injured. A plaque was erected at the site of the crash in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.[4]
November 2010 saw the squadron deploy six B-52H Stratofortresses to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam for the first time since the Vietnam War as part of U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence.[7]
On 5 June 2015, the 69th deployed three B-52H Stratofortress bombers to RAF Fairford for two weeks for exercises BALTOPS 15 and Saber Strike 15 taking place in Europe.[8]
Four B-52H Stratofortress bombers from the 69th Bomb Squadron were flown to Nellis Air Force Base to participate in exercise Red Flag 15-3, which took place 13–31 July 2015.[9]
B-52 crashed on a heavyweight takeoff after aborting at high speed due to all right side engines failing after a perceived bird strike. All crew members survived.
On 19 May 2016 at 08:32 local time, a B-52H Stratofortress serial number 60-47 "Neanderthaul",[10] crashed on takeoff at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The aircraft was assigned to the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, which was deployed to Andersen as part of the United States' Indo-Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence. The aircraft was carrying inert (training) weapons. The pilots observed birds on takeoff and saw all right-side engines failing at a critical phase during the takeoff. The pilot commanded to abort the takeoff but there was not enough runway remaining to safely stop, leading to the aircraft departing the runway. The main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft drag chute, which is used to slow the aircraft down during landing procedures, failed to deploy fully during the aborted takeoff and the aircraft came to rest 300 ft off the end of Runway 06L, short of the cliffs that dropped in the Pacific Ocean.[11] All seven crew escaped safely, with one crew member sustaining minor injuries.[12] An accident investigation board found no fault on the crews and in fact several crewmembers were awarded medals for their quick thinking and skill in ensuring no loss of life in the accident.
During Global Strike Challenge 2017 the squadron won both the LeMay Trophy, for the best in bomber operations, and the Linebacker Trophy, for the best B-52 squadron.[13]
In February 2018 a B-52H from the 69th that was stationed Al Udeid Air Base set a new world record by dropping 24 precision-guided bombs on Taliban targets, beating the previous record of 19 (also held by a B52H).[14] Codename name for the mission was "Operation Jagged Knife", part of a larger effort to target Taliban drug and financial infrastructure.[15]
In July 2019, the 69th Bomb Squadron deployed to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, in support of the continuous bomber presence mission directed by the United States Indo-Pacific Command. On 13 August 2019, a B-52H assigned to the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron temporarily based at Andersen assisted in the search for the Indonesian-flagged fishing vessel KM Aleluya. Adrift for 10 days without food, water or electricity, the crew was safely rescued by the AMVER vessel Isl Star, approximately 172 miles northwest of Palau.[16] The deployment would be extended from 6 months to 9 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the longest and final CBP deployment in USINDOPACOM history.[17]
In July 2021, the 69th deployed on short notice back to Anderson in support of an international exercise with Australia and other Pacific partners.[18]
On 19 April 2022, the 69th returned from a deployment to RAF Fairford, England, where they supported multiple NATO exercises amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.[19]
In July 2022, the 69th participated in Exercise Red Flag 22-3 as a standoff and precision-guided weapon delivery platform with an emphasis on developing tactics, techniques, and procedures for contested environments that mimic the rapidly changing global environment.
Lineage
Constituted as the 69th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 November 1940
Activated on 15 January 1941
Redesignated 69th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 19 September 1944
Inactivated on 10 May 1946
Redesignated 69th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 19 February 1953
Activated on 25 February 1953
Redesignated 69th Bomb Squadron on 1 September 1991
Distinguished Unit Citation (now Presidential Unit Citation): Balikpapan, Borneo, 23-30 Jun 1945
Meritorious Unit Citation: 6 Aug 2017-1 Apr 2018, 1 Jan-30 Dec 2021, 1 Jan-30 Dec 2022
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1975; 1 Jul 1982-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988; 1 Jan 1992-31 Dec 1993 1 Jan 2011-31 Dec 2012[1]
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation: 7 Dec 1941-10 May 1942, 17 Oct 1944-4 Jul 1945.
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United States
United States Air Force
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