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The Wing celebrates a Birthday - The 92d turns 68!

  • Published
  • By Jim O'Connell
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Historian
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  November 17th marks the 68th anniversary of the establishment of the 92nd Bombardment Wing at Spokane Army Airfield (currently Fairchild Air Force Base). General Order number 14 activated the 92nd BW under the command of Col. Albert J. Shower. The unit was assigned to 15th Air Force in the fledgling Strategic Air Command.

The wing acted as the parent wing at Spokane AAF and provided oversight to the 98th BW which was also assigned to the base. The 92nd Bombardment Group, "Fame's Favored Few," with the 325th, 326th and 327th Bombardment Squadrons and the 98th BG with the 343rd, 344th and 345th Bombardment Squadrons were assigned to the 92nd BW and 98th BWs, respectively. When they were born, they were flying the most modern bomber of the day-the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Their combined total of B-29s made the 92nd BW the largest B-29 wing in SAC. 

While it might be confusing, the wing is fortunate enough to be able to celebrate two birthdays each year- the first is the wing's, spoken of above, the second is celebrated on March 1 to honor the birthday shared by the base and the 92nd BG, both of which were activated on March 1, 1942.