B-1B - United States

 

High speed pass (Mach 0.90).

 

 

 

 

Unit History

 

The 37th Squadron was formed in May 1913 at Kelly Field, Texas, being based in France during WW I.

In 1935 became an Attack Squadron, based in Langley, flying the A-8 and the A-17.

In 1940 became the 37th Bombardment Squadron, flying the B-18 "Bolo" and the B-19.

In 1942, as one of the squadrons of the 17th Group flying the B-25B "Mitchell", tok part on the famous raid over Tokyo. Later during the war the 37th BS flew the B-26 "Marauder" during operations in North Africa.

Two years later the 37th BS was transferred to France on December 10th 1944.

During this period the 37th Bombardment Squadron earned the "Distinguished Unit Citataion" and the French "Croix de Guerre".

During the Korean War in 1950, the 37th BS became a night intruder squadron. The 37th BS was transferred to Pusan, Korea to fly the B-26 "Invader".

The Squadron hunted at night like tigers, thus the 37th BS became a tiger squadron and their current patch complete with a Bengal Tiger was adopted.

In 1955, the 37th BS began flying the B-66 "Destroyer".

In 1977, the 37th BS was reactivated at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota flying the B-52 "Stratofortress".

On 1st October 1986, the unit was the first of the Wing's Squadrons to be activated after being equipped with the B-1B "Lancer", being designated 37th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy. It was also the first B-1B unit on the first Expeditionary Air Force.

It was redesignated as the 37th Bomb Squadron on 1 September 1991

Operations "Phoenix I" and "Phoenix II" saw the first operational sorties of the B-1B in history on the skies of Irak.

The 37th BS continued to set benchmarks supporting Operation "Southern Watch" in December of 1997. 

Since 1997, 37th BS it's an Honorary Member of the Nato Tiger Association.

Then in December 1998, the 37th BS performed their first ever combat sorties in the B-1B during Operation "Desert Fox".

In 1999, the 37th BS participated in Operation "Allied Force".

During 2001 and after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the 37th participated in Operation "Enduring Freedom".

In 2003, the 37th BS performed combat sorties against Irak in Operation "Iraqui Freedom".