for Exercise Red Flag 12–4. June 2016 three of the unit's B-52H bombers deployed to RAF Fairford for NATO Maritime exercise "BALTOPS" and for JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) exercise "Saber Strike". 26 March 2019 the 23rd BS assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomber Squadron deployed two B-52 Stratofortresses from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Australia to participate in the biennial exercise Diamond Shield 2019. Lineage 23rd Aero Squadron Organized as the 18th Aero Squadron on 16 June 1917 Redesignated 23rd Aero Squadron (Repair) on 22 June 1917 Demobilized on 22 March 1919 Reconstituted and consolidated with the 23rd Bombardment Squadron on 8 April 1924 23rd Bomb Squadron Authorized as the 23rd Squadron on 30 August 1921 Organized on 1 October 1921 Redesignated 23rd Bombardment Squadron on 25 January 1923 Consolidated with the 23rd Aero Squadronon 8 April 1924 Redesignated 23rd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 December 1939 Redesignated 23rd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940 Redesignated 23rd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 March 1944 Redesignated 23rd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 30 April 1946 Inactivated on 10 March 1947 Redesignated 23rd Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic on 16 September 1947 Activated on 20 October 1947 Redesignated 23rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic on 16 June 1949 Redesignated 23rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy on 14 November 1950 Redesignated 23rd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 October 1955 Redesignated 23rd Bomb Squadron on 1 September 1991 Assignments Unknown, 16 June 1917 – 22 March 1919 Ninth Corps Area, 1 October 1921 5th Group (Observation) (later 5th Group (Pursuit and Bombardment); 5th Group (Composite), 5th Composite Group), 29 March 1922 19th Bombardment Group, 8 May 1929 (attached to 5th Composite Group (later 5th Bombardment Group)) 5th Bombardment Group, 12 October 1938 – 10 March 1947 5th Reconnaissance Group, (later 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Group), 20 October 1947 (attached to 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 18–24 August 1948; 32d Composite Wing, 24 August 1948 – 16 March 1949; 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1–17 June 1949; 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing after 10 February 1951) 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later 5th Bombardment Wing), 16 June 1952 5th Operations Group, 1 September 1991 – present Stations Camp Kelly (later Kelly Field), Texas, 16 June 1917 Hazelhurst Field, New York, 5 September 1917 – 6 July 1918 Thetford Airdrome, England, c. 25 July 1918 Detachments at Hucknall Torkard and Salisbury, c. 18