Lineage. Established as Continental Air Forces on 13 Dec 1944. Activated on 15 Dec 1944. Redesignated Strategic Air Command on 21 Mar 1946. Inactivated on 1 Jun 1992. Redesignated as Air Force Global Strike Command, and activated, on 7 Aug 2009.
Assignments. Army Air Forces, 15 Dec 1944; United States Air Force, 26 Sep 1947-1 Jun 1992. United States Air Force, 7 Aug 2009-.
Major Components. Operational Components. Air Forces: First: 16 Apr 1945-21 Mar 1946. Second: 16 Apr 1945-30 Mar 1946; 1 Nov 1949-1 Jan 1975. Third: 16 Apr 1945-21 Mar 1946. Fourth: 16 Apr 1945-21 Mar 1946. Eighth: 7 Jun 1946-1 Jun 1992; 1 Feb 2010-. Fifteenth: 31 Mar 1946-1 Jun 1992. Sixteenth: 1 Jul 1957-15 Apr 1966. Twentieth: 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992; 1 Dec 2009-. Commands: I Troop Carrier: 16 Apr-4 Nov 1945; IX Troop Carrier: c. 5 Sep 1945-31 Mar 1946. Air Divisions: 1 (later, 1 Missile Division; 1 Strategic Aerospace Division): 15 Apr 1955-20 May 1956; 1 Jan 1958-1 Sep 1988. 3: 18 Jun 1954-1 Apr 1970; 1 Jan 1975-31 Jan 1982. 5: 14 Jan 1951-1 Jul 1957. 7: 20 Mar 1951-30 Jun 1965; 1 Jul 1978-31 Jan 1982. 21: 16 Feb 1951-8 Apr 1952; 8 Apr-16 Jul 1952. 58: 1 Mar-16 Oct 1948. 73: 21-31 Mar 1946. 311: 31 Mar 1947-1 Nov 1949.
Stations. Washington, DC, 15 Dec 1944; Bolling Field, DC, by 1946; Andrews Field (later, AFB), MD, 21 Oct 1946; Offutt AFB, NE, 9 Nov 1948-1 Jun 1992. Barksdale AFB, LA, 7 Aug 2009-.
Commanders. Brig Gen Eugene H. Beebe, 15 Dec 1944; Maj Gen St Clair Streett, 1 Mar 1945; Gen Henry H. Arnold, 1 Jul 1945; Gen George C. Kenney, 21 Mar 1946; Gen Curtis E. LeMay, 19 Oct 1948; Gen Thomas S. Power, 1 Jul 1957; Gen John D. Ryan, 1 Dec 1964; Gen Joseph J. Nazzaro, 1 Feb 1967; Gen Bruce K. Holloway, 29 Jul 1968; Gen John C. Meyer, 1 May 1972; Gen Russell E. Dougherty, 1 Aug 1974; Gen Richard H. Ellis, 1 Aug 1977; Gen Bennie L. Davis, 1 Aug 1981; Gen Larry D. Welch, 1 Aug 1985; Gen John T. Chain, 1 Jul 1986; Gen George L. Butler, 1 Feb 1991-1 Jun 1992. Lt Gen Frank G. Klotz, 7 Aug 2009; Lt Gen James M. Kowalski, 6 Jan 2011; Lt Gen Stephen W. Wilson, 23 Oct 2013; Gen Robin Rand, 28 Jul 2015-.
Operations. The Continental Air Forces, created in December 1944, coordinated the activities of the four numbered air forces (First, Second, Third, and Fourth) in the United States. Strategic bombardment operations during World War II, however, had exposed the need for a major command devoted exclusively to strategic, long-range air combat operations, and that became the Strategic Air Command's assigned mission in 1946. The Strategic Air Command (SAC) served as America’s greatest deterrent to the threat of nuclear attack from the early 1950’s through May 1992, by maintaining a long range strike force of bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles. During 1992, as a result of the diminishing danger of massive nuclear warfare and the disappearance of a meaningful distinction between strategic and tactical missions, HQ USAF inactivated the Strategic Air Command, transferring its bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and tankers to other commands. In 2009, the Air Force redesignated Strategic Air Command as Air Force Global Strike Command and activated it to resume management of the nation’s long-range bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards: 1 Jul 1985-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988; 1 Oct 1988-30 Sep 1990; 1 Oct 1990-31 May 1992; 1 Jan 2014-31 Dec 2015; 1 Jan 2016-31 Dec 2017.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 30 Jul 2019.
Commanders and Operations through May 2017.
Supersedes statement prepared on 13 Jan 2018.
Emblem. Approved 20 May 2009.
Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman