Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

340th Bomb Wing

In August 1951, Strategic Air Command selected Sedalia Air Force Base, MO to be a site of one of its new bombardment wings, with both bombers and tankers assigned to the unit. Construction of facilities to support SAC's first all-jet bomber, the B-47, and the KC-97 aerial refueling tanker was conducted by the 4224th Air Base Squadron until Oct. 20, 1952, when it inactivated while turning over the base to the 340th Bombardment Wing. SAC scheduled the 340th to received the command's newest aircraft systems, the B-47 Stratojet and KC-97 tanker. Construction workers soon completed runway repairs and other projects in November 1953, paving the way for the arrival of the first B-47 in March 1954. On Dec. 3, 1955, Sedalia AFB became Whiteman AFB.

From 1955 to 1960, the 340th BMW played a key role in SAC's mission of strategic deterrence. Its men and women were on the front line of the nation's strategic defense -- a force for peace that helped preserve America's freedom and safeguarded the world from another world war.

The 340th BMW gradually phased out operations at Whiteman during 1963, with its remnants transferring to Bergstrom AFB, Texas, on 01 September 1963.

In 1959 Second Air Force activated the 4130th Strategic Wing at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, Texas. General Howard W. Moore was assigned as commander of the 4130th Strategic Wing, where he organized and upgraded the wing to combat-ready status. The 4130th Strategic Wing at Bergstrom was inactivated on 01 September 1963. The B-52 aircraft of the wing's 335th Bombardment Squadron were transferred to the newly-arrived 340th Bomb Wing. The wing's 486th Bombardment Squadron remained at Bergstrom through 1966.