397th Bombardment Wing
The 397th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the 45th Air Division of Strategic Air Command at Dow Air Force Base, Maine, where it was inactivated on 25 April 1968.
| 397th Bombardment Wing | |
|---|---|
Boeing B-52G in storage at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base. This plane was assigned to the 397th Bombardment Wing in 1968 | |
| Active | 1943–1946, 1963–1968 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Strategic Bombardment |
| Part of | Strategic Air Command |
| Motto(s) | Custodes Libertatis Latin"Guardians of Freedom" |
| Engagements | European theater of World War II |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
| Insignia | |
| 397th Bombardment Wing emblem (approved 30 October 1963) | |
It was originally organized as the 397th Bombardment Group, a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It deployed to Western Europe with Ninth Air Force as a medium bombardment unit equipped with Martin B-26 Marauders. It returned to the United States during December 1945, being inactivated on 6 January 1946.
The 397th Bombardment Wing was organized in 1963 as a component organization of Strategic Air Command's deterrent force during the Cold War. It was inactivated when Dow closed.
In early 1984 the group and wing were consolidated into a single unit, but have not been active since.