Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

4123rd Strategic Wing
70th Bombardment Wing

The 4123rd Strategic Wing was the first strategic wing organized in the Strategic Air Command. It was activated at Carswell Air Force Base and equipped with B-52 jet bombers and KC-135 aerial tankers. On 19 February 1958 the 4123rd Strategic Wing took possession of the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress on Carswell AFB. At the arrival ceremony on base the bomber was named "The City of Fort Worth". It was subsequently assigned to the 98th Bomb Squadron in the wing. Shortly following the arrival of B-52 bombers to the 4123rd Strategic Wing, the unit was moved to new facilities at Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma. In March 1959, the wing moved to Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, Okla., where it conducted a nine-month test of the airborne alert program. The wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for participation in the test program. From 1959 until 1962 the 4123rd Strategic Wing at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, Okla., flew KC-135 tanker aircraft. By 1962 the 902nd Air Refueling Squadron was flying KC-135s at Clinton-Sherman. The 902nd flew a number of missions in support of a Boeing Aircraft Co. test program to provide conventional bomb carriage on B-52s.

On 9 September 1952, the Air Force announced its decision to build a $31 million medium jet bomber base near Jacksonville Arkansas (about 25 miles northeast of Little Rock); construction began on 08 December 1953. By August 1954, the 384th Bombardment Wing (BMW) and 70th Reconnaissance Wing had been selected by SAC to reside at the base. The 384th Bombardment Wing of the Strategic Air Command was based at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., between 1955 and 1963, flying B-47 aircraft. As of late 1961 the 70th Bombardment Wing was operating B-47s at Little Rock AFB.

Air Force personnel stationed at Clinton-Sherman included the 98th Bombardment Squadron assigned to the 4123rd Strategic Wing (1959-1963), and the 6th Bombardment Squadron assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing (1963-1969). As of 1962 the 70th Bombardment Wing was flying the B-52D at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, Okla. The 6th Bombardment Squadron operated the B-52 from February 1963 through September 1969 while assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing at Clinton-Sherman AFB. Primary models assigned were B-52E from 1963 to 1968 and B-52D from 1968 to 1969. A few B-52C models were assigned for during 1968 and 1969. B-52 operations ceased when the Wing was inactivated in 1969.