17th bombwing Wright Patterson AFB

The 17th Bombardment Wing was first activated in 1940, serving with distinction during World War II in both the Mediterranean and European Theaters, flying B-26 Marauders. After the war, it was inactivated and reactivated several times, adapting to new missions and aircraft, including the B-47 Stratojet during the Cold War. In the 1950s, the wing was assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, where it played a key role in Strategic Air Command’s nuclear deterrence efforts. The 17th Bombardment Wing was eventually inactivated in 1958 as part of a broader realignment of Air Force units and strategic assets.