Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent example of a painted gauze cloth 5th Bombardment Group (5th BG) "Bomber Barons", 23rd Bomb Squadron patch that would have been present on the front left of a flight jacket during WWII. The patches, which were often “in house” made emblems, would help to differentiate the various crewmembers and their ground crews for specific aircraft and units. The patch is in wonderful condition with all colors still easily recognizable.

The patch does not appear to have been worn on a uniform but does show signs of wear, most likely from being stored or displayed. The image painted is of an aristocratic skeleton dressed in a pilot uniform wearing a tophat, using a cane and smoking a cigarette.

A lovely example ready for further research and display.

Lineage. Organized as 18 Aero Squadron on 16 Jun 1917. Redesignated 23 Aero Squadron (Repair) on 22 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 22 Mar 1919. Reconstituted, and consolidated (1924) with 23 Squadron, which was authorized on 30 Aug 1921, organized on 1 Oct 1921, redesignated 23 Bombardment Squadron on 25 Jan 1923. Redesignated: 23 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 23 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940; 23 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 Mar 1944; 23 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 30 Apr 1946. Inactivated on 10 Mar 1947. Redesignated 23 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 16 Sep 1947. Activated on 20 Oct 1947. Redesignated: 23 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 16 Jun 1949; 23 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy, on 14 Nov 1950; 23 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Oct 1955; 23 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments. Unkn, 16 Jun 1917-22 Mar 1919. Ninth Corps Area, 1 Oct 1921; 5 Group (Observation) (later, 5 Group [Pursuit and Bombardment]; 5 Group [Composite]; 5 Composite Group), 29 Mar 1922; 19 Bombardment Group, 8 May 1929 (attached to 5 Composite [later, 5 Bombardment] Group, 8 May 1929-11 Oct 1938); 5 Bombardment Group, 12 Oct 1938-10 Mar 1947. 5 Reconnaissance, (later, 5 Strategic Reconnaissance) Group, 20 Oct 1947 (attached to 71 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 18-24 Aug 1948; 32 Composite Wing, 24 Aug 1948-16 Mar 1949; 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1-17 Jun 1949; 5 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952); 5 Strategic Reconnaissance, (later, 5 Bombardment) Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 5 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-.

Stations. Camp Kelly, TX, 16 Jun 1917; Hazelhurst Field, NY, 5 Sep 1917-6 Jul 1918; Thetford, England, c. 25 Jul 1918 (detachments at Hucknall Torkard and Salisbury, c. 18 Aug-c. 5 Nov 1918); Duxford, England, 2 Sep 1918; Codford, England, 5 Nov 1918; Cherbourg, France, 11 Nov 1918; St Maixent, France, 18 Nov 1918; St Nazaire, France, c. 29 Jan-20 Feb 1919; Garden City, NY, c. 8-22 Mar 1919. March Field, CA, 1 Oct 1921-21 Mar 1922; Luke Field, TH, 29 Mar 1922; Hickam Field, TH, 1 Jan 1939; Mokuleia, TH, 24 Mar-3 Nov 1942; Espiritu Santo, 1 Dec 1942-3 Jan 1944 (air echelon operated from Guadalcanal, 31 Mar-24 Aug 1943, and 21 Oct-7 Dec 1943); Munda, New Georgia, 9 Jan 1944; Momote Airfield, Los Negros, 16 Apr 1944; Wakde, c. 20 Aug 1944; Noemfoor, c. 30 Sep 1944; Moratai, c. 16 Oct 1944; Samar, 20 Feb 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Dec 1945-10 Mar 1947. Clark Field, Luzon, 20 Oct 1947; Kadena AB, Okinawa, 15 May 1948; Yokota AB, Japan, 16 Mar-2 May 1949; Fairfield-Suisun AFB, CA, 19 May 1949; Topeka (later, Forbes) AFB, KS, 1 Jun 1949; Mountain Home, ID,

25 Jun 1949; Fairfield-Suisun (later, Travis) AFB, CA, 1 Nov 1949 (deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, 14 Jan-12 Apr 1955); Minot AFB, ND, 25 Jul 1968-.

Aircraft. In addition to NBS-1, included JN-6, DH-4 and others during period 1922-1929; primarily B-4, B-5, and LB-6 during period 1929-1937; B-12, 1937-1939; B-18, 1938-1942; B-17, 1941-1943; B-24, 1943-1945. C-46, 1947-1948; B/FB-17, 1947-1948; F-2, 1947-1948; RB-29, 1948-1951; RB-36, 1951-1955; B/RB-36, 1955-1958; B-52, 1959-.

Operations. Repaired and maintained aircraft and engines, 1917-1918. Bombed lava flowing from Mauna Loa, diverting it from the city of Hilo, Hawaii, 27 Dec 1935. Patrols over the Pacific, 8 Dec 1941-Nov 1942; 26 Aug-18 Oct 1943. Awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) for service in Southwest Pacific, [1-9] Dec 1942. Combat in South, Southwest, and Western Pacific, 27 Apr-16 Aug 1943, 22 Oct-6 Dec 1943, 22 Jan-1 Mar 1944, 18 Apr 1944-12 Aug 1945. Awarded Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs) for performance at Woleai Island, 18 Apr-15 May 1944 and Borneo, 30 Sep 1944. Non-operational, 1946-1947. Photo-mapping in the Philippines, Formosa, and Southwest Pacific, Nov 1947-Mar 1949. Performed strategic reconnaissance, 1949-1952. Assumed a strategic bombardment mission in1953. In 1959, completed conversion to B-52 bomber aircraft; supported Air Reserve and Air National Guard programs and participated in disaster relief and other domestic emergency programs. Increased bomber sorties, airborne and ground alert status during Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct 1962. In Jul 1968, moved without personnel or equipment from Travis AFB, CA to Minot AFB, ND. From 1968 to 1975 provided qualified B-52 aircrews to other SAC units involved in combat operations in Southeast Asia. In 1980s and 1990s, maintained operational capabilities to conduct strategic warfare and conventional contingency operations. As Cold War ended in Sep 1991, bombers removed from nuclear alert for first time in over 25 years. Maintained capability to deliver nuclear and conventional weapons worldwide using bomber aircraft, 2000-.

Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Central Pacific; Guadalcanal; China Defensive; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Woleai Island, 18 Apr-15 May 1944; Borneo, 30 Sep 1944. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy): Southwest Pacific, [1-9 Dec] 1942. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1977-30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1983-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1985-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1989-30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).

Emblem. Approved on 30 Sep 1931 and reinstated on 13 Jan 1994