28th Bomb Wing The 28th Bomb Wing ( 28 BW ) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force . It is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base , South Dakota . The wing is also the host unit at Ellsworth . The wing is one of only two B - 1B Lancer strategic bomber wings in the United States Air Force , the other being the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base , Texas . Active for over 60 years , the 28 BW was a component wing of Strategic Air Command ' s deterrent force throughout the Cold War . The 28th Bomb Wing is commanded by Colonel Kevin B . Kennedy . Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Kevin S . Peterson . Background of name . The motto " Guardian of the North " hails from the 28th Operations Group ' s World War II service in Alaska , the Aleutian Islands , and the Kuril Islands . The 28th Bomb Wing carries on the traditions of the 28th Operations Group . Myth : The motto " Guardian of the North " is not related in any way to the wing ' s Cold War service with B - 52 Stratofortress bombers . Although this motto seems to dovetail nicely with the idea of guarding the north ( whether spearheading an attack over the North Pole , or defending against one ) from the Soviets , this is definitely not the case . History . The 28th Bomb Wing , under various designations , has been assigned to Ellsworth AFB , South Dakota for over 60 years . It is the longest assigned active - duty unit at a single base in the United States Air Force . Cold War . Established as 28 Bombardment Wing , Very Heavy on 28 July 1947 . Maintained proficiency in heavy bombardment , 1947 – 1948 . Maintained proficiency in global bombardment , deploying tactical components or segments thereof as needed , 1948 – 1950 . In March 1953 an RB - 36 and its entire crew of 23 crashed in Newfoundland while returning from a routine exercise in Europe . On 13 June 1953 , President Dwight D . Eisenhower made a personal visit to dedicate the base in memory of Brig Gen Richard E . Ellsworth , commander of the 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing , who lost his life in that accident . Although the wing ’ s aerial reconnaissance capability lasted until September 1958 , by April 1955 the Air Force had already changed the wing back to its former status as the 28th Bombardment Wing , Heavy , under the 15th Air Force ( later attached to the 3rd Air Division ) , which specialized almost exclusively in ordnance delivery . Headquarters Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) reassigned the 28 BMW from 8th Air Force back to 15th Air Force in October 1955 . Approximately one year later , SAC set plans in motion to replace the 28th ' s B - 36s with the new all - jet B - 52 Stratofortress . The last B - 36 left Ellsworth on 29 May 1957 and the first B - 52 arrived sixteen days later . In 1958 all base units came under the command of the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division , headquartered at Ellsworth . Deployed at Andersen AFB , Guam , April – July 1955 . Added aerial refueling to mission in 1959 and began operating post - attack command and control system for Fifteenth Air Force in January 1965 , maintaining this capability through a rear echelon during the absences of the remainder of the wing . Controlled a non - equipped Titan missile squadron , December 1960 – December 1961 . Except for a small rear echelon left at Ellsworth AFB , SD , the wing ' s headquarters staff , tactical aircraft and crews , and most support personnel were integrated into Arc Light forces for combat in Southeast Asia , c . 9 March – c . 21 September 1966 , c . 15 January – c . 19 July 1968 , and c . 9 September 1969 – c . 18 March 1970 . From April 1972 to October 1973 the wing also had most of its tactical aircraft and crews on loan to SAC organizations involved in combat operations , and the wing continued supporting Pacific forces with planes and crews into 1975 . Converted from B - 52G to B - 52H models in 1977 . Performed airborne launch control functions for USAF Minuteman missile wings with EC - 135 aircraft and provided logistic support to the 44th Missile Wing . Expanded B - 52H mission in 1984 to include sea reconnaissance , surveillance , and conventional operations from forward bases overseas . Upgraded tanker force to KC - 135R in 1985 – 1986 . In 1986 the 28 BMW made extensive preparations to phase out the aging B - 52 fleet and become the new home for the advanced B - 1 Lancer . Contractors completed new unaccompanied enlisted dormitories in March , a new security police group headquarters in October , and gave Ellsworth ' s 13 , 497 foot runway a much - needed facelift . In addition , they completed new aircraft maintenance facilities for the complex new B - 1B . In January 1987 , the wing received the first of 35 B - 1B bombers . The 37 BS returned to operational duty with the 28 BW in January 1987 , just in time to join the 77 BS in training on the new bombers . The first B - 1B arrived on 21 January 1987 . In July 1988 the 57th Air Division became the wing ’ s new higher headquarters . In 1989 the wing ’ s B - 1Bs earned the Fairchild Trophy , Crumm Linebacker Trophy , Eaker Trophy , and the Omaha Trophy for superior bomber operations and the most outstanding wing in SAC . The wing also provided tanker support for Operation Just Cause , December 1989 – January 1990 . In July 1990 the Strategic Warfare Center became the latest of the wing ’ s intermediate headquarters . Adding to its extensive combat experience , the wing deployed both tanker and airborne command post aircraft to Operation ’ s Desert Shield / Desert Storm from August 1990 – March 1991 . On 1 September 1991 SAC redesignated the 28 BW as the 28th Wing , and once again assigned it directly under Eighth Air Force , and as part of the new objective wing organization , reactivated the old 28 BG under the new name of the 28th Operations Group . The 28th Wing also regained host wing responsibilities for Ellsworth AFB from the 44th Missile Wing . Modern era . With the end of the Cold War , on 28 September 1991 the Secretary of Defense ordered B - 1Bs and tankers off alert . The 4 ACCS continued to maintain an alert crew until May 1992 . On 1 June 1992 , simultaneously , SAC inactivated , Air Combat Command activated , the 28th Wing changed names to the 28th Bomb Wing , and the 28 AREFS became a geographically separated unit assigned to Malmstrom AFB , Montana . In September 1992 the 4 ACCS also inactivated , having effectively worked themselves out of a job by helping America ’ s deterrent resolve win the Cold War . In 1993 the wing ’ s B - 1Bs were the first in ACC to transition from their former strategic role to an all - conventional mission . The 28th ’ s operational squadrons could conceivably touch anywhere in the world to meet national defense needs . Ellsworth tested this concept in 1993 and early 1994 during such events as : “ Team Spirit ” ( the first B - 1Bs ever to land in South Korea ) ; “ Global Power ” ( various long - duration , round trip sorties flown from Ellsworth to bomb training ranges in another continent . ) ; and “ Bright Star ” ( the wing ’ s second but the B - 1Bs first visit to a major JCS exercise in Southwest Asia ) . From June through December 1994 , 28 BW B - 1Bs participated in a Congressionally directed operational readiness assessment known locally as “ Dakota Challenge . ” This test , conducted exclusively by the 28 BW , proved the B - 1B to be a versatile and reliable weapon system ; the mainstay of America ’ s heavy bomber fleet for years to come . On 31 March 1995 , the 77 BS — a unit that had served under the wing since 1948 — inactivated . Its B - 1Bs became part of ACC ’ s reconstitution reserve . This action freed funds to allow the Air Force to develop new precision - guided munition s . The Air Force announced in early 1996 that the 77 BS would once again activate under the 28 BW on 1 April 1997 . In November 1998 , they received the first Block D upgraded B - 1B in the USAF inventory . The Block D upgrade brings the capability for the B - 1 to drop the Joint Direct Attack Munition ( JDAM ) , which is a global positioning system ( GPS ) guided munition . ( These are the upgrades that were paid for with the funds that were freed during the 77 BS ' s inactivation ) . One B - 1B from the 28th Bomb Wing departed for Southwest Asia 18 December 1997 to support the president ' s request for additional bomber forces in the Operation Desert Fox theater of operation . The 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base also launched a B - 1B 18 December . This brings the total number of B - 1Bs in theater to six — three from Ellsworth and three from Dyess . B - 1Bs from both bases saw their first combat action in air raids over Iraq 17 December 1997 . Details on the number of B - 1Bs used and battle damage assessment information is not being released ; however , the missions were characterized as " very successful . " In December 1998 , 28 BW deployed aircraft , which flew under the flag of the 28th Air Expeditionary Group in Operation Desert Fox , were the first B - 1s to drop bombs on an enemy target . In late March 2011 , B - 1 bombers from the 28th Bomb Wing were deployed on a mission to Libya to attack military targets in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn . Operations and Decorations . In 1989 , won the Fairchild Trophy for excellence in bombing and navigation and the Omaha Trophy , presented to the outstanding wing in SAC .