77th Weapons Squadron The 77th Weapons Squadron ( 77 WPS ) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the USAF Weapons School , stationed at Dyess Air Force Base , Texas . The 77th WPS is a Geographically Separated Unit ( GSU ) of the 57th Wing , assigned to Nellis AFB , Nevada . The mission of the squadron is to provide B - 1 Lancer instructional flying . The unit activated on 15 January 1941 at Fort Douglas , Utah . After combat operations in the Pacific theater during World War II , the 77th contributed to America ’ s nuclear deterrent during the Cold War and formed the backbone of the Air Force ’ s B - 52 force during the Vietnam War . Overview . The 77 WPS is the current designation of one of the oldest and most decorated bombardment squadrons in the United States Air Force . It provides weapons training to B - 1B Lancer squadrons at Dyess Air Force Base , TX and Ellsworth AFB , SD . History . World War II . The squadron was activated in January 1941 as a Northwest Air District medium bomber squadron , equipped with a mixture of B - 18 Bolo s , PT - 17 Stearman trainers and early model B - 26 Marauder s . Upon completion of training , it was assigned to the new Elmendorf Field , near Anchorage , Alaska ; being one of the first Air Corps units assigned to the Alaska Territory . After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Alaska . When the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands in June 1942 , the squadron was reassigned to Fort Glenn Army Airfield on Adak Island ; and began combat missions over the captured islands of Kiska and Attu . Flew combat missions with B - 26 Marauder s and later B - 25 Mitchell medium bombers during the Aleutian Campaign , remaining in Alaska until the end of World War II in 1945 when the squadron personnel were demobilized and the unit inactivated as a paper unit in early of November 1945 . Cold War . Reactivated as a Strategic Air Command B - 29 Superfortress squadron in 1946 , being trained in the midwest then reassigned to Alaska in late 1946 . Mission changed from strategic bombardment training to strategic reconnaissance and mapping ; engaging in very long range reconnaissance missions in the Bering Straits ; North Pacific coast and Arctic Ocean coastline of the Soviet Union . Squadron performed charting and other mapping missions , most likely including ferret and ELINT missions , possibly overflying Soviet airspace . Squadron returned to the Continental United States in 1947 , being equipped with B - 36 Peacemaker strategic bombers , both in the bomber and strategic reconnaissance versions . Undertook strategic bombardment training missions on a global scale , including strategic reconnaissance missions with the RB - 36s until the phaseout of the B - 36 from SAC in 1957 . Re - equipped with B - 52D Stratofortress es and stood nuclear alert and conducted global strategic bombardment training missions until 1966 . Began rotational deployments to Andersen AFB , Guam where squadron began flying conventional strategic bombardment Arc Light missions over Indochina ( 1966 – 1970 ) . Converted to B - 52G in 1971 and returned to nuclear alert status ; upgrading to B - 52H in 1977 . Received first production B - 1B Lancer s in 1985 and maintained nuclear alert until taken off alert after the end of the Cold War in 1991 . Performed strategic bombardment training until inactivated in 1997 as part of the drawdown of the USAF . Modern era . Organization reactivated activated as the USAF Weapons School B - 1 Division on 28 August 1992 at Nellis AFB , Nevada . Re - designated as the 77th Weapons Squadron in 2003 . It provides training to B - 1 aircrews at Dyess . 28 Strategic Reconnaissance ( later , 28 Bombardment ) Wing , 16 June 1952 Replaced with the 40th Bomb Wing , moved from Shilling AFB , KS