9th EBS arrives in theater, jumps into fight

Published Aug. 5, 2007
By Senior Airman Clark Staehle
379th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron arrived here July 22, ready to take the reins from the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron - and they hit the ground running.

The 9th EBS includes Airmen and B-1 bombers from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. In the two weeks since arriving here, the 9th EBS's Airmen have already logged about 25 missions, dropping bombs on enemies throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.

To help ease the transition, the 9th EBS deployed aircrews ahead of time to work and fly missions with the 34th EBS, known as "rainbow crews." Rainbow crews also helps pair new crewmembers with experienced crewmembers. That way, there will never be a completely inexperienced 9th EBS aircrew in the AOR

According to Capt. Scott Digioia, 9th EBS instructor pilot, one of the dangers of transition is complacency - the outgoing crew could be so focused on going home that they might inadvertently make a mistake. Flying with crews from of both squadrons helps keep continuity.

The squadron's mission here requires flexibility. Tasking agencies can request support at any moment, so what the crew is originally tasked to do isn't necessarily what they'll end up doing.

The bomb squadron flies close air support, which supports troops on the ground through tactics like shows of force. B-1 aircrews work hand in hand with joint terminal attack controllers on the ground. JTACs request and help guide close air support for troops in battle.

The B-1s are also ideal for providing shows of presence. SOPs can be as simple as just flying over the enemy and deploying flares, according to Capt. Matt Steele, 9th EBS weapons system officer. Just being in the area is enough to keep enemies from attacking. Just letting enemies know there's a B-1 in the area is enough to keep them from attacking troops on the ground.

On a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, a crew received a call from a tasking agency to provide close air support for TIC (troops in contact).

"We heard the JTAC say 'I need a show of force NOW!' and you could hear AK-47s in the background," said Captain Steele, a Spokane, Wash., native.

The Taliban had closed in on and engaged U.S. and coalition forces on two sides, but once the B-1 provided a SOF, the Taliban pulled back and retreated to a tree line, which put them far enough away from the servicemembers for the crew to drop bombs.

"I was punching out flares with my left hand and writing down his nine-line with my right," Captain Steele said. "It happened that quickly."

A nine-line is a report troops on the ground use to give coordinates, terrain details and other information regarding action taking place during a combat mission. The aircrew dropped bombs on the Taliban.

"Normally you'll get a response with some (bomb damage assessment) fairly quickly, but after a long period of silence, all we heard was 'Stand by for next nine-line,'" Captain Steele said.

After dropping more bombs, the aircrew left to refuel and received a tasking to return to the site they'd just bombed. After taking fire, the coalition troops had taken cover, evacuated their trucks and left them full of ammunition and gear. The Taliban fighters were trying to steal the disabled coalition vehicles.

After the crew completed their refueling, they returned to the site and bombed the two
vehicles.

"There were secondary explosions going off for two hours," Captain Steele said.

Knowing their actions directly help save lives is gratifying for the crew.

"The most satisfying thing is when the JTAC says "Thanks guys, that was good,'" Captain Digioia said. "And that's why we're there, to support the guys on the ground. If we do our job, they go home safely."

According to Captain Steele, one of the highlights of each mission is returning to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing.

"The cool thing about coming back (to the 379th AEW) is opening the bomb-bay doors and watching the maintainers look to see if they've dropped bombs?," he said. "'You guys drop?' is the first thing they ask, not 'How was the mission?' or 'How is the jet?,' even though (dropping bombs) means more work for them."

While the 9th EBS now operates supersonic jets with state-of-the-art bombs, it is the oldest active bomb squadron in the Air Force, activated June 14, 1917. Its lineage dates all the way back to World War I, where it flew Sopwith Scouts and French Brequet 14.

During World War II, the squadron flew B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators out of China, Burma, India and the Mediterranean bombing German and Japanese assets. After the war, the squadron flew B-29 Stratofortresses and B-36 Peacemakers, where they were used to carry out training and exercise programs. During the Vietnam War, the 9th EBS flew B-52s in the first strike mission over Vietnam, and participated in such well-known campaigns as Operations Arc Light and Linebacker II.

Airmen now with the 9th Bomb Squadron carry on their heritage by supporting servicemembers on the ground with shows of force and close air support throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.