The Twentieth Air Force was brought into existence on 4 April 1944 specifically to perform strategic bombardment missions against Japan. This was done at the insistence of
General Henry H. (Hap) Arnold, commander of the USAAF, mainly to avoid having the new
B-29 Superfortress being diverted to tactical missions under pressure from the
China Burma India Theater commanders. Twentieth Air Force was to be commanded by General Arnold himself at
Joint Chiefs of Staff level. Twentieth Air Force was completely autonomous and its B-29s were to be completely independent of other command structures and would be dedicated exclusively against strategic targets in Japan. In addition Twentieth Air Force was chosen (secretly) to be the operational component of the
Manhattan Project in 1944, and performed the
atomic attacks on Japan in August 1945. However, in early 1944, the B-29 was not yet operationally ready. The aircraft had been in development at
Boeing since the late 1930s and the first XB-29 (41-0002) flew on 21 September 1942. However, the aircraft suffered from an overwhelming number of development issues, and with engine problems (fires). As a result, most of the first production B-29s were still held up at
Air Technical Service Command modification centers, awaiting modifications and conversion to full combat readiness. By March 1944, the B-29 modification program had fallen into complete chaos, with absolutely no bombers being considered as combat ready. The program was seriously hampered by the need to work in the open air in inclement weather, as many hangars were simply too small to house the aircraft indoors; by delays in acquiring the necessary tools and support equipment, and by the USAAF's general lack of experience with the B-29. General Arnold became alarmed at the situation and directed that his assistant, Major General B. E. Meyer, personally take charge of the entire modification program. The resulting burst of activity that took place between 10 March and 15 April 1944 came to be known as the "Battle of Kansas". Beginning in mid-March, technicians and specialists from the Boeing Wichita and Seattle factories were drafted into the modification centers to work around the clock to get the B-29s ready for combat. The mechanics often had to work outdoors in freezing weather. As a result of superhuman efforts on the part of all concerned, 150 B-29s had been handed over to the
XX Bomber Command by 15 April 1944.
World War II operations Operations from CBI Theater Operation Matterhorn was the name for the
B-29 Superfortress offensive against the
Empire of Japan from airfields in China. On 10 April 1944, the
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) informally approved Operation Matterhorn. The operational vehicle was to be the
58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) of the
XX Bomber Command. The headquarters of the XX Bomber Command had been established at
Kharagpur India on 28 March 1944. The commander was General Kenneth B. Wolfe. The first B-29 reached its base in India on 2 April 1944. In India, existing airfields at Kharagpur,
Chakulia, Piardoba and Dudkhundi had been converted for B-29 use. All of these bases were located in southern
Bengal and were not far from port facilities at
Calcutta. The first B-29 arrived on
Saipan on 12 October 1944. It was piloted by
General Hansell himself. By 22 November, over 100 B-29s were on Saipan. The XXI Bomber Command was assigned the task of destroying the aircraft industry of Japan in a series of high-altitude, daylight precision attacks. It had only one Bombardment Squadron—the 393rd, commanded by
Major Charles W. Sweeney. The 509th Composite Group was a completely self-sufficient unit, with its own engineer, material, and troop squadrons as well as its own military police unit. Since the
Manhattan Project was carried out in an atmosphere of high secrecy, the vast majority of the officers and men of the 509th Composite Group were completely ignorant of its intended mission. In the decades since its reactivation, 20th Air Force has experienced four major command identities. After one year in Strategic Air Command and another year in
Air Combat Command, 20th Air Force was moved under
Air Force Space Command in 1993. December 2009 marked the final transition of 20th Air Force to the newly created
Air Force Global Strike Command. Twentieth Air Force Headquarters' changed its location in 1993, moving from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., to its current home at
FE Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
Status in the 2020s Twentieth Air Force headquarters is unique in that it has dual responsibilities to Air Force Global Strike Command and
United States Strategic Command. As the missile Numbered Air Force for AFGSC, 20th Air Force is responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Force's ICBM force. Designated as STRATCOM's Task Force 214, 20th Air Force provides on-alert, combat ready ICBMs to the president. Wings: • Headquarters,
Francis E. Warren AFB,
Wyoming •
90th Missile Wing,
Francis E. Warren AFB,
Wyoming •
319th Missile Squadron •
320th Missile Squadron •
321st Missile Squadron •
91st Missile Wing,
Minot AFB,
Minot, North Dakota •
740th Missile Squadron •
741st Missile Squadron •
742nd Missile Squadron •
341st Missile Wing,
Malmstrom AFB,
Montana •
10th Missile Squadron •
12th Missile Squadron •
490th Missile Squadron •
582nd Helicopter Group,
Francis E. Warren AFB,
Wyoming • 582nd Operations Support Squadron •
37th Helicopter Squadron •
40th Helicopter Squadron •
54th Helicopter Squadron •
377th Air Base Wing –
Kirtland AFB,
New Mexico •
625th Strategic Operations Squadron –
Offutt AFB,
Nebraska ==Lineage==