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Members of the Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing were part of Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 20 mission that dropped 14 “bunker buster” bombs on three Iranian nuclear weapons development sites.
“Every American involved in this operation performed flawlessly, and I want to give recognition to our allies in Israel as well,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a June 22 Pentagon press conference.
“I could not be more proud of how this building operated, of the precision, the sensitivity and the professionalism of the troops involved in this effort,” Hegseth said.
The mission, which involved more than 125 aircraft, was the largest operational strike performed by B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and the second longest B-2 mission ever flown in American history.
Facilities vital to Iran’s nuclear program at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan were destroyed.
“This was a complex and high-risk mission carried out with exceptional skill and discipline by our joint force. I want to thank every service member, planner, operator that made this mission possible,” said Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during the press conference. “Their actions reflect the highest standards of the United States armed forces.”
The 131st BW is a “classic associate wing” to the Air Force’s 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The 509th owns the B-2s, but both units maintain and fly the aircraft as if they were one unit.
“We are incredibly proud of our Airmen,” said Maj. Gen. Charles Hausman, the adjutant general of Missouri, in a press release. “Their discipline and exceptional proficiency are paramount in accomplishing the mission. The collaboration between our Missouri Air National Guard Airmen and their active-duty partners was essential to achieving this outcome.”
Hegseth stated his belief that the far-reaching power of the American bombers would force Iran to rethink its posture towards the United States.
“I think Tehran is certainly calculating the reality that planes flew from the middle of America in Missouri overnight completely undetected over three of their most highly sensitive sites and we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities,” he said. “We believe that will have a clear psychological impact on how they view the future.”
—By Zita Fletcher
