During World War II its predecessor, the 95th Bombardment Group, was a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England, stationed at RAF Horham.

It was inactivated when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve flying units under the wing base organization model.

Final training was conducted at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota from 14 December 1942 to 11 March 1943.

The ground echelon moved to Camp Kilmer, then sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth to Scotland, arriving in May.

[5] The group was diverted to bombing priority tactical targets during the preparation for and execution of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, attacking communications and coastal defenses.

The 95th attacked enemy troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to January 1945 and bombed airfields to support Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine in March.

[20] During its time with Eighth Air Force the 95th flew 320 missions, losing 157 aircraft, but claiming the destruction of 425 German fighters.

[5] The squadron was reunited at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, where it was inactivated on 28 August 1945.

The group was inactivated when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system in June 1949.

[3] On 12 February 1959, the last B-36J in SAC's inventory departed the wing and Biggs for Amon Carter Field, in Fort Worth, Texas, where it became a display aircraft.

In the late 1950s, SAC established Strategic Wings to disperse its B-52s over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.

[8] The 336th Bombardment Squadron moved to Turner Air Force Base, Georgia in July and was assigned to the 4138th Strategic Wing there.

[7][3] Starting in 1960, one-third of the wing's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled, armed and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.

[24] The 95th continued to maintain an alert commitment until shortly before inactivation on 25 June 1966 with the transfer of Biggs to the United States Army.

On the sixth pass by the fighters, a Sidewinder launched and struck one of the engine pods on the bomber's left wing.

[note 8] The 95th Wing supported SAC's KC-135 alert tanker forces in eastern Canada and the North Atlantic.

The Government of Canada had previously shared responsibility for the operation of the airport with the United States Air Force.

[30] In 1975 the Canadian government informed the United States that the Air Force's lease on Goose Bay Airport would not be renewed when it expired on 30 June 1976.

[32] It was responsible for operating Edwards, including the infrastructure, communication systems, security, fire protection, transportation, supply, finance, contracting, legal services, personnel and manpower support, housing, education, chapel and quality of life programs on a 301,000-acre (1,220 km2) base in the middle of the Mojave Desert, the second largest base in the USAF.

[33] The wing oversaw base day-to-day operations and provided support for over 12,000 military, federal civilian and contract personnel.