Formed as the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Mountain Home AFB in July 1949, the unit relocated to Fairfield-Suisun AFB (later Travis AFB) five months later. It operated the RB-29 and RB-36 before switching roles to become a Bombardment Wing in October 1955 with the B-36 assigned. After upgrading to the B-52 and KC-135 in 1959, the unit moved to Minot AFB in July 1968, absorbing the resources of the 450th BW. The wing won the Fairchild Trophy as the top bomber team with the B-52H at SAC's Proud Shield bombing and navigation competition in 1988. The unit was redesignated as the 5th Wing in October 1991, but reverted to a Bomb Wing in 1992 when the KC-135As of the 906th ARS transferred to AMC. It was selected to be one of the two remaining B-52H units, with the 72nd BS activated late in 1994 as its second squadron.