This Missouri air base played key role in US attack on Iran. Here's what to know

Matthew Kelly, The Kansas City Star on Jun 23, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Whiteman Air Force Base in Johnson County, Missouri, has a mission statement: “Execute Nuclear Operations and Global Strike ... Anytime, Anywhere!”

Over the weekend, bomber pilots from Whiteman were called upon to carry out attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran, drawing the U.S. into an escalating conflict in the Middle East.

According to the Pentagon, all seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that participated in the Saturday evening strikes dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer” had returned safely to Whiteman by Sunday.

Whiteman, located just south of Knob Noster, Missouri, and about an hour and a half southeast of Kansas City, is the only base capable of launching the Air Force’s fleet of 19 bombers, its website claims.

In a radio interview on KCMO Monday, Gov. Mike Kehoe hailed the troops involved in the strike as “warriors.”

“Not just the pilots,” Kehoe said. “It’s the support crew and all the people around them who plan for these missions. And then they do execute them flawlessly.”

Kehoe lauded President Trump’s decision to authorize the strike, saying he believes the military action will “encourage peace” in the troubled region.

“The president is not going to mess around,” Kehoe said. “Come to the table and negotiate and figure out a way to get peace or it won’t be good.”

History of Whiteman AFB

Whiteman was originally established in 1942 as Sedalia Glider Base, where Waco glider pilots were trained for action in World War II.

It was renamed in 1955 to honor 2nd Lieutenant George A. Whiteman, a Missouri-born aviator thought to be among the first Airmen killed in the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

Whiteman has served a variety of purposes in the decades since, including as a missile base between the 1960s and 1980s.

In 1988, the Air Force announced that the 509th Bomb Wing would become the nation’s first operational B-2 bomber unit and that it would be stationed at Whiteman — a decision that was heavily influenced by the late U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton.

The first bomber, Spirit of Missouri, was delivered Dec. 17, 1993. In the years since, B-2s have been known to perform flyovers before Kansas City Chiefs home games.

The Air Force website touts the 509th Bomb Wing as the oldest atomic-trained military unit in the world, dating its origin back to World War II, when the Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, Japan.

According to the Department of Defense, Whiteman AFB currently has a population of around 14,000 people, including approximately 3,841 active duty personnel, their family members, retirees, civilian employees, and roughly 2,320 reservists and guardsmen.

B-2 mission in Iran

The distinctive bat-winged B-2 bombers are capable of delivering massive firepower, including both conventional and nuclear munitions. These strikes can reliably hit targets within 10 meters of a bull’s eye.

Their unique design and engine technology make them nearly undetectable as they soar miles above the Earth.

These features helped pilots make their 18-hour flight from Missouri to Iran undetected. The Air Force also ran misdirection.

As the operation got underway, a group of B-2s was seen taking off from Whiteman and heading for the Pacific island of Guam. Meanwhile, the bombers involved in the attack flew west, refueling as they crossed the Atlantic and the Mediterranean before reaching Iranian airspace.

In total, the B-2s dropped 14 massive “bunker bombs” weighing 30,000 pounds each on targets in three Iranian cities during a 25-minute bombardment, according to Pentagon officials. It was hailed as the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history.

In a Saturday evening social media post, Trump identified the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant, a uranium enrichment plant roughly 100 miles south of Tehran, as the main target of the operation.

The attack, which Trump characterized as “very successful,” also struck targets in Natanz and Eshafan. Officials say they are not aware of any shots fired at U.S. aircraft during the mission.

On Monday afternoon, Iran’s military announced that it had carried out a missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S. airbase in Qatar.

_____