10th Missile Squadron

The 10th Missile Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 341st Operations Group, stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. The squadron operates the LGM-30G Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and is responsible for maintaining combat-ready nuclear deterrent forces.

Originally activated during World War II as the 10th Bombardment Squadron, the unit flew combat missions in the China-Burma-India Theater using B-24 Liberators. After being inactivated and deactivated several times, the squadron was re-designated and activated as a missile unit in 1962 during the Cold War, becoming part of the United States’ strategic nuclear deterrent.

History

World War II

Established in 1939 as a prewar bombardment squadron, it was equipped with a mixture of Douglas B-18 Bolo medium and early-model Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers. It trained over the US east coast flying training missions. It also had some second-line Northrop A-17 Nomad dive bombers assigned. After the outbreak of World War II in Europe it flew patrols over the Atlantic Coast searching for German U-boat activity.

Deployed to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico in late 1940, the unit was assigned to the Caribbean Air Force, 25th Bombardment Group. The unit was called to face possible action, with its sister 1st Bombardment Squadron, in April and May 1942, however, when it patrolled the Vichy French Martinique area. By 1 November 1942, the squadron was transferred (minus personnel) to Edinburgh Field, Trinidad.Hagdedorn,

In August 1943, the 10th Squadron, which had by then been consolidated with the personnel and equipment of the old 1st Bombardment Squadron re-equipped with the North American B-25 Mitchell. A detachment was also maintained at Port-of-Spain at this time.

With the Navy taking over the antisubmarine mission, the squadron moved to France Field, Canal Zone in December 1943, where it became an element of the VI Bomber Command. The Squadron carried on patrols up and down the Atlantic coast of Panama and into neighboring Colombian waters until relieved from assignment to Sixth Air Force and returned to the United States. on 2 May 1944. It moved to Lincoln Army Air Field, Nebraska where it became a B-25 Mitchell medium bomber replacement training unit under Second Air Force. Inactivated June 1944.

Reserve bombardment squadron

The squadron was reactivated in June 1947 as a reserve unit at Westover Field (later Westover Air Force Base), Massachusetts, where it was assigned to the 341st Bombardment Group. It was not equipped with operational aircraft, but flew North American AT-6 Texan and Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan trainer aircraft. Its training was supervised by the 108th AAF Base Unit (later 108th AF Base Unit, 2227th Air Force Reserve Training Center) of Air Defense Command (ADC). In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC. President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force, and the 490th was inactivated in June 1949.

Strategic Air Command bomber operations

The squadron was activated at Abilene Air Force Base, Texas on 1 September 1955, as the Air Force reopened it as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base for Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers. The squadron trained in strategic bombardment operations with the B-47 and participated in SAC exercises and operations. From January through April 1958, the squadron deployed with the 341st Bombardment Wing to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.Ravenstein, pp.180-181 Shortly thereafter, its planes went through Project Milk Bottle to strengthen their wings for low level operations. The squadron also participated in Operation Reflex alert operations. Reflex placed Stratojets and Boeing KC-97s at bases closer to the Soviet Union for 90 day periods, although individuals rotated back to home bases during unit Reflex deployments.

Starting in 1958, SAC's B-47 wings of began to assume an alert posture at their home bases, reducing the amount of time spent on alert at overseas bases. General Thomas S. Power’s initial goal was to maintain one third of SAC's planes on fifteen minute ground alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.Schake, p. 220 (note 43) Its last Reflex deployment ended on 15 July 1959. In April 1961, the squadron began drawing down in preparation for inactivation and was inactivated on 25 June 1961, transferring its aircraft to other SAC wings.

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Squadron

It was reactivated on 1 December 1961 as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile squadron assigned to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. It was initially equipped with 50 LGM-30A Minuteman Is in early 1962, becoming SAC's first operational Minuteman squadron. It upgraded to the Minuteman IB in 1964 and the Minuteman IIF in 1967. It received control of LGM-30G Minuteman III silos from the inactivating 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota in 1996; the Minuteman IIs being retired. It has maintained ICBMs on alert ever since.

10th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities
: Missile Alert Facilities (A-E flights, each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:Malmstrom AFB Minuteman Missile Site Coordinates

:: A-01 7.5 mi SE of Armington MT,
:: B-01 6.5 mi ExNE of Geyser MT,
:: C-01 1.6 mi NW of Windham MT,
:: D-01 7.3 mi ExNE of Denton MT,
:: E-01 7.5 mi SxSW of Winifred MT,

Lineage

* Constituted as the 10th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 December 1939
: Activated on 1 February 1940
: Redesignated 10th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 7 May 1942
: Redesignated 10th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 21 September 1943
: Inactivated on 17 June 1944
* Redesignated 10th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 11 March 1947
: Activated in the reserve on 18 June 1947
: Inactivated on 27 June 1949
* Redesignated 10th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 7 June 1955
: Activated on 1 September 1955
: Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1961
* Redesignated 10th Strategic Missile Squadron, (ICBM-Minuteman) and activated on 2 August 1961 (not organized)
: Organized on 1 December 1961
: Redesignated 10th Missile Squadron on 1 September 1991

Assignments

* 25th Bombardment Group, 1 February 1940 (attached to VI Bomber Command after 13 December 1943)
* VI Bomber Command, 17 December 1943
* Second Air Force, c. 9 May – 17 June 1944
* 341st Bombardment Group, 18 June 1947 – 27 June 1949
* 341st Bombardment Wing, 1 September 1955 – 25 June 1961
* Strategic Air Command, 2 August 1961 (not organized)
* 341st Strategic Missile Wing, 1 December 1961
* 341st Operations Group, 1 September 1991 – present

Stations

* Langley Field, Virginia, 1 February – 26 October 1940
* Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, 1 November 1940
* Edinburgh Field, Trinidad, c. 1 November 1942
: Detachment operated from Port of Spain, Trinidad, 27 August – 12 October 1943
* Waller Field, Trinidad, 1 October 1943
* France Field, Panama Canal Zone, 11 December 1943 – 2 May 1944
* Lincoln Army Air Field, Nebraska, 25 May – 17 June 1944
* Westover Field (later Westover Air Force Base), Massachusetts, 18 June 1947 – 27 June 1949
* Abilene Air Force Base (later Dyess Air Force Base), Texas, 1 September 1955 – 25 June 1961 (deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, 9 January – c. 3 April 1958)
* Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, 1 December 1961 – present

Aircraft and Missiles

* Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1940
* Northrop A-17 Nomad, 1940–1941
* Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1940–1943
* North American B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1944
* North American AT-6 Texan, 1947–1949
* Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan, 1947–1949
* Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1956–1961
* LGM-30A/B Minuteman I, 1962–1968
* LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1968–1991
* LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1996 – present

See also

* List of United States Air Force missile squadrons

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

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External links

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{{USAAF 6th Air Force World War II

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Military units and formations in Montana