10th Missile Squadron
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 10th Missile Squadron is a unit located at Malmstrom Air Force Base
, Montana
.
medium and early-model B-17C/D Flying Fortress heavy bombers. Trained over the east coast flying training missions. Also had some second-line Northrop A-17
dive bombers assigned. After the outbreak of World War II
in Europe
it flew patrols over the Atlantic Coast monitoring for German submarine activity.
Deployed to Puerto Rico
in late 1940, being assigned to the Caribbean Air Force. Flew ant-isubmarine patrols over the Caribbean
, assigning flights of aircraft to various Lend-Lease bases obtained from the British in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement
. After the Pearl Harbor Attack in December 1941, intensified anti-submarine patrols over the Caribbean, was reassigned to the new Antilles Air Command
. Made several anti-submarine attacks during the early years of the war, but became largely a garrison organization after August 1943 when anti-submarine duty was taken over by the United States Navy
. Inactivated in Panama
in 1944.
Was reactivated in 1955 as a Strategic Air Command
B-47 Stratojet
squadron. Trained in air refueling and strategic bombardment operations with the B-47. in 1961, the squadron transferred its B-47s to other SAC wings and became non-operational.
Reactivated on 1 December 1961 as an ICBM squadron assigned to the 341st Missile Wing
at Malmstrom AFB, Montana
. Initially equipped with 50 LGM-30A Minuteman Is in early 1962, becoming SAC's first operational Minuteman ICBM squadron. Upgraded to the Minuteman IB in 1964; Minuteman IIF, in 1967. Received control of LGM-30G Minuteman III silos from inactivating 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
in 1996; Minuteman IIs being retired.
Has maintained ICBMs on alert ever since.
10th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 10th Missile Squadron is a unit located at Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Heraldry
On an Air Force Blue disc, an Air Force Golden Yellow demi lion rampant, shaded Golden Brown, his tongue Red, emerging from a hole, Dark Brown, rimmed Red; fimbriated White five (5) Red lightning flashes radiating upward from the hole, fimbriated White. MOTTO: THE FIRST ACE IN THE HOLE. Approved on 21 June 1963 (K 14273); replaced emblem approved on 27 September 1940 (8471 A.C.)History
Established in 1939 as a prewar bombardment squadron; equipped with a mixture of Douglas B-18 BoloB-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
medium and early-model B-17C/D Flying Fortress heavy bombers. Trained over the east coast flying training missions. Also had some second-line Northrop A-17
Northrop A-17
The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the US Army Air Corps.-Development and design:...
dive bombers assigned. After the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
it flew patrols over the Atlantic Coast monitoring for German submarine activity.
Deployed to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in late 1940, being assigned to the Caribbean Air Force. Flew ant-isubmarine patrols over the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, assigning flights of aircraft to various Lend-Lease bases obtained from the British in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement
Destroyers for Bases Agreement
The Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, September 2, 1940, transferred fifty mothballed destroyers from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights on British possessions...
. After the Pearl Harbor Attack in December 1941, intensified anti-submarine patrols over the Caribbean, was reassigned to the new Antilles Air Command
Antilles Air Command
The Antilles Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force, based at Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico...
. Made several anti-submarine attacks during the early years of the war, but became largely a garrison organization after August 1943 when anti-submarine duty was taken over by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Inactivated in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in 1944.
Was reactivated in 1955 as a Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
squadron. Trained in air refueling and strategic bombardment operations with the B-47. in 1961, the squadron transferred its B-47s to other SAC wings and became non-operational.
Reactivated on 1 December 1961 as an ICBM squadron assigned to the 341st Missile Wing
341st Missile Wing
The United States Air Force's 341st Missile Wing is an intercontinental ballistic missile unit headquartered at Malmstrom AFB, Montana...
at Malmstrom AFB, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. Initially equipped with 50 LGM-30A Minuteman Is in early 1962, becoming SAC's first operational Minuteman ICBM squadron. Upgraded to the Minuteman IB in 1964; Minuteman IIF, in 1967. Received control of LGM-30G Minuteman III silos from inactivating 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
in 1996; Minuteman IIs being retired.
Has maintained ICBMs on alert ever since.
Lineage
- Constituted 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
- Organized on 1 December 1961
- Redesignated 10th Missile Squadron on 1 September 1991.
Assignments
- 25th Bombardment Group25th Tactical Reconnaissance WingThe 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France.-History:...
, 1 February 1940 - VI Bomber CommandVI Bomber CommandThe VI Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force, based at Albrook Field, Canal Zone...
- Attached 13 December 1943
- Assigned 17 December 1943
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, c. 9 May – 17 June 1944 - 341st Bombardment Group341st Missile WingThe United States Air Force's 341st Missile Wing is an intercontinental ballistic missile unit headquartered at Malmstrom AFB, Montana...
, 18 June 1947 – 27 June 1949 - 341st Bombardment Wing341st Missile WingThe United States Air Force's 341st Missile Wing is an intercontinental ballistic missile unit headquartered at Malmstrom AFB, Montana...
, 1 September 1955 – 25 June 1961 - Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, 2 August 1961 - 341st Strategic Missile Wing, 1 December 1961
- 341st Operations Group, 1 September 1991 – present
- Second Air Force
Stations
- Langley Field, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 1 February – 26 October 1940 - Borinquen Field, Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, 1 November 1940 - Edinburgh FieldCarlsen Air Force BaseCarlsen Air Force Base is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II airbase on Trinidad, consisting of two landing strips, "Edinburgh" and "Xeres"...
, TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, c. 1 November 1942
- Detachment operated from: Port of SpainPiarco International AirportPiarco International Airport is the main airport serving Trinidad and Tobago located in Piarco, a town in northern Trinidad, about east of the capital city, Port of Spain. It is one of two international airports serving the twin isle republic. The other is located on the island of Tobago, A.N.R...
, TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, 27 August – 12 October 1943- Waller FieldWaller Air Force BaseWaller Air Force Base is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II air base located in northeastern Trinidad. It is located about 5 miles southwest of Valencia south of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.-History:...
, TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, 1 October 1943 - France FieldEnrique Adolfo Jiménez AirportEnrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport is a commercial airport located in Colón, Panama, offering scheduled airline flights to the national capital, Panama City, and to other destinations....
, Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, 11 December 1943 – 2 May 1944 - Lincoln AAF, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, 25 May – 17 June 1944 - Westover Field (later, AFB), MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 18 June 1947 – 27 June 1949 - Abilene (later, Dyess) AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 September 1955 – 25 June 1961
- Waller Field
- Deployed at: Andersen AFB, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, 9 January – c. 3 April 1958- Malmstrom AFB, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, 1 December 1961 – present
- Malmstrom AFB, Montana
Aircraft and Missiles
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1940
- Northrop A-17Northrop A-17The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the US Army Air Corps.-Development and design:...
, 1940–1941 - B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
, 1940–1943 - B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, 1943–1944 - AT-6 Texan, 1947–1949
- AT-11 KansanBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
, 1947–1949 - B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 1956–1961 - LGM-30A/B Minuteman ILGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
, 1962–1968 - LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1968–1991
- LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1996–Present
10th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities
- Missile Alert Facilities (A-E flights, each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:
- A-01 7.5 mi SE of Armington MT, 47°16′54"N 110°48′03"W
- B-01 6.5 mi ExNE of Geyser MT, 47°17′07"N 110°21′36"W
- C-01 1.6 mi NW of Windham MT, 47°05′44"N 110°09′47"W
- D-01 7.3 mi ExNE of Denton MT, 47°22′34"N 109°48′52"W
- E-01 7.5 mi SxSW of Winifred MT, 47°27′13"N 109°25′03"W