History 44th Missile Wing

1 history

1.1 bombardment wing
1.2 missile wing
1.3 lineage
1.4 assignments
1.5 components
1.6 bases assigned
1.7 aircraft , missiles

history

for additional history , lineage, see 44th operations group

bombardment wing

the 44th bombardment wing, medium established in late december 1950 part of postwar hobson plan. 90th bombardment group, reactivated strategic air command (sac) in 1947 assigned combat group. new wing organized @ march afb, california received b-29 superfortresses along tb-29s. depended on 22d bombardment wing initial cadre , in becoming organized.

the wing reassigned lake charles afb, louisiana on 1 august 1951; mission train b-29 , rb-29 aircrews , mechanics combat duty units engaged in korean war combat duty far east air forces. 10 october 1951 15 may 1952, trained elements of 68th strategic reconnaissance wing.

replaced propeller-driven b-29s new b-47e stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1953, capable of flying @ high subsonic speeds , designed penetrating airspace of soviet union. deployed @ sidi slimane air base, french morocco, 19 january – 22 february 1953 , 19 april – 17 june 1954.

in late 1950s, b-47 considered reaching obsolescence, , being phased out of sac s strategic arsenal improved soviet air defenses made aircraft vulnerable. began sending aircraft other b-47 wings replacements in late 1959, being phased down inactivation. 44th bombardment wing inactivated on 15 june 1960; aircraft , many personnel reassigned 68th bombardment wing remained @ lake charles afb flying b-47s until 1963.

missile wing

the history of 44th missile wing begins 2 years before activation; establishment of 850th strategic missile squadron on 1 december 1960. assigned 28th bombardment wing @ ellsworth afb, south dakota, 850th sms operated first-generation hgm-25a titan icbm @ 3 dispersed sites near wicksville, hermosa, , sturgis sd. titan s life span short in western south dakota.

about same time, work began on installations second-generation minuteman missile. on 21 august 1961, construction began on lgm-30b minuteman facilities. more year squadron prepared emplacement of minuteman arrived in 1962, shortly after activation of 44th strategic missile wing (smw) in january. @ time headquarters sac named 44 smw host wing @ ellsworth. activation, 850th sms reassigned 44th smw, making 28th bombardment wing b-52 stratofortress organization.

during 1962, 3 new strategic missile squadrons, 66th, 67th, , 68th, activated support new minuteman system. 67th strategic missile squadron joined 44th in august, followed 68th strategic missile squadron in september 1962. 44th missile maintenance squadron established @ same time. each strategic missile squadron supported 5 flights of minuteman missiles 50 missiles per squadron. total of 150 launch facilities constructed house missiles. first minuteman missile positioned near wall, sd in april 1963. minuteman missiles in place end of 1963.

on 19 november 1964, secretary of defense robert mcnamara announced phase-out of remaining first-generation titan missiles end of june 1965. consequently, titan of 850th sms removed alert status on 4 january 1965. last missile shipped out on 12 february. air force subsequently inactivated squadron on 25 march.

ellsworth slated host unique series of operational tests. approved secretary of defense in november 1964, “project long life” called short-range operational base launch of 3 modified minuteman ib icbms provide realistic test system. each missile contain enough propellant 7-second flight , have inert upper stages , reentry vehicles. on 1 march 1965, “operation long life” took place. first of 3 scheduled launches of minuteman system. missile 7 seconds of fuel launched.

with test proving successful, additional 2 launches canceled. test launch in icbm history fired operational site. demonstrated ability of sac missile crew launch icbm.

the 44 smw played key role in establishing airborne launch control system (alcs) in late 1960s. alcs created provide survivable launch capability minuteman icbm force. 1967 1970, 1 of squadrons alcs missile crews belonged 68th sms @ ellsworth afb, sd. these alcs crews worked 28th air refueling squadron (arefs) @ ellsworth afb, operated several ec-135 variants include ec-135a, ec-135g, , ec-135l, of had alcs equipment installed on board. in 1970, alcs mission transferred 68th sms 4th airborne command , control squadron, assigned 28th bombardment wing @ ellsworth afb, sd.

on 30 june 1971, 44 smw named host unit @ ellsworth afb when 821st strategic aerospace division inactivated. wing reassigned under 4th air division headquartered @ f.e. warren afb, wyoming . wing later assigned part of 57th air division headquartered @ minot afb, north dakota.

in october 1971, transition minuteman lgm-30f minuteman ii began. transition, known “force modernization”, complete in march 1973. these new missiles in place, ellsworth selected host “giant pace test 74-1,” first simulated electronic launch-minuteman selm) exercise. during test, 11 selm-configured minuteman ii icbms underwent successful simulated launch on command both underground launch-control centers , airborne launch control system.

during february 1991, secretary of defense announced air force begin retirement of older weapon systems in response end of cold war , declining defense budget. deactivation of minuteman ii missile system announced on 15 april 1991. schedule ellsworth included 1 squadron per year draw-down beginning 67 sms, followed 66 sms, , 68 sms.

on 1 september 1991, under objective wing concept adapted air force, wing renamed 44th missile wing. icbm squadrons reassigned newly established 44th operations group, along lineage, honors , history of 44th bombardment group.

on 28 september 1991, in response president bush’s directive stand down minuteman ii, personnel of 44 og worked around clock dissipate launch codes , pin safety control switches @ 150 launch facilities. removal of first minuteman ii missile assigned 44 og occurred @ g-02, near red owl, south dakota, on 3 december 1991. on 6 april 1992, first launch control center shut down.

on 1 june 1992, 44th missile wing relieved of emergency war order mission , primary focus deactivation of minuteman ii weapon system. day marked end of sac , beginning of air combat command (acc).

the 67th missile squadron (ms) inactivated on 15 august 1992, , 66 ms inactivated on 1 september 1993. on 1 july 1993 44 missile wing changed hands acc air force space command along other icbm wings. deactivation of entire missile complex ended in april 1994.

with mission complete, 44th missile wing formally inactivated on 4 july 1994.

lineage

44th bomb wing emblem



established 44th bombardment wing, medium, on 20 december 1950.


activated on 2 january 1951
discontinued on 15 june 1960


re-designated 44th strategic missile wing (icbm—minuteman) on 24 november 1961


organized on 1 january 1962.
re-designated: 44th missile wing 1 september 1991
inactivated 5 july 1994

assignments

fifteenth air force, 20 december 1950
12th air division, 10 february 1951
21st air division, 4 august 1951
806th air division, 16 june 1952


attached to: 5th air division 19 january 22 february 1953
attached to: 5th air division 9 april 17 june 1954


department of air force, 15 june 1960 – 23 november 1961
821st strategic aerospace division, 1 january 1962
4th strategic missile division, 30 june 1971
57th air division, 1 may 1982
4th air division, 23 january 1987
12th air division, 15 july 1988
strategic warfare center, 31 july 1990
twentieth air force, 31 july 1991-july 5, 1994

components

group

44th bombardment (later operations) group: 2 january 1951 – 16 june 1952 (not operational, 10 february 1951 – 16 june 1952), 1 september 1991 – 5 july 1994

squadrons

44th air refueling squadron: 20 april 1953 – 1 june 1960 (not operational, 20 april – c. 15 may 1953; detached 27 june – 11 october 1957).
66th bombardment (later, strategic missile, later missile) squadron: 16 jun 1952-15 jun 1960; 1 sep 1962-1 sep 1991
67th bombardment (later, strategic missile, later missile) squadron: 16 jun 1952-15 jun 1960; 1 sep 1962-1 sep 1991
68th bombardment (later, strategic missile, later missile) squadron: 16 jun 1952-15 jun 1960; 1 sep 1962-1 sep 1991
506th bombardment squadron: 1 december 1958 – 15 june 1960
850th strategic missile squadron: 1 january 1962 – 25 march 1965

bases assigned

march afb, california, 2 january 1951 – 1 august 1951
lake charles (later chennault) afb, louisiana 1 august 1951 – 15 june 1960


deployed @ sidi slimane air base, french morocco, 19 january – 22 february 1953 , 19 april – 17 june 1954.


ellsworth afb, south dakota, 24 november 1961 – 5 july 1994

aircraft , missiles

hgm-25a titan missile sites



tb-29 superfortress, 1951; b-29 superfortress, 1951–1953
b-47 stratojet, 1953–1960
kc-97 stratotanker, 1953–1957, 1957–1960
hgm-25a titan i, 1962–1965


850th strategic missile squadron
operated 3 missile sites: (1 dec 1960-25 mar 1965)

850-a, 4 miles nnw of wicksville, south dakota 44°08′10″n 102°37′02″w / 44.13611°n 102.61722°w / 44.13611; -102.61722 (850-a)
850-b, 5 miles sse of hermosa, south dakota 43°46′34″n 103°08′46″w / 43.77611°n 103.14611°w / 43.77611; -103.14611 (850-b)
850-c, 10 miles se of sturgis, south dakota 44°23′51″n 103°18′48″w / 44.39750°n 103.31333°w / 44.39750; -103.31333 (850-c)




lgm-30b minuteman i, 1963–1973
airborne launch control system, 1967-1970
lgm-30f minuteman ii, 1971–1994

lgm-30f minuteman iii missile alert facilities (maf) (each controlling 10 missiles) located follows:

lgm-30 minuteman missile alert facilities



66th missile squadron

a-01 19.9 mi s of howes, sd, 44°19′52″n 102°03′03″w / 44.33111°n 102.05083°w / 44.33111; -102.05083 (a-01)
b-01 7.5 mi nxnw of wall sd, 44°05′56″n 102°17′01″w / 44.09889°n 102.28361°w / 44.09889; -102.28361 (b-01)
c-01 10.1 mi n of philip sd, 44°11′01″n 101°42′09″w / 44.18361°n 101.70250°w / 44.18361; -101.70250 (c-01)
*d-01 6.7 mi sxsw of cottonwood sd, 43°52′40″n 101°57′42″w / 43.87778°n 101.96167°w / 43.87778; -101.96167 (d-01)

*d-09 (launch facility) 4.4 mi sxsw of quinn sd, 43°55′53″n 102°09′36″w / 43.93139°n 102.16000°w / 43.93139; -102.16000 (d-09)
*designated part of minuteman missile national historic site


e-01 6.3 mi nxne of kadoka sd, 43°55′12″n 101°28′52″w / 43.92000°n 101.48111°w / 43.92000; -101.48111 (e-01)


67th missile squadron

f-01 61.0 mi nxne of ellsworth afb, sd. 44°59′49″n 102°45′43″w / 44.99694°n 102.76194°w / 44.99694; -102.76194 (f-01)
g-01 11.3 mi n of union center sd, 44°43′25″n 102°39′00″w / 44.72361°n 102.65000°w / 44.72361; -102.65000 (g-01)
h-01 10.0 mi sw of union center sd, 44°27′43″n 102°48′55″w / 44.46194°n 102.81528°w / 44.46194; -102.81528 (h-01)
i-01 5.7 mi e of white owl sd, 44°36′10″n 102°18′57″w / 44.60278°n 102.31583°w / 44.60278; -102.31583 (i-01)
j-01 13.8 mi se of maurine sd, 44°54′20″n 102°21′55″w / 44.90556°n 102.36528°w / 44.90556; -102.36528 (j-01)


68th missile squadron

k-01 5.6 mi n of spearfish sd, 44°34′22″n 103°51′42″w / 44.57278°n 103.86167°w / 44.57278; -103.86167 (k-01)
l-01 6.2 mi sxse of vale sd, 44°32′29″n 103°20′42″w / 44.54139°n 103.34500°w / 44.54139; -103.34500 (l-01)
m-01 17.7 mi nxnw of belle fourche sd, 44°55′09″n 103°56′07″w / 44.91917°n 103.93528°w / 44.91917; -103.93528 (m-01)
n-01 6.7 mi nw of newell sd, 44°47′41″n 103°30′09″w / 44.79472°n 103.50250°w / 44.79472; -103.50250 (n-01)
o-01 38.5 mi w of opal, sd, 44°55′29″n 103°14′13″w / 44.92472°n 103.23694°w / 44.92472; -103.23694 (o-01)

references commands , major units assigned, components , stations: