485th Air Expeditionary Wing

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

The wing was originally constituted as the 485th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and activated on 20 September 1943.[6] Its original squadrons were the newly activated 828th, 829th, and 830th Bombardment Squadrons, which were joined a few days later by the 831st Bombardment Squadron at Gowen Field, Idaho.[7] The 831st was an experienced Consolidated B-24 Liberator squadron that had been performing anti-submarine warfare missions as the 11th Antisubmarine Squadron.[7] The group deployed to Gowen, where it derived its initial cadre from the 29th Bombardment Group[8] and was assigned to Second Air Force for training with B-24s at Gowen and at Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska. The group deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in March and April 1944.[6]

Although the ground echelon had deployed to Southern Italy by April 1944, the air echelon was detained in Tunisia for further training. The group entered combat with Fifteenth Air Force in May 1944. The 485th engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing marshalling yards, oil refineries, airfields, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives.[6]

The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for combating intense fighter opposition and attacking an oil refinery at Vienna on 26 June 1944. The 485th also carried out some support and interdiction operations. It struck bridges, harbors, and troop concentrations in August 1944 to aid Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, It hit lines of communications and other targets during March and April 1945 to support the advance of British Eighth Army in northern Italy.[6] It flew its 187th and last combat mission against Linz, Austria before preparing to return to the United States and re-equip.[9]

The 485th returned to the United States in May 1945 and was programmed for deployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment group. Many combat veterans of MTO demobilized upon arrival in the United States, and a small cadre of personnel reformed at Sioux Falls Army Airfield, South Dakota at the end of May.[10] The group was reassigned to Second Air Force for training in Iowa. Because B-29 groups had only three combat squadrons, the 831st Bombardment Squadron was inactivated in August.[7] The group then moved on paper[11] to Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas in September.[6]

The group remained on active duty after the Japanese surrender. In March 1946 Continental Air Forces became Strategic Air Command and Second Air Force was replaced by Fifteenth Air Force as the group's intermediate headquarters. Simultaneously, the 506th Bombardment Squadron was assigned to the group from the 44th Bombardment Group.[12] In August 1946 the personnel and equipment of the 485th were reassigned to the 97th Bombardment Group and the 485th was inactivated.[6][13]

TM-61 Matador Missile on its launcher in Germany

In 1954 USAF began deploying TM-61 Matador cruise missiles to Germany. By 1956, three squadrons were in place and USAFE organized the 701st Tactical Missile Wing with a subordinate group at each of the main bases where Matadors were stationed.[14] The 585th Tactical Missile Group was activated at Bitburg Air Base, Germany in September 1956 to command the 1st Tactical Missile Squadron and two support squadrons.[15]

Shortly after activation the group began upgrading its TM-61A missiles to TM-61Cs.[16] The TM-61C was equipped with the Shannicle guidance system which generated a grid the missile could use to navigate, replacing the ground to air steering systems of the TM-61A. The group participated in periodic test launches of Matadors at Wheelus AB, Libya.[17]

In 1958, USAFE replaced the 701st wing with the 38th Tactical Missile Wing in an administrative move to keep on active duty units whose roots could be traced to World War II.[18] Simultaneously, the 1st squadron was replaced by the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, one of the historical elements of the WW II 38th Bombardment Group. The Matador was growing obsolescent and the last Matador was taken off Victor (nuclear) Alert on 30 June 1962.[19]

The group replaced its Matadors with TM-76 Mace (later MGM-13) missiles. These missiles did not rely on ground signals for guidance, but used an onboard radar to match the terrain with a map stored on board the missile. In 1962 the 585th and its companion groups in Germany were inactivated and the missile squadrons assigned directly to the 38th Wing.[18] On the same day, the last Matador at Bitburg was decommissioned.[19]

BGM-109 Gryphon transporter erector launcher

The 485th Tactical Missile Wing was activated at Florennes Air Base, Belgium in August 1984. The first Gryphon missile arrived on 28 August[20] and the wing began operating the Gryphon from 1985 until the implementation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1988.[1]

The wing and its base were the target of periodic peace movement protests near the main gate.[21] In August 1988 a ten-man Soviet Inspection Team visited Florennes to insure treaty compliance.[22] The wing was inactivated in 1989 with the withdrawal of American forces from Florennes.[1]

• 485th Combat Support Group: 1 October 1984 – 30 April 1989
• 485th Security Police Group: 1 October 1984 – 30 April 1989

Tactical Squadrons

• 1st Tactical Missile Squadron: 15 September 1956 – 18 June 1958[24]
• 71st Tactical Missile Squadron: 18 June 1958 – 25 September 1962;[25] 1 August 1984 – 30 April 1989[24]
• 506th Bombardment Squadron: 7 March 1946 – 4 August 1946
• 828th Bombardment Squadron: 20 September 1943 – 4 August 1946[7]
• 829th Bombardment Squadron: 20 September 1943 – 4 August 1946[7]
• 830th Bombardment Squadron: 20 September 1943 – 6 May 1946[7]
• 831st Bombardment Squadron: 1 October 1943 – 20 August 1945[7]

Support Squadrons

• 585th Command and Guidance Squadron (Tactical Missile) (later 585th Missile Maintenance Squadron, 485th Tactical Missile Maintenance Squadron): 15 September 1956 – 25 September 1962; 1 August 1984 – 30 April 1989
• 585th Support Squadron (Tactical Missile): 15 September 1956 – 25 September 1962
• USAF Clinic, Florennes (later 485th USAF Clinic): 1 October 1984 – 30 April 1989

• Matador/Mace

Site VII "B" Pad – 3.5 miles (5.6 km) NW of Bitburg AB (1st/71st TMS) 49°59′05″N 006°28′50″E[note 4]

Site VIII "C" Pad – 4.5 miles (7.2 km) SSW of Bitburg AB (1st/71st TMS) 49°53′21″N 006°33′30″E[note 5]

Missile Support Area – 2.6 miles (4.2 km) SSW of Bitburg AB 49°58′11″N 006°28′27″E

• GLCM

50°13′34″N 004°39′01″E

• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1945–1946
• Martin Matador TM-61A, 1956–1957
• Martin Matador TM-61C, 1957–1962
• Martin Mace TM-76B,  ? –  ?
• General Dynamics BGM-109G Gryphon, 1985–1988
• McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, 2003
• Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 2003
• Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (2003)

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Fletcher, Harry R (1993). Air Force Bases , Vol. II, Air Bases Outside the United States of America (PDF). Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Mindling, George; Bolton, Robert (2008). U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, 1949–1969: The Pioneers. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-00029-6. LCCN 2008908364.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.
• "AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits" (PDF). Washington, DC: Department of the Air Force. 15 June 1971. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.