1st Tactical Missile Squadron

B-29 Superfortresses of the 500th Bombardment Group dropping incendiaries on Japan

The first predecessor of the unit, the 881st Bombardment Squadron, was activated at Gowen Field, Idaho on 20 November 1943 as one of the four original squadrons of the 500th Bombardment Group. It initially flew Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in New Mexico, then trained in Kansas with early model Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, with frequent delays in training due to modifications of the aircraft correcting production deficiencies.. It departed for its combat station in the Pacific in July 1944 after completing training.[2][3]

The squadron arrived at its combat station, Isely Field, on Saipan in the Mariana Islands in September 1944. It flew its first combat mission against a submarine base in the Truk Islands on 11 November. Thirteen days later it participated in the first attack on the Japanese homeland from the Marianas. Initially, the squadron flew high altitude daylight raids against industrial targets in Japan. In January 1945, it carried out an attack on the Mitsubishi engine manufacturing plant in Nagoya, for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[3]

The squadron was briefly diverted from its strategic mission when it struck airfields in Kyushu to support Operation Iceberg, the landings on Okinawa in April 1945. Beginning in March 1945, Twentieth Air Force changed both its tactics and strategy and the squadron began carrying out nighttime attacks with incendiaries against area targets. It received its second DUC for attacks on the urban and industrial section of Osaka, feeder industries at Hamamatsu and shipping and rail targets on Kyushu in June 1945. During the closing days of the war, the squadron also dropped propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands.[3]

Following V-J Day, the squadron dropped food and supply to prisoners of war in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. The squadron returned to the United States in the fall of 1945 and was inactivated at March Field, California on 17 January 1946.[2][3]

The squadron's second predecessor was organized as the 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Squadron, one of the original Army Air Forces missile test squadrons, at Eglin Field, Florida in 1946. At Eglin it was assigned to the 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Group. It tested air-to-surface missiles. The 1st Group was inactivated in July 1949, and the squadron was attached to its successor, the 550th Guided Missiles Wing. In December 1950, the squadron moved with the 550th Wing to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, but it was not operational at Patrick and was inactivated at the end of the month, when the 550th was replaced by the 4800th Guided Missile Wing.[4][5]

The squadron was redesignated the 1st Bombardment Squadron, Missile (Light), but was again redesignated the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron[lower-alpha 1] before being reactivated at Patrick in October 1951. The unit again experimented with missiles, but this time with cruise missiles, including the Republic-Ford JB-2 and Martin B-61 Matador. The squadron developed procedures and methods for deployment of tactical nuclear missiles until 1954, when it was transferred to Tactical Air Command.

The 1st trained until March 1954, when it deployed to United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) and Bitburg Air Base.[6] It maintained dispersed missile launch facilities at 'Site VII "B Pad", 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of Bitburg 49°59′05″N 006°28′50″E[lower-alpha 2] and Site VIII "C Pad", 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south southwest of Bitburg 49°53′21″N 006°33′30″E[lower-alpha 3] At Bitburg, it was initially attached to the host 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing.[7] It was the first operational United States missile unit. At Bitburg the squadron was equipped with the B-61A Matador.[lower-alpha 4] The 1st was redesignated the 1st Tactical Missile Squadron a year later.

As additional Matador squadrons deployed to Germany, USAFE formed the 7382d Guided Missile Group, headquartered at Hahn Air Base.[8] The 1st Tactical Missile Squadron was detached from the 36th Wing,[7] and attached to the new group. when the 7382d Group was inactivated on 15 September 1956, the 1st Squadron was reassigned to the newly formed 585th Tactical Missile Group at Bitburg, as part of the newly formed 701st Tactical Missile Wing, headquartered at Hahn. The unit converted from the TM-61A to the TM-61C during that time. The 1st was inactivated and replaced by the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, which was simultaneously activated on 18 Jun 1958.[9][10]

In 1985 the World War II 881st Bombardment Squadron was consolidated with the squadron, but it was not activated.[11][lower-alpha 5]

• 500th Bombardment Group, 20 November 1943 – 17 January 1946[2]
• 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Group: 6 February 1946
• Air Proving Ground: 20 July 1949 (attached to 550th Guided Missiles Wing)
• 550th Guided Missiles Wing: 1 August 1950 – 30 December 1950[5]
• 6555th Guided Missile Wing (later 6555th Guided Missile Group): 1 October 1951
• Tactical Air Command: 1 January 1954
• Twelfth Air Force: 31 March 1954 (attached to 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 36th Fighter-Day Wing) 31 March 1954,[7] 7382d Guided Missile Group 15 April 1956 – 15 September 1956)
• 585th Tactical Missile Group, 15 September 1956 – 18 June 1958

• Gowen Field, Idaho, 20 November 1943
• Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, c. 16 December 1943
• Walker Army Air Field, Kansas, 16 April–23 July 1944
• Isely Field, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 19 September 1944 – 15 November 1945
• March Field, California, 29 November 1945 – 17 January 1946[12]
• Eglin Field (later Eglin Air Force Base), Florida 6 February 1946[13]
• Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, 11 December 1950 – 30 December 1950[14]
• Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, 1 October 1951[14]
• Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, 31 March 1954 – 18 June 1958[6]

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1945[12]
• Republic-Ford JB-2, 1951
• Martin B-61 (later TM-61) Matador, 1954–1962

Explanatory notes

Citations

 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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. Raleigh, NC: Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN 978-0-557-00029-6. LCCN 2008908364.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• 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. (2017). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Volume VI, China-Burma-India & The Western Pacific. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-5273-7.