10th Missile Squadron

10th Missile Squadron
LGM-30G Minuteman III launch
Active	1940–1944; 1947–1949; 1955–1961; 1961–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Intercontinental ballistic missile
Part of	Air Force Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQ	Malmstrom AFB, Montana
Motto(s)	The First Ace in the Hole
Engagements	World War II (Antisubmarine Campaign)[1]
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7×)[1]
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lance W. Lord
Insignia
10th Strategic Missile Squadron emblem (approved 21 June 1963)[1][note 1]
10th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 27 September 1940)[2][note 2]

The 10th Missile Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 341st Operations Group, stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. The squadron is equipped with the LGM-30G Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missile, with a mission of nuclear deterrence.

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.^[3]

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.^[3]

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.

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The squadron was reactivated in 1955 as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron. It 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 was inactivated.^[2]

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.^[2] 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.

• 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^[1]

• 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^[1]

• 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^[1]

• 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
• B-47 Stratojet, 1956–1961
• LGM-30A/B Minuteman I, 1962–1968
• LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1968–1991
• LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1996 – present^[1]

• List of United States Air Force missile squadrons

Explanatory notes

Citations

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

• Hagdedorn, Dan (1995). Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal. Nashville, TN: Turner Publishing. ISBN 1-56311-153-5.
• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

• Conaway, William. "25th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
• Conaway, William. "10th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.