12th Missile Squadron

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12th Missile Squadron
LGM-30G Minuteman III test launch.jpg
LGM-30G Minuteman III test launch at Vandenberg AFB, California
Active1940–1944; 1947–1949; 1955–1961; 1961–present
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
TypeSquadron
Role Intercontinental ballistic missile
Part of Air Force Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQ Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana
Engagements World War II (Antisubmarine Campaign)
Decorations Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
12th Strategic Missile Squadron emblem [note 1] [1] 12th Missile Squadron.png
Patch with 12th Bombardment Squadron emblem (Approved 5 August 1957) [2] 12th Bombardment Squadron - SAC - Emblem.png

The 12th 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.

Contents

Mission

The mission of the 341st Missile Wing is to provide combat-ready people and aerospace forces. [3]

History

World War II

B-18s of the 12th Bombardment Squadron flying over British Guiana B-18s of the 12th Bombardment Squadron flying over British Guiana.jpg
B-18s of the 12th Bombardment Squadron flying over British Guiana

The 12th Bombardment Squadron was organized and activated at Langley Field, Virginia on 1 February 1940, as a member of the 25th Bombardment Group. [4] The unit moved from Langley where it trained initially, to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, where it became part of Caribbean Air Force on 1 November 1940. Following the initial deployment to Puerto Rico. The squadron participated in various training and familiarization flights with its small complement of Douglas B-18 Bolo medium bombers, until 8 November 1941 when it was ordered to deploy to Benedict Field, St. Croix, temporarily until September 1942, then at St. Nicholas, and Antigua. [4] [5]

Following the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron commenced operations out of Benedict with its tiny force of three B-18s. However, these were exchanged for four slightly more capable B-18As by 16 January 1942. By mid-February, these had been augmented by a further B-18 (while one of the B-18As was away at the Mobile Air Depot being fitted with one of the earliest airborne radar systems) and the squadron had a total of four crews, three of whom had more than 12 months experience. Operations continued out of Benedict Field until 10 October 1942, when it moved to Dakota Field, Aruba, and the following month came under the operational control of the Antilles Air Task Force and VI Fighter Command. By 11 December, the unit had six B-18Bs and four Douglas A-20A Havocs while Flight D of the squadron was at distant Borinquen Field with two further B-18Bs and a B-18. Apparently this aircraft dispersal proved too much for the unit to handle and, by January 1943, strength on report had dropped to a more reasonable total of just five B-18Bs and a single B-18C at Dakota Field, although Flight D remained at Borinquen as late as June, and Flight C moved from Dakota to Rio Hato Field, Panama, from 1 June till 20 July 1943. In addition, several 59th Bombardment Squadron aircraft were attached to the 12th at this point, as were two Bell P-39D Airacobras of the 22d Pursuit Squadron.

All of this shuffling of aircraft was due, of course, to the exigencies of the antisubmarine campaign, which had been re-initiated in early January 1943. By October 1943, operational control of the now very experienced unit had passed to Commander, All Forces, Aruba and Curaçao (CAFAC), and the United States Navy assumed command and the unit, together with the Lockheed PV-1 Venturas of a Navy unit there provided continuous coverage for, amongst others, convoy GAT94 and its route from the time it entered the area.

As the anti-submarine war continuously shifted, the squadron moved to follow, leaving Dakota Field on 23 November to move to Coolidge Field on Antigua, at which time its attachment to CAFAC ended. While there, it provided continuous coverage for Convoy TAG95. By the end of December, the unit had started to reequip, and had two of the B-18Bs, but also three North American B-25D Mitchells and not fewer than 12 B-25Gs at Coolidge.

As the antisubmarine campaign eased, the unit became, essentially, a crew training outfit, although patrols were still flown in conjunction with this tasking. The Squadron ended its Caribbean tour on 24 March 1944 when it was transferred back to the United States and became a B-25 Mitchell Operational Training Unit at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico. On 20 June 1944, the 12th Bombardment Squadron was disbanded.

Strategic Air Command

"Eleven years later, on [1 September] 1955, the 12th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, was activated at Abilene Air Force Base, Texas. Before being inactivated once more in 1961, the 12th’s Boeing B-47 Stratojets engaged in training.." [6]

Intercontinental ballistic missile squadron

Organized on 1 March 1962 as the 12th Strategic Missile Squadron, an intercontinental ballistic missile squadron assigned to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. Initially equipped with 50 LGM-30A Minuteman Is in early 1962. "Upon organization, it became the second Minuteman ICBM squadron in the Air Force. During the mid-1960s the 12th replaced its 50 Minuteman I missiles with Minuteman IIs. The 12th was the first squadron at Malmstrom to undergo weapon system upgrade to Minuteman Mod[ jargon ]; and on [22 April] 1967, it was the first squadron to become fully operational with the new Minuteman II missiles under this program. The 12th was also the first squadron in the wing to undergo silo upgrade. By 1978, the Improved Launch Control System had replaced the Minuteman Mod system and the 12th SMS once again had the state-of-the-art weapon system." [6]

"In 1994, the 12 reorganized under the objective squadron concept. This reorganization took the three combat disciplines, ICBM operations, security police, and electromechanical maintenance, and combined them under the "one hat" of the missile squadron commander. In early June 1995, electromechanical Maintenance returned to the 341st Logistics Group." [6]

The 12th Missile Squadron led the way in removing Minuteman II missiles and replacing them with LGM-30G Minuteman III silos from the inactivating 321st Missile Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota in 1996; Minuteman IIs being retired. The new missile enhances capability, increases flexibility, and marks yet another system upgrade.

Lineage

Activated on 1 February 1940
Disbanded on 20 June 1944
Activated in the reserve on 24 July 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Activated on 1 September 1955
Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1961
Organized on 1 March 1962

Assignments

Stations

Detachment operated from Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, c. November 1942 – 23 November 1943
Deployed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, 9 January – c. 4 April 1958

Aircraft and missiles

Awards and campaigns

Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 22 October 1962 – 31 December 196312th Strategic Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1975 – 30 June 197612th Strategic Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1976 – 30 June 197712th Strategic Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1979 – 30 June 198112th Strategic Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1988 – 30 June 199012th Strategic Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1990 – 30 June 199112th Strategic Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 September 1991 – 31 August 199312th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 September 1993 – 31 August 199412th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 September 1994 – 31 August 199512th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 1995 – 30 September 199612th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 1997 – 30 September 199912th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 1998 – 30 September 199912th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2000 – 30 September 200212th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2002 – 1 October 200312th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2003 – 31 December 200312th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2004 – 30 September 200612th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2006 – 30 September 200812th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2008 – 30 September 200912th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2010 – 31 December 201112th Missile Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 2015 – 31 December 201512th Missile Squadron [1]
Campaign StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
American Campaign Streamer.png Antisubmarine7 December 1941 – 1 August 194312th Bombardment Squadron [1]

See also

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References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ↑ Heraldric desctiption: On a disc of celeste (light blue) sky spattered with white stars, the top of the globe issuing from base black, grid lines white. Over all a dark gray mailed hand issuing from sinister chief, outlines and highlights white, details celeste, grasping a sword in pale, point to base, hilt and pommel Air Force golden yellow, blade white, shaded celeste, outlines and details dark gray, a red oval spot on the pommel, all between a red lightning flash edged white and a green olive branch, details Air Force golden yellow, pilewise. The date on which the emblem was reconfigured from a shield to a disc is not recorded.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Haulman, Daniel L.; Bohannon, Shawn (16 April 2018). "Factsheet 12 Missile Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 64–65
  3. ↑ "Malmstrom AFB Library: Fact Sheet 341st Missile Wing". 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs. 1 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 January 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 Conaway, William. "12th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)". VI Bomber Command in Defense of the Panama Canal 1941–45.
  5. ↑ Maurer, Combat Units, [ page needed ]
  6. 1 2 3 No byline (24 July 2011). "Weapons of Mass Destruction: 12th Missile Squadron (12 MS)". global security.org. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Conaway, William. "VI Bombardment Command History". Planes and Pilots of World War Two.
  8. ↑ Assignment information in Haulman & Bohannon, except as noted)

Bibliography

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