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38°43′49″N093°32′53″W / 38.73028°N 93.54806°W
This is a list of the LGM-30F Minuteman II Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 351st Strategic Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Whiteman AFB, Missouri, and active from 1965-1993.
The 351st Strategic Missile Wing was the third United States Air Force LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM wing, the second with the LGM-30B Minuteman I. After the announcement on 14 June 1961, there were second thoughts about the choice as original plans called for launchers to be spread into the Lake of the Ozarks region. Due to the terrain inaccessibility and the high water table, these plans were scrapped. Consequently, when the final approval came on 17 January 1962, the launchers were placed in the vicinity of Whiteman AFB, making this the smallest Minuteman base with regard to area.
Activated on 1 February 1963, the 351st Strategic Missile Wing received its first Minuteman IB missile from the Boeing plant at Hill AFB, Utah, on 14 January 1964. Soon the silos assigned to the three operational squadrons of wing were made operational. By 29 June 1964, the last flight of missiles went on alert status, making the 351st a fully operational unit. Beginning on 7 May 1966, and throughout the rest of 1966 and into 1967, the Air Force replaced the Minuteman IBs with LGM-30F Minuteman IIs. The completed transition in October 1967 gave the 351st SMW the distinction of being the first wing to complete the Force Modernization Program. The 351st also had the unique mission of operating the Emergency Rocket Communications System, designed to give emergency orders to surviving US strategic forces in the event of a nuclear attack.
The 28 September 1991 order from President Bush to take Minuteman II missiles off alert status ended the 351st's role as an active ICBM wing. Subsequently, the Air Force removed the wing's 150 Minuteman II missiles from service. The wing and its three squadrons of ICBMs were inactivated on 28 July 1995. Under the START I treaty, the missiles were removed and the sites destroyed over the course of several years. The first silo was imploded on 8 December 1993 and the last on 15 December 1997.
Today, Whiteman AFB is the home of the 509th Bomb Wing and the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber. One of the retired Minuteman IBs is on display. In addition, the Oscar One (O-01) Missile Alert Facility (MAF) is now preserved as a museum. Of the 1000 Minuteman LCFs built for the six Minuteman missile wings, this is the only one constructed on the support base itself. Active and retired military personnel with valid identification can tour the facility by contacting the 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs office. Due to the ongoing "War on Terrorism", it is closed to the general public.
The Missile Alert Facility (MAF) consists of a buried and hardened Launch Control Facility (LCC) and an above-ground Launch Control Support Building (LCSB). MAFs were formerly known as Launch Control Facilities (LCFs) but terminology was changed in 1992 with the inactivation of Strategic Air Command (SAC). In addition, a MAF has a landing pad for helicopters; a large radio tower; a large "top hat" HF antenna; a vehicle garage for security vehicles; recreational facilities, and one or two sewage lagoons. The entire site, except for the helicopter pad and sewage lagoons are secured with a fence and security personnel. About a dozen airmen and officers are assigned to a MAF.
The underground LCC Launch Control Center (LCC) contains the command and control equipment for missile operations. It is staffed by the two launch officers who have primary control and responsibility for the 10 underground and hardened Launch Facilities (LF)s within its flight which contains the operational missile - several of the 351st's MAFs had consoles for operating the ERCS. Each of the five LCCs also has the ability to command and monitor all 50 LFs within the squadron. The LF is unmanned, except when maintenance and security personnel are needed.
A squadron is composed of five flights; flights are denoted by a letter of the alphabet with the facilities controlled by the flight being designated by a number, 01 through 11, with 01 being the MAF.
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 9 August 1962. Organized on 1 May 1963. Inactivated on 28 July 1995.
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 11 October 1962. Organized on 1 May 1963. Inactivated on 28 July 1995.
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 15 November 1962. Organized on 1 May 1963. Inactivated on 28 July 1995.
.** Preserved at Whiteman AFB.
Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, just north of the town of Box Elder.
A launch control center (LCC), in the United States, is the main control facility for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). A launch control center monitors and controls missile launch facilities. From a launch control center, the missile combat crew can monitor the complex, launch the missile, or relax in the living quarters. The LCC is designed to provide maximum protection for the missile combat crew and equipment vital to missile launch. Missile silos are common across the midwestern United States, and over 450 missiles remain in US Air Force (USAF) service.
The 44th Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 4 July 1994.
The 351st Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, which was last based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Assigned to Strategic Air Command for most of its existence, the wing maintained LGM-30F Minuteman II ICBMs in a state of readiness to fire, pursuant to any launch orders that might be received from the National Command Authority. It was inactivated in 1995.
The 321st Air Expeditionary Wing was a United States Air Force unit assigned United States Air Forces Central, the USAF component command of United States Central Command. The unit was reestablished on 1 November 2008 and was a nexus of all Coalition Air Force Training Teams and the Iraqi Air Force at COB Speicher. It was previously the 321st Bombardment Group (Medium), which flew B-25 Mitchells in combat with the Northwest African Strategic Air Force in 1943 and the Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force in 1944–45.
The geography of Minot, North Dakota, is treated extensively in this article.
The 66th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. The 66th was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballistic missile, with a mission of nuclear deterrence. With the end of the Cold War, the 66th was inactivated on 1 September 1993. Number of flights 100
The 67th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.
The 508th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 351st Operations Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballistic missile with a mission of nuclear deterrence. With the end of the Cold War, the 508th was inactivated on 28 July 1995.
The 509th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 351st Operations Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballistic missile with a mission of nuclear deterrence. With the end of the Cold War, the 509th was inactivated on 28 July 1995.
The 510th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 351st Operations Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballistic missile with a mission of nuclear deterrence. With the end of the Cold War, the 510th was inactivated on 15 November 1993.
The 446th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 321st Missile Group, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The 446th was equipped with the LGM-30G Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missile, with a mission of nuclear deterrence. With the end of the Cold War, the 446th was inactivated on 30 September 1998.
The 447th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 321st Missile Group, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The 447th was equipped with the LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, with a mission of nuclear deterrence. With the end of the Cold War, the 447th was inactivated on 2 July 1998.
This is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile alert and launch facilities of the 90th Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
This is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 91st Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Minot AFB, North Dakota.
This is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 341st Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, located at Malmstrom AFB, Montana.
This is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile, Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 44th Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.
This is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 321st Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota.
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, shortened as F.E. Warren AFB is a United States Air Force base (AFB) located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is one of three strategic-missile bases in the U.S. It was named in honor of Francis E. Warren in 1930. Warren AFB is home of the 90th Missile Wing, assigned to the Twentieth Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command. The 90 MW operates the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM. It is also the home of Twentieth Air Force, which commands all U.S. Air Force ICBMs.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency