508th Missile Squadron
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 508th Missile Squadron (508 MS) was a missile unit located at Whiteman AFB, Missouri
. After the end of the Cold War, and lessening of tensions with Russia, the 508 MS was deactivated along with its contingent of Minuteman II missiles.
. Deployed to England
in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during April 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command
as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Second Air Force
and was programmed to be re-equipped with B-29 Superfortress
es for deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation led to units inactivation in September 1945, being neither manned or equipped.
Activated in the postwar reserve as a B-29 squadron. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.
On 9 August 1962 the 508th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated as a SAC LGM-30B Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missile wing. Activated on 1 May 1963, being made operational on 14 January 1964, with a complement of 50 missiles. Declared combat ready on 5 June 1964. From May 1966 to October 1967, converted to LGM-30F Minuteman II missiles.
With the restructuring of the Air Force and the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command (SAC) in the early 1990s was reassigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) in 1992 and then under Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) in 1993.
Remained on Cold War
nuclear alert until in response to President Bush's directive to stand down the Minuteman II. Dissipated launch codes and pin safety control switches at 15 launch control facilities. Deactivation of the entire missile complex ended in the spring of 1995; squadron inactivated on 28 July.
508th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 508th Missile Squadron (508 MS) was a missile unit located at Whiteman AFB, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. After the end of the Cold War, and lessening of tensions with Russia, the 508 MS was deactivated along with its contingent of Minuteman II missiles.
History
Activated in late 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air ForceSecond Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
. Deployed to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during April 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
and was programmed to be re-equipped with B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es for deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation led to units inactivation in September 1945, being neither manned or equipped.
Activated in the postwar reserve as a B-29 squadron. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.
On 9 August 1962 the 508th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated as a SAC LGM-30B Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missile wing. Activated on 1 May 1963, being made operational on 14 January 1964, with a complement of 50 missiles. Declared combat ready on 5 June 1964. From May 1966 to October 1967, converted to LGM-30F Minuteman II missiles.
With the restructuring of the Air Force and the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command (SAC) in the early 1990s was reassigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) in 1992 and then under Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) in 1993.
Remained on Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
nuclear alert until in response to President Bush's directive to stand down the Minuteman II. Dissipated launch codes and pin safety control switches at 15 launch control facilities. Deactivation of the entire missile complex ended in the spring of 1995; squadron inactivated on 28 July.
Lineage
- Constituted 508th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 25 September 1942
- Activated on 1 October 1942
- Inactivated on 28 August 1945
- Redesignated 508th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 23 September 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 15 October 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated as: 508th Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman) on 9 August 1962
- Organized on 1 May 1963
- Redesignated as: 508th Missile Squadron on 1 September 1991
- Inactivated on 28 July 1995
Assignments
- 351st Bombardment Group, 1 October 1942-28 August 1945; 15 October 1947-27 June 1949
- ETO Fuselage Code: YB
- 351st Strategic Missile Wing, 1 May 1963
- 351st Operations Group, 1 September 1991-28 July 1995
Stations
- Salt Lake City Army Air Base, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, 1 October 1942 - Gowen Field, IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, 1 October 1942 - Geiger Field, Washington, November 1942
- Biggs Field, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 2 January 1943 - Pueblo Army Air Base, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 2 March-12 April 1943
- RAF PolebrookRAF PolebrookRAF Polebrook is a former World War II airfield located 3.5 miles east-south-east of Oundle, at Polebrook, Northamptonshire, UK. The airfield was built on Rothschild estate land starting in August 1940....
(AAF-110), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 12 May 1943-9 June 1945 - Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, July-28 August 1945 - Fairfax Field, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 15 October 1947-27 June 1949 - Whiteman AFB, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, 1 May 1963-28 July 1995
Aircraft and missiles
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
- B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1947–1949 - LGM-30B Minuteman I, 1963-1967
- LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1966–1995
508th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities
- Missile Alert Facilities (A-E flights, each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:
- A-01 3.5 mi SE of Blackburn MO, 39°04′05"N 093°26′20"W
- B-01 38.1 mi ExNE of Houstonia MO, 38°55′38"N 093°12′41"W
- C-01 5.6 mi SxSW of Pilot Grove MO, 38°47′59"N 092°57′05"W
- D-01 6.1 mi SE of Syracuse MO, 38°36′45"N 092°47′15"W
- E-01 7.3 mi WxSW of Florence MO, 38°33′46"N 093°06′33"W
Decorations
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
- 30 May 1990-29 May 1992
- 1 July 1986-30 June 1987
- 1 July 1980-30 June 1982
- 1 July 1975-30 June 1977
- 9 June 1972-10 July 1972
- 1 July 1969-30 June 1970