319th Missile Squadron

Coordinates: 41°07′59″N 104°52′01″W / 41.13306°N 104.86694°W / 41.13306; -104.86694 (Francis E. Warren AFB)
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

319th Missile Squadron
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
319th Missile Squadron emblem (Approved 2 September 1955)[1]
319th Bombardment Squadron emblem (Approved 11 June 1943)[2][3]
319th Bombardment Squadron "Jolly Rogers" patch[note 1]

The 319th Missile Squadron is a

LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile
, with a mission of nuclear deterrence. It is the flagship squadron of the 90th Missile Wing.

The

VJ Day
, the squadron remained in the Philippines until January 1946, when it was inactivated.

The squadron was again activated in 1951 at

Boeing RB-47 Stratojet
in 1954. After 1958 it trained reconnaissance crews with the B-47 and continued that mission until it was inactivated in 1960.

The squadron was activated again in 1963 as the 319th Strategic Missile Squadron, an

LGM-30B Minuteman I squadron. In 1974 it modernized its missiles to the multi-warhead Minuteman III. Following the implementation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
, its missiles were limited to a single warhead.

Mission

The

alert 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.[4] It missiles are dispersed in hardened silos to protect against attack and connected to underground missile alert facilities through a system of hardened cables.[5]

History

World War II

The

90th Bombardment Group. The squadron trained with Liberators in the southeastern United States under III Bomber Command until August.[1][6]

"Jolly Rogers" of the 90th Bombardment Group on a mission, 1943
B-24J with the distinct nose turret, probably in 1944.

The squadron moved to

Hickam Field, Hawaii in September. The squadron arrived in northern Queensland, Australia in November 1942 and began bombardment missions under V Bomber Command almost immediately.[6]

The squadron attacked enemy

fighter opposition.[6]

During 1944, the 319th supported the New Guinea Campaign through the end of June, then made long-range raids on oil refineries at

Okinawa, from which it would be able to strike the Japanese home islands.[6]

After

Okinawa to Manila. It ceased operations by November 1945. The squadron was inactivated in the Philippines in early 1946.[1]

Superfortress operations

Main article:
90th Bombardment Wing

The squadron was reactivated in July 1947 as a very heavy unit at

Andrews Field, Maryland. It was a component of one of seven bombardment groups activated at Andrews by Strategic Air Command (SAC) that day. Most of these units, including the 319th, were inactivated by September 1948 and it does not appear they were manned during this period.[1][7][8]

Wing Boeing B-29[note 2]

The squadron was again organized at

wing's combat units and the maintenance necessary to support combat aircraft, was formalized as the Dual Deputy Organization and the squadron was assigned to the wing.[9][10]

In March 1951, the squadron moved to

310th Bombardment Wings.[11][12][13]

In June, the squadron added duty as a Replacement Training Unit, primarily providing individual training for aircrew being assigned to existing

Far East Air Forces B-29 units during the Korean War.[14][note 3] In November 1952 it also began training replacement crews for the RB-29 reconnaissance model of the Superfortress and SHORAN personnel for Strategic Air Command (SAC). These training activities continued through November 1953.[9]

Strategic reconnaissance

B-47 and KC-97 as flown by the wing

The squadron began to fly strategic reconnaissance missions in September 1953.

Schilling Air Force Base, Kansas the same day.[17]

Intercontinental ballistic missiles

The squadron was reactivated on 1 October 1963 as an

LGM-30G Minuteman IIIs, which could carry up to three reentry vehicles.[9][5] In 2001 in compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, these missiles were limited to a single reentry vehicle[5]

In 1996 the squadron won the

Guardian Challenge missile competition and the Samuel C. Phillips Award as the best missile squadron in the command.[18][note 4] In more recent competitions, the squadron won the Neary Trophy and the Linhard Trophy for best USAF missile crew in 2011.[19]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 319 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 15 April 1942
Redesignated 319 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 March 1944
Inactivated on 27 January 1946
  • Redesignated as 319 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 11 June 1947
Activated on 1 July 1947
Inactivated on 6 September 1948
  • Redesignated 319 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 20 December 1950
Activated on 2 January 1951
Redesignated 319 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium on 16 June 1952
Discontinued on 20 June 1960
  • Redesignated 319 Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman) on 24 May 1963
Organized on 1 October 1963
Redesignated 319 Missile Squadron on 1 September 1991.[1]

Assignments

  • 90th Bombardment Group, 15 April 1942 – 27 January 1946
  • 90th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
  • 90th Bombardment Group, 2 January 1951 (attached to
    90th Bombardment Wing
    after 16 February 1951)
  • 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 June 1952 – 20 June 1960
  • Strategic Air Command, 24 May 1963 (not organized)
  • 90th Strategic Missile Wing, 1 October 1963
  • 90th Operations Group, 1 September 1991 – present[1]

Stations

Aircraft and missiles

  • Consolidated B-24 Liberator (1942–1945)
  • Boeing RB-29 Superfortress (1951–1954)
  • Boeing RB-47E Stratojet (1954–1960)
  • LGM-30B Minuteman I
    (1964–1974)
  • LGM-30G Minuteman III (1973 – present)[1]

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation
 c. 4 November 1942 – 23 January 1943 Papua, 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation 13 and 15 September 1943 New Guinea, 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
 1 July 1968–30 June 1969 319th Strategic Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1973–30 June 1975 319th Strategic Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1982–30 June 1984 319th Strategic Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1986–30 June 1988 319th Strategic Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1987–30 June 1989 319th Strategic Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 August 1991–31 July 1993 319th Strategic Missile Squadron
(later 319th Missile Squadron)[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 1994–30 September 1995 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 September 1996–31 August 1998 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 1999–30 September 2000 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 2001–31 December 2001 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2003–30 September 2005 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2005–30 September 2007 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 October 2007–30 September 2008 319th Missile Squadron[1]
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation 17 October 1944–4 July 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Guadalcanal c. 4 November 1942 – 21 February 1943 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Papua c. 4 November–23 January 1943 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Northern Solomons 23 February 1943 – 21 November 1944 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Bismarck Archipelago 15 December 1943 – 27 November 1944 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
New Guinea 24 January 1943 – 31 December 1944 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Leyte 17 October 1944 – 1 July 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Luzon 15 December 1944 – 4 July 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Southern Philippines 27 February 1945 – 4 July 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
China Defensive November 1942–4 May 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
China Offensive 5 May 1945 – 2 September 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Air Offensive, Japan November 1942–2 September 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Western Pacific 17 April 1944 – 2 September 1945 319th Bombardment Squadron[1]

See also

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

41°07′59″N 104°52′01″W / 41.13306°N 104.86694°W / 41.13306; -104.86694 (Francis E. Warren AFB)

References

Notes

  1. ^ The 90th Bombardment Group "Jolly Rogers" emblem was used as a squadron patch and as a tail marking on B-24s with each squadron having its own color in the background. Watkins, pp. 86–87
  2. ^ Aircraft is Boeing B-29-100-BW Superfortress serial 45-21846
  3. ^ Replacement Training Units trained individuals to fill positions in existing units. See Goss, p. xxxvi
  4. ^ The Blanchard Trophy was awarded at the squadron level for only a few years. For most of its existence it was awarded at the wing level. The 90th Wing has also won this award. 90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, p. 26

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Robertson, Patsy (6 December 2012). "Factsheet 319 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  2. ^ Endicott (unpaginated)
  3. ^ Watkins, pp. 86–87
  4. ^ "F.E. Warren Air Force Base: Units". 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "90 MW Fact Sheet". 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Robertson, Patsy (27 May 2010). "Factsheet 90 Operations Group (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  7. ^ Mueller, p. 8
  8. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 102, 176, 178
  9. ^ a b c d e f Robertson, Patsy (6 April 2012). "Factsheet 90 Missile Wing (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  10. ^ Deaile, pp. 175–176
  11. ^ Ravenstein, pp. 200–202
  12. ^ Robertson, Patsy (27 August 2015). "Factsheet 308 Armament Systems Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  13. ^ Kane, Robert B. (23 December 2010). "Factsheet 310 Space Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Abstract, History 90 Bombardment Wing". Air Force History Index. 1 October 1951. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  15. ^ 90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, pp. 3, 15
  16. ^ 90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, p. 15
  17. ^ Ravenstein, p. 68
  18. ^ 90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, p. 20
  19. ^ 90th Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet, p. 26

Bibliography

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

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=319th_Missile_Squadron&oldid=1205411009"