351st Missile Wing

The 351st Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, which was last based at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. Assigned to Strategic Air Command for most of its existence, the wing supported LGM-30F Minuteman ICBMs. It was inactivated in 1995.

History

 * For additional history and lineage, see 351st Operations Group

During the Cold War, the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command 351st Strategic Missile Wing stood alert with Minuteman I and later, Minuteman II ICBMs starting in 1963 at Whiteman AFB Missouri. The wing was bestowed the lineage, honors and history of the World War II USAAF 351st Bomb Wing upon activation.

The 351st supervised missile training operations and coordinated construction of SM-30B (later, LGM-30B) Minuteman I missile facilities from 1 February 1963, to 29 June 1964. The first missile arrived 14 January 1964 and was placed its silo two days later. The 508th SMS became combat ready on 5 June and the 509th on 10 June 1964. The last flight of the fifteen missiles was accepted 29 June 1964, making the 510th operational. The wing then had 150 fully operational missiles. Meanwhile the 340th Bombardment Wing phased down for inactivation and 351st Strategic Missile Wing gradually assumed host-wing responsibilities at Whiteman AFB, between 1 July and 1 September 1963. Later, the Wing converted to LGM-30F Minuteman II missiles between 7 May 1966, and 3 October 1967.

The wing won the Colonel Lee R. Williams Memorial Missile Trophy for Calendar Years 1965, 1967 and 1973, as well as the SAC missile combat competition and Blanchard Trophy in 1967, 1971, 1977, 1981 and 1993. It was named SAC's "Best Minuteman Wing" in 1972.

On 1 September 1991, the wing was redesignated as the 351st Missile Wing and implemented the objective wing organization. It was relieved from SAC and reassigned to Eighth Air Force in the new Air Combat Command on 1 June 1992. It was again reassigned on 1 July 1993 to Air Force Space Command and assigned to the new Twentieth Air Force.

The wing and its three squadrons of Minuteman II ICBMs were inactivated on 31 July 1995 as a result of planned phaseout of the Minuteman II.

Lineage

 * Established as 351st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM—Minuteman), and activated, on 9 August 1962
 * Organized on 1 February 1963
 * Redesignated as 351st Missile Wing, 1 September 1991
 * Inactivated on 31 July 1995

Assignments

 * Strategic Air Command, 9 August 1962
 * 17th Strategic Aerospace (later, 17th Strategic Missile; 17th Strategic Aerospace) Division, 1 February 1963
 * 4th Strategic Missile (later, 4th Air) Division, 30 June 1971
 * 40th Air Division, 1 July 1973
 * Strategic Air Command, 1 December 1982
 * Eighth Air Force, 1 June 1992
 * Twentieth Air Force, 1 July 1993-31 July 1995

Units

 * 508th Missile Squadron, 1 May 1963 - 1 September 1991
 * 509th Missile Squadron, 1 June 1963 - 1 September 1991
 * 510th Missile Squadron, 1 June 1963 - 1 September 1991

Stations

 * Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 1 February 1963-31 July 1995

Missiles
LGM-30F Minuteman III Missile Alert Facilities (MAF) (each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows: (Please Note, the adjacent map incorrectly indicates the flights in the 509th and 510th Squadrons. The list below is correct.)
 * LGM-30B Minuteman I, 1963–1967
 * LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1966–1995
 * 508th Missile Squadron
 * A-01 3.5 mi SE of Blackburn MO,      39.06806°N, -93.43889°W
 * B-01 38.1 mi ExNE of Houstonia MO,   38.92722°N, -93.21139°W
 * C-01 5.6 mi SxSW of Pilot Grove MO,  38.79972°N, -92.95139°W
 * D-01 6.1 mi SE of Syracuse MO,       38.6125°N, -92.7875°W
 * E-01 7.3 mi WxSW of Florence MO,     38.56278°N, -93.10917°W
 * 509th Missile Squadron
 * G-01 7.4 mi WxNW of Lowry City MO,   38.18333°N, -93.85194°W
 * H-01 2.8 mi WxSW of Eldorado Springs MO 37.86°N, -94.06639°W
 * J-01 4.7 mi NxNW of Rockville MO,    38.13611°N, -94.1075°W
 * K-01 6.3 mi WxSW of Adrian MO,       38.35444°N, -94.45444°W
 * L-01 8.8 mi NE of Adrian MO,         38.49861°N, -94.25278°W
 * 510th Missile Squadron
 * F-01 6.0 mi SE of Windsor MO,        38.48°N, -93.43333°W
 * I-01 6.7 mi W of Calhoun MO,         38.48°N, -93.74861°W
 * M-01 32.6 mi ExNE of Holden MO,      38.725°N, -93.94444°W
 * N-01 3.9 mi ExSE of Odessa MO,       38.97056°N, -93.89222°W
 * *O-01 On Whiteman AFB, MO	        38.72056°N, -93.56556°W
 * *Preserved, but not open to the public.