321st Missile Squadron

321st Missile Squadron
LGM-30G Minuteman III test launch at Vandenburg AFB, California
Active	15 April 1942 - 27 January 1946 1 July 1947 - 6 September 1948 2 January 1951 - 20 June 1960 9 April 1964 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Intercontinental ballistic missile
Part of	90th Operations Group Air Force Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQ	F. E. Warren Air Force Base
Engagements	World War II (Asia-Pacific Theater)
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (3x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (12x) Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Matthew Dillow
Insignia
321st Missile Squadron emblem

B-24D-170-CO Liberator 42-72956 on Mission to Wewak, New Guinea, 24 February 1944

The 321st Missile Squadron (321 MS) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 90th Operations Group, stationed at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. The 321 MS is equipped with the LGM-30G Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with a mission of nuclear deterrence.

History

World War II

Activated in spring 1942 as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber squadron. Trained under Third Air Force in southeastern United States. Reassigned to Michigan where squadron received Very Long Range (VLR) B-24D Liberator heavy bombers manufactured by Ford specifically for extended length missions over the Pacific.

Squadron deployed first to Hawaii and trained on the heavy bombers for combat and long over ocean navigation and bombardment missions under Seventh Air Force. Squadron deployed to Fifth Air Force in Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA), assembling in northern Queensland, Australia then moving to operational base in Papua New Guinea. From airfields in New Guinea, the squadron carried out long-range strategic bombardment of enemy targets in New Guinea, Dutch East Indies, Philippine Islands and other areas from bases as ground forces sized them during MacArthur's island hopping campaign. Bombarded enemy targets on Okinawa; Iwo Jima; Formosa and eastern China, eventually being stationed on Ie Shima preparing for VLR bombardment operations over the Japanese Home Isands when the Japanese Capitulation occurred in August 1945. Squadron personnel demobilized in Okinawa and Philippines, aircraft sent to reclamation during fall of 1945. Inactivated as a paper unit in Early 1946.

Strategic Air Command

The squadron was active but unmanned from, 1 July 1947 – 1 September 1948. Brought to operational status under Strategic Air Command in 1951, being equipped with RB-29 Superfortresses at Fairchild AFB, Washington. Moved to Forbes AFB, Kansas shortly afterward and conducted operational training from, 1 June 1951-September 1952, replacement training from, 1 June 1951 – 1 September 1953, and. SHORAN training from, 10 November 1952-30 Novovember 1953 Replaced the propeller-driven RB-29s with new RB-47E Stratojet swept-wing reconnaissance bombers in 1954, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. Flew many long-range clandestine missions with the RB-47, flying many ferret missions around the periphery of Soviet territory, and sometimes inside on penetration flights to map planned routes for B-52s if combat missions over the Soviet Union ever became necessary. Began performing RB-47 crew training from, c. 1 January 1959 – 20 June 1960. Began phasing down RB-47 missions in 1959 when the vulnerability of the aircraft to Soviet air defenses became evident, was inactivated on 20 June 1960.

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Squadron

Reactivated on 9 April 1964 as an ICBM squadron assigned to the 90th Missile Wing at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. Initially equipped with 50 LGM-30B Minuteman Is in early 1964. Upgraded to LGM-30G Minuteman III in 1973/1974, has maintained ICBMs on alert ever since. Its current commander is Lt Col Matthew Dillow.

Lineage

Emblem of the SAC 321st Strategic Recon Squadron

World War II 321st Bombardment Squadron emblem

• Constituted as 321 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942

Activated on 15 Apr 1942

Re-designated as 321 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 March 1944

Inactivated on 27 Jan 1946

• Re-designated as 321 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 11 Jun 1947

Activated on 1 Jul 1947

Inactivated on 6 Sep 1948

• Re-designated as 321 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 20 Dec 1950

Activated on 2 Jan 1951

Re-designated as 321 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, on 16 Jun 1952

Discontinued on 20 Jun 1960

• Re-designated as 321 Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman) on 16 Sep 1963

Organized on 9 Apr 1964

Re-designated as 321 Missile Squadron on 1 Sep 1991

Assignments

• 90th Bombardment Group, 15 Apr 1942-27 Jan 1946; 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948
• 90th Bombardment Group, 2 Jan 1951

Attached to 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952

• 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 Jun 1952-20 Jun 1960
• Strategic Air Command, 24 May 1963
• 90th Strategic Missile Wing, 9 Apr 1964
• 90th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991–Present

Stations

• Key Field, Mississippi (1942)
• Barksdale Field, Louisiana (1942)
• Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina (1942)
• Ypsilanti, Michigan (1942)
• Wheeler Field, Hawaii (1942)
• Iron Range Airfield, Iron Range National Park, Queensland, Australia (1942–1943)
• Wards Airfield (5 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea (1943)
• Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea (1943–1944)
• Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea (1944)
• Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, (1944–1945)
• McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines, (1945)
• Ie Shima Airfield, Okinawa, (1945)
• Fort William McKinley, Luzon (1945–1946)
• Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland (1947–1948)
• Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington (1951)
• Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas (1951–1960)
• F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming (1964–Present)

Aircraft and missiles

LGM-30 Minuteman Missile Alert and Launch Facilities

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

321st Missile Squadron Launch Facilities

Missile Alert Facilities (K-O flights, each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:

K-01 6.8 mi S of Dix NE, 41°08′13″N 103°29′18″W

L-01 21.9 mi N of Stoneham CO, 40°55′17″N 103°41′30″W

M-01 12.1 mi NE of Stoneham CO, 40°42′15″N 103°28′55″W

N-01 1.7 mi N of Raymer CO, 40°37′54″N 103°50′11″W

O-01 11.8 mi E of Grover CO, 40°53′05″N 104°00′01″W

See also

• List of United States Air Force missile squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf. 
• Warren AFB Minuteman Site Coordinates
• USAF 321st Missile Squadron History

External links