490th Missile Squadron

490th Missile Squadron
490th Missile Squadron Patch
Active	15 September 1942 - 2 November 1945 4 April 1947 - 27 June 1949 1 September 1955 - 25 June 1961 18 December 1961 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	ICBM Operations
Part of	Air Force Global Strike Command 20th Air Force 341st Missile Wing 341st Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Malmstrom Air Force Base
Decorations	DUC AFOUA

Emblem of the World War II 490th Bombardment Squadron

The 490th Missile Squadron (490 MS) is part of the 341st Missile Wing based at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.

History

Established as a B-25 Mitchell medium bomber squadron in mid-1942, trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to India in December 1942, operating under Tenth Air Force, supporting British ground forces in Burma during 1943. The squadron flew supplies from Chittagong, India to Imphal, India between 20 May and 30 June 1944. Reassigned to Fourteenth Air Force in China, 1944, and dropped leaflets for the United States Office of War Information from, January-August 1945. Also supported Chinese ground forces until the end of the war.

Personnel demobilized in India, squadron returned to the United States and inactivated as a paper unit.

Was reactivated in 1955 as a Strategic Air Command B-47 Stratojet squadron . Trained in air refueling and strategic bombardment operations with the B-47. in 1961, the squadron began transferring its B-47s to other SAC wings and became non-operational.

Reactivated on 1 May 1962 as an ICBM squadron assigned to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. Initially equipped with 50 LGM-30A Minuteman Is in early 1962, becoming SAC's third operational Minuteman ICBM squadron. Upgraded to the Minuteman IB in 1964; Minuteman IIF, in 1967. Received control of LGM-30G Minuteman III silos from inactivating 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota in 1996; Minuteman IIs being retired.

Has maintained ICBMs on alert ever since. In 2010 The United States Air Force Global Strike Command started again with their famous competitions to bring back the glory days of the 1960s. The Global Strike Challenge was hosted at Barksdale Air Force on November 16th and 17th. The 490th Missile Squadron sent Captain Kevin Hullihan and 1Lt Brian J. Marlow to compete in this competition. The crew achieved the best score in Emergency war orders, resulting in earning the Neary Trophy. In 2011 1Lt John Malek and 1Lt Matthew Ditson competed in the Global Srike Competition and won the McMahon Trophy for Best ICBM Weapon System score. In addition to the McMahon they also played a key role in earning the Klotz Trophy for Best ICBM Operations.

Lineage

• Constituted 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 14 Aug 1942

Activated on 15 Sep 1942

Redesignated 490th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 1 Aug 1943

Inactivated on 2 Nov 1945

• Redesignated 490th Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 11 Mar 1947

Activated in the Reserve on 4 Apr 1947

Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

• Redesignated 490th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 7 Jun 1955

Activated on 1 Sep 1955

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1961

• Redesignated 490th Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman), and activated, on 18 Dec 1961

Organized on 1 May 1962

Redesignated 490th Missile Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

• 341st Bombardment Group, 15 Sep 1942
• Tenth Air Force, 25 Oct 1943

Attached to 341st Bombardment Group, 25 Oct 1943-c. 7 Jan 1944

• 341st Bombardment Group, 7 May-2 Nov 1945

312th Fighter Wing for operational control, 7 May-c. 25 Aug 1945

• 341st Bombardment Group, 4 Apr 1947-27 Jun 1949
• 341st Bombardment Wing, 1 Sep 1955-25 Jun 1961
• Strategic Air Command, 18 Dec 1961
• 341st Strategic Missile Wing, 1 May 1962
• 341st Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-Present

Bases stationed

• Camp Malir, Karachi, India, 15 Sep 1942
• Moire Camp, Ondal, India, 5 Jan 1943

Operated from Chakulia Airfield, India, 20-25 May 1943

• Kurmitola Airfield, India, 25 May 1943
• Dergaon, India, 26 Aug 1944
• Moran, India, 20 Oct 1944
• Warazup, Burma, 29 Nov 1944

• Hanchung Airfield, China, 13 Apr-13 Sep 1945

Detachment operated from Hsian Airfield, China, 16 Apr-4 Aug 1945

• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 1-2 Nov 1945
• Dow Field (later, AFB), Maine, 4 Apr 1947-27 Jun 1949
• Abilene (later, Dyess) AFB, Texas, 1 Sep 1955-25 Jun 1961

Deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, 9 Jan-c. 3 Apr 1958

• Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 1 May 1962-Present

Aircraft and Missiles

LGM-30 Minuteman Missile Alert and Launch Facilities

• B-25 Mitchell (1942–1945)
• AT-6 Texan (1947–1949)
• AT-11 Kansan (1947–1949)
• B-47 Stratojet (1956–1961)
• LGM-30A/B Minuteman I, 1962–1968
• LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1968–1991
• LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1996–Present

490th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities

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

K-01 1.7 mi ExNE of Harlowton MT, 46°26′43″N 109°48′05″W

L-01 1.3 mi NxNE of Judith Gap MT 46°41′40″N 109°44′27″W

M-01 4.1 mi NE of Moore MT, 47°00′49″N 109°37′51″W

N-01 11.0 mi WxNW of Grassrange MT, 47°03′33″N 109°01′54″W

O-01 1.5 mi E of Roy MT, 47°19′43″N 108°55′37″W

Operations

• World War II

See also

• List of United States Air Force missile squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5
• Malmstrom AFB Minuteman Missile Site Coordinates

External links

• USAF 490th Missile Squadron History
• 341st Operations Group Fact Sheet