44th Missile Wing: Difference between revisions

The 44th Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) was housed at Ellsworth Air Force Base from January 1962 to April 1991, and operated several different classes of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) over the years, including Titan Missile I, Minuteman I and Minuteman II.

Its roots went back to the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force 44th Bombardment Group of MacDill Field, Florida, in 1941. ^[1]

The 44th Missile Wing was inactivated on July 4th, 1994 at Ellsworth AFB. [1] [2]

Constituted as 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Trained with B-24's. Became an operational training unit in Feb 1942. Also served on antisubmarine duty.

In Jul 1942 began intensive preparations for combat. Moved to RAF Shipdham England for service with Eighth Air Force on 10 October 1942.

The 44th was assigned to the 14th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Circle-A". It's operational squadrons were:

• 66th Bomb Squadron (Squadron code letters WQ)
• 67th Bomb Squadron (Squadron code letters NB)
• 68th Bomb Squadron (Squadron code letters QK)
• 506th Bomb Squadron (Squadron code letters GJ)

The group flew B-24 Liberators as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. The 44th was the first USAAF group to be equipped with the Liberator and the unit had helped form other groups destined to fly the type. The Group was initially under strength, one of its four squadrons having been detached in the US. In March 1943 the 506th Squadron was assigned to the group.

The 44th Bomb Group's operations consisted primarily of assaults against strategic targets in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Austria, Poland, and Sicily. Among the targets attacked were submarine installations, industrial establishments, airfields, harbors, shipyards, and other objectives, November 1942 - June 1943.

The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an extremely hazardous mission against naval installations at Kiel on 14 May 1943: Its B-24's flew in the wake of the main formation and carried incendiaries to be dropped after three B-17 groups had released high explosive bombs, thus the group's aircraft were particularly vulnerable lacking the protection of the fire power of the main force. This vulnerability increased when the group opened its own formation for the attack; but the 44th blanketed the target with incendiaries in spite of the concentrated flak and continuous interceptor attacks it encountered.

Late in June 1943 a large detachment moved to North Africa to help facilitate the Allied invasion of Sicily by bombing airfields and marshalling yards in Italy. The detachment also participated in the famous low-level raid on the Ploesti oil fields on 1 August 1943. The group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in this raid and its commander, Colonel Leon W. Johnson, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his daring and initiative in leading his men into smoke, flame, and alerted fighter and antiaircraft opposition over the target, which already had been bombed in error by another group.

Before returning to England at the end of August, the detachment bombed an aircraft factory in Austria and supported ground forces in Sicily. In September 1943 the group struck airfields in Holland and France and convoys in the North Sea. Also in September, a detachment was sent to North Africa to support the Salerno operations.

This proved to be the 44th's last detachment and in October when several new B-24 groups were arriving in Norfolk, the 44th was fully committed to the combined bomber offensive from the UK. From November 1943 to April 1945, the group carried out operations against targets in western Europe, concentrating on airfields, oil installations, and marshalling yards.

The group took part in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944. The group flew support and interdictory missions. Struck airfields, railroads, and V-weapon sites in preparation for the Normandy invasion; supported the invasion in June 1944 by attacking strong points in the beachhead area and transportation targets behind the front lines. The group aided the Caen offensive and the St Lo breakthrough in July. Dropped food, ammunition, and other supplies to troops engaged in the airborne attack on Holland in September. The group also helped to check the enemy offensive during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945, by striking bridges, tunnels, choke points, rail and road junctions, and communications in the battle area. The group attacked airfields and transportation in support of the advance into Germany, and flew a resupply mission during the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The 44th Bomb Group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945. During the course of hostilities, the 44th flew a total of 343 missions and its gunners were credited with 330 enemy fighters shot down and its own losses. highest of any B-24 group in the Eighth, were 153.

The unit returned to Sioux Falls AAF South Dakota in June 1945. It was reassigned to Great Bend AAF, Kansas 25 July 1945 in preparation for Operation Downfall - overall Allied plan for the invasion of Japan. The group was redesignated the 44th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in August 1945 in preparation for receiving B-29s. Assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946. Reassigned to Smoky Hill AAF, Kansas, 14 December 1945.

Inactivated 12 July 1946.

The Wing was previously a bomb wing from 20 Dec 1950, when it was established, to June 1960. It was activated on 2 January 1951 at March AFB, California, and assigned to Fifteenth Air Force. It was equipped with B-29s, TB-29s. It was reassigned to the 12th Air Division of Fifteenth Air Force on 10 February 1951, and then the 21st Air Division within Fifteenth Air Force on 4 August 1951. The Wing moved to Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana, on 1 August 1951, and a year later changed equipment to B-29s.

• Reassigned to: Second Air Force, 806th Air Division on 16 June 1952. (Attached to the 5th Air Division from 19 January to 22 February 1953). (Attached to the 5th Air Division from 19 April to 17 June 1954).
• Changed equipment in: 1953 to B-29s, B-47s, KC-97s.
• Changed equipment in: 1954 to B-47s, KC-97s.
• Discontinued on: 15 June 1960

The 44th Bomb Wing was one of the wings activated in training status when Korean War was 6 months old. Depended on 22nd Bombardment Wing for initial cadre and help in becoming organized. Commenced operational training in Mar.1951. From 1 October. 1951 to 29 August. 1952, served as operational training unit for B-29 aircrews and maintenance personnel for Far East Air Forces. From 10 October. 1951 to 15 May 1952, trained all elements of the 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. Became a first-line strategic bombardment wing in Aug. 1952 and gained an air-refueling mission in 1953. Deployed at Sidi Slimane AB, French Morocco, 19 January-22 February. 1953 and 19 April.-17 June. 1954. Discontinued in 1960.

• Redesignated on: 1 September 1991.
• At: Ellsworth AFB, SD.
• Assigned to: Strategic Weapons Center.
• Reassigned to: Twentieth Air Force on 31 July 1991.
• Reassigned to: Air Combat Command, Twentieth Air Force on 31 May 1992.

Organized in 1962 as a strategic missile wing, initially with a single Titan missile squadron, but later with three Minuteman missile squadrons.

• Organized on: 1 January 1962.
• At: Ellsworth AFB, SD.
• Assigned to: Strategic Air Command.
• Equipment: Titan Is.
• Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 821st Strategic Aerospace Division on 1 January 1962
• Changed equipment in 1963 to Minuteman Is, Titan Is.
• Changed equipment in: 1966 to Minuteman Is.
• Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 4th Strategic Missile Division on 30 June 1971.
• Changed equipment in: 1972 to Minuteman Is, IIs.
• Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 4th Air Division on 1 March 1973.
• Changed equipment in: 1974 to Minuteman IIs.
• Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 57th Air Division on 1 May 1982.
• Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 4th Air Division on 23 January 1987.
• Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force, 12th Air Division on 15 July 1988.
• Reassigned to: Eighth Air Force, 12th Air Division on 1 July 1989.
• Reassigned to: Strategic Warfare Center on 31 July 1990.
• Redesignated on: 1 September 1991 as 44th Missile Wing.

• Air Force Space Command (???-???)
• Air Combat Command (???-???)
• Strategic Air Command (???-???)

• 821st Air Division (???-???)

• 44th Missile Wing (???-???)
• 44th Strategic Missile Wing (???-???)
• 44th MIMS (Missile maintance squadron)

• 66th Strategic Missile Squadron (???-???)
• 67th Strategic Missile Squadron (???-???)
• 68th Strategic Missile Squadron (???-???)

• Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota (???-???)

• LGM-30F Minuteman II (???-1994)

• Strategic Air Command
• USAF
• ICBM

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