741st Missile Squadron
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 741st Missile Squadron | |
|---|---|
 741st Missile Squadron emblem |
|
| Active | 1961-Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Missile |
| Role | Strategic Attack |
| Part of | 91st Space Wing/AFSPC |
| Garrison/HQ | Minot AFB, North Dakota |
| Nickname | "Gravelhaulers" |
| Motto | FIDELITAS ET FORTITUDO—Fidelity and Fortitude[1] |
| Engagements | World War II Air Offensive, Europe; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater[2] |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lt Col Jed Davis[3] |
The United States Air Force's 741st Missile Squadron is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) unit located at Minot AFB, North Dakota.
Contents |
[edit] Mission[4]
The 741st Missile squadron vigilantly maintains the missile force around-the-clock. Each squadron controls 50 launch facilities and five missile alert facilities. Missile squadrons are divided into missile operations flights and an operation support flight.[6]
The missile operations flights are comprised of officer crewmembers who, when on alert, are responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance and security of the missiles within their control and are prepared to launch their missiles at all times. Facility managers are responsible for and ensure the readiness of the missile alert facilities. The alert facility chefs are responsible for providing meals to missile alert facility personnel.
Each squadron is responsible for 5 flights of 10 missiles each, or 50 missiles. Sites are designated by flight, using one letter of the alphabet, followed by a number. The first site in each flight is #1 and designates the Missile Alert Facility (MAF) which consists of an above-ground structure plus an underground Launch Control Center (LCC) staffed by two officers. The Launch Facilities (LFs, i.e. missile silos) are numbered 2 through 11 and are connected to the MAF/LCC by the Hardened Intersite Cable System (HICS) which also interconnects flights. The 740th SMS includes flights A through E; the 741st includes flights F through J; and the 742nd includes flights K through O.
[edit] History[7]
[edit] World War II
[edit] Post WWII
[edit] Cold War
[edit] Post Cold War
[edit] Global War on Terror
The 741 MS became the first unit in 20th Air Force/Air Force Space Command to operated the LCC Netlink computer system. This system allows missile combat crew members access to the Internet while on alert. Prior to Netlink, no external communication systems, aside from telephone, was allowed into the launch control center.[8]
[edit] Previous designations
- 741st Missile Squadron (1 Sep 1991-Present)
- 741st Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman) (28 Jun 1962-1 Sep 1991)
- 741st Fighter-Day Squadron (7 May 1956-1 Jul 1957)
- 741st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy (27 May 1947-27 Jun 1949)
- 741st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy (6 Mar 1944-9 Sep 1945)
- 741st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (14 May 1943-6 Mar 1944)
[edit] Assignments[9]
- 91st Space Wing (1996-Present)[10]
- 91st Missile Group (1 Jul 1994-1996)[11]
- 91st Missile Wing (1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1994)[12]
- 91st Strategic Missile Wing (14 Feb 1991 - 1 Sep 1991)
- 4091st Operations Group (1 Jul 1988 - 14 Feb 1991)
- 91st Strategic Missile Wing (25 Jun 1968- 1 Jul 1988)[13]
- 455th Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Minuteman) (1 Dec 1962 - 25 Jun 1968)[14] [15]
- Strategic Air Command (28 Jun 1962-1 Dec 1962)
- 455th Fighter-Day Group (25 Jul 1956–1 Jul 1957)
- 455th Bombardment Group (26 Jun 1947–27 Jun 1949)
- 455th Bombardment Group (1 Jun 1943–9 Sep 1945)
[edit] Bases stationed[16] [17]
- Minot AFB, North Dakota (1 Dec 1962-Present)[18] [19]
- Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina (25 Jul 1956–1 Jul 1957)
- Hensley Field, Texas (26 Jun 1947–27 Jun 1949)
- San Giovanni, Italy (15 Jan 1944–9 Sep 1945)
- Langley Field, Virginia (5 Oct–13 Dec 1943)
- Kearns, Utah (9 Sep 1943-5 Oct 1943)
- Alamogordo AAFld, New Mexico (1 Jun 1943-9 Sep 1943)
[edit] Aircraft & Missiles Operated[20]
- LGM-30 Minuteman III (1968-Present)[21]
- LGM-30 Minuteman I (1963-1971)
- B-29 (1947–1949)
- B-24 (1943–1945)
[edit] Recognition[22]
- General Samuel Phillips Award for Operations 2005[23]
Distinguished Unit Citation
- Steyr, Austria (2 Apr 1944)
- Austria (26 Jun 1944)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
- 1 Jul 1989–14 Feb 1991
- 1 Jul 1978–30 Jun 1980
- 1 Jul 1976–30 Jun 1978
- 1 Jul 1972–30 Jun 1973
[edit] References
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Ibid
- ^ Minot AFB Public Affairs: "Break for bronze"
- ^ Minot AFB Public Affairs: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Minot AFB Minuteman Missile Site Coordinates
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Air Force Space Command Public Affairs: High Frontier, Launch Control Center Netlink
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Minot AFB Public Affairs: 91st Space Wing Factsheet
- ^ Ibid
- ^ Ibid
- ^ Ibid
- ^ Ibid
- ^ Bagram AB Public Affairs: 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Factsheet
- ^ Rarenstein, C. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Office of Air Force History: Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-912799-12-9
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs: Minot AFB Homepage
- ^ Globalsecurity.org: 741st Missile Squadron
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Federation of American Scientists: LGM-30 Minuteman III
- ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: 741st Missile Squadron Factsheet
- ^ Association of AF Missileers: Outstanding Missileers
[edit] External links
 |
This North Dakota-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 |
This United States Air Force article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
