26th Tactical Missile Squadron

26th Tactical Missile Squadron
Bomarc missile at Otis AFB
Active 1942-1943, 1959-1972
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Air Defense
Size Squadron
Part of Air Defense Command
Motto(s) Vigilant Defender
Equipment CIM-10 Bomarc
Insignia
Patch with 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron emblem

The 26th Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 21st Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed near Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts. It was inactivated on 30 April 1972.

History

The squadron was activated on 1 March 1959 as the 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC)[1] and stood alert during the Cold War, equipped with IM-99 (later CIM-10) BOMARC surface to air antiaircraft missiles. The squadron was tied into a Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) direction center which could use analog computers to process information from ground radars, picket ships and airborne aircraft[2] to accelerate the display of tracking data at the direction center to quickly direct the missile site to engage hostile aircraft.[3] It was inactivated on 30 April 1972.[1]

The BOMARC missile site was located 1 mile (1.6 km) north-northwest of Otis AFB at 41°40′56″N 070°32′21″W / 41.68222°N 70.53917°W / 41.68222; -70.53917 (26th ADMS). Although located outside of the base (but within the borders of the Massachusetts Military Reservation, it was treated as an off base facility and the squadron received administrative and logistical support from Otis.

In 1985, the squadron was consolidated with the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, a World War II unit of the Army Air Forces that had provided air support for the training of ground forces,[4] but has never been active with this designation.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 26th Observation Squadron (Light) on 5 February 1942[4]
Activated on 2 March 1942[4]
Redesignated as the 26th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942[4]
Redesignated as the 26th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 April 1943[4]
Redesignated as the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943[4]
Disbanded on 30 November 1943[4]
  • Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron as the 26th Tactical Missile Squadron[5]
  • Constituted as the 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron on 23 January 1959
Activated on 1 March 1959
Inactivated on 30 April 1972
  • Consolidated with the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron as the 26th Tactical Missile Squadron on 19 September 1985[5]

Assignments

Stations

Awards

Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1967 - 30 June 196824th Air Defense Missile Squadron[6]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1970 - 30 June 197124th Air Defense Missile Squadron[7]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
American Theater of World War II 2 March 1942 - 30 November 1943 24th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron[4]

Aircraft and Missiles

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cornett & Johnson, p. 150
  2. ↑ Winkler & Webster, p. 39
  3. ↑ Winkler & Webster, p. 3
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 136
  5. 1 2 DAF/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
  6. ↑ AF Pamphlet 900-2, p. 147
  7. ↑ AF Pamphlet 900-2, Vol. 2, p. 22

Bibliography

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

  • Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center.
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
  • Winkler, David F.; Webster, Julie L (1997). Searching the skies: The legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (PDF). Champaign, IL: US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. LCCN 97020912.
  • AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 June 1971
  • AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 30 September 1976]

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.