26th Tactical Missile Squadron

History

The squadron was activated on 1 March 1959 as the 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC) 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 to accelerate the display of tracking data at the direction center to quickly direct the missile site to engage hostile aircraft. It was inactivated on 30 April 1972.

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. 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, but has never been active with this designation.

Lineage

Constituted as the 26th Observation Squadron (Light) on 5 February 1942

Activated on 2 March 1942 Redesignated as the 26th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942 Redesignated as the 26th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 April 1943 Redesignated as the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943 Disbanded on 30 November 1943

Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 26th Air Defense Missile Squadron as the 26th Tactical Missile Squadron

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

Assignments

70th Observation Group (later 70th Reconnaissance Group, 70th Tactical Reconnaissance Group), 2 March 1942 - 30 November 1943

Boston Air Defense Sector, 1 March 1959

35th Air Division, 1 April 1966

21st Air Division, 19 November 1969 – 30 April 1972

Stations

Gray Field, Washington, 2 March 1942

Salinas Army Air Base, California, 15 March 1943

Redmond Army Air Field, Oregon, 16 August 1943

Corvallis Army Air Field, Oregon, 31 October 1943

Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, 14 November 1943 - 30 November 1943

Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 1 March 1959 - 30 April 1972

Aircraft and Missiles

North American O-47, 1942-1943

Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1943

Boeing IM-99 (later CIM-10) BOMARC, 1959 -1972