571st Strategic Missile Squadron

World War II

Activated in early 1943 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to England in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during July 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Second Air Force and was programmed to be re-equipped with B-29 Superfortresses for deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation led to units inactivation in August 1945, being neither manned or equipped.

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Squadron

Reactivated and redesignated as a Strategic Air Command LGM-25C Titan II ICBM Strategic Missile Squadron in 1961. Operated nine Titan II underground silos constructed beginning in 1960. The first missile silo (571-9) went on operational alert on 6 Apr 1963. The 9 missile silos controlled by the 571st Strategic Missile Squadron remained on alert for over 20 years during the Cold War.

In October 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced that as part of the strategic modernization program, Titan II systems were to be retired by October 1, 1987. Inactivation of the sites (571-7) began on 12 Nov 1982; the last (571-8) being inactivated on 8 Feb 1984. The squadron was inactivated on 31 July.

After removal from service, the silos had reusable equipment removed by Air Force personnel, and contractors retrieved salvageable metals before destroying the silos with explosives and filling them in. Access to the vacated control centers was blocked off.

Local aviation enthusiasts associated with the Pima Air Museum won Defense Department approval in 1984 to set aside one silo for permanent display. The silo at Green Valley (571-7) was retained by the Air Force and leased to local government for use as the "Titan Missile Museum." With a training Titan II missile in place, the silo is maintained by a dedicated organization of volunteers from nearby retirement communities. The site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as the only surviving sample of a Titan II installation. In addition to the launch complex and missile, the museum obtained auxiliary support equipment for display.

Some of the properties were then sold; other sites are retained by the Bureau of Land Management.

Lineage

Constituted 571st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 15 January 1943

Activated on 26 January 1943 Inactivated on 28 August 1945

Re-designated 571st Strategic Missile Squadron, and activated, on 28 November 1961

. Organized on 1 May 1962

Inactivated on 31 July 1984

Assignments

390th Bombardment Group, 26 January 1943 – 28 August 1945

Strategic Air Command, 28 November 1961

390th Strategic Missile Wing, 1 May 1962 – 31 July 1984

Stations

Geiger Field, Washington, 26 January 1943

Great Falls Army Air Base, Montana, 6 June-4 July 1943

RAF Framlingham (AAF-153), England, 26 July 1943 – 6 August 1945

Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 14–28 August 1945

Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1 May 1962 – 31 July 1984

Aircraft and missiles

B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945

LGM-25C Titan II Missile, 1965–1984

Operated nine missile sites: