91st Missile Wing LGM 30 Minuteman Missile Launch Sites

Overview

In November 1962, the 455th Strategic Missile Wing was the fourth United States Air Force LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM wing, the third with the LGM-30B Minuteman I. In 1962 and 1963 150 missiles were deployed to silos controlled by three squadrons of 455th in North Dakota. On 25 June 1968 the 91st Bombardment Wing was reassigned to Minot AFB from Glasgow AFB, Montana which was closed and assumed control of the three Minuteman squadrons of the 455th. The senior 91st SMW had organizational roots dating from World War II and had been deployed from Glasgow AFB to Southeast Asia, where it had been flying combat missions with the B-52 Stratofortress during the Vietnam War. The 455th SMW was inactivated.

Between April 1970 and December 1971 the Minuteman I ICBMs were replaced with the LGM-30G Minuteman III. All of the 91st Wing's Minuteman III missiles were reduced from three warheads to a single warhead by START I between 1991-2001. The three active squadrons are commanded by the 91st Operations Group.

Facilities

The Missile Alert Facility (MAF) consists of a buried and hardened Launch Control Facility (LCC) and an above-ground Launch Control Support Building (LCSB). MAFs were formerly known as Launch Control Facilities (LCFs) but terminology was changed in 1992 with the inactivation of Strategic Air Command (SAC). In addition, a MAF has a landing pad for helicopters; a large radio tower; a large "top hat" HF antenna; a vehicle garage for security vehicles; recreational facilities, and one or two sewage lagoons. The entire site, except for the helicopter pad and sewage lagoons are secured with a fence and security personnel. About a dozen airmen and officers are assigned to a MAF.

The underground LCC Launch Control Center (LCC) contains the command and control equipment for missile operations. It is staffed by the two launch officers who have primary control and responsibility for the 10 underground and hardened Launch Facilities (LF)s within its flight which contains the operational missile. Each of the five LCCs also has the ability to command and monitor all 50 LFs within the squadron. The LF is unmanned, except when maintenance and security personnel are needed.

A squadron is composed of five flights; flights are denoted by a letter of the alphabet with the facilities controlled by the flight being designated by a number, 01 through 11, with 01 being the MAF.

740th Missile Squadron

Activated by Strategic Air Command on 28 June 1962. Organized on 1 November 1962

A-01 (MAF) 7.8 mi SxSE of Karlsruhe ND; 46.0 mi SE of Minot AFB
47°58′00″N 100°34′51″W

A-02 9.9 mi SE of Karlsruhe ND, 48°00′04″N 100°27′15″W A-03 15.8 mi SE of Karlsruhe ND, 47°56′13″N 100°22′08″W A-04 12.8 mi SxSE of Karlsruhe ND, 47°56′00″N 100°28′51″W A-05 17.3 mi SxSE of Karlsruhe ND, 47°52′30″N 100°25′59″W A-06 18.4 mi SxSE of Karlsruhe ND, 47°50′04″N 100°30′58″W A-07 13.8 mi N of Karlsruhe ND, 47°53′37″N 100°35′01″W A-08 16.8 mi S of Karlsruhe ND, 47°51′01″N 100°39′32″W A-09 6.2 mi SxSW of Karlsruhe ND, 48°00′34″N 100°40′22″W A-10 0.8 mi NxNW of Karlsruhe ND, 48°06′09″N 100°37′39″W A-11 4.1 mi SxSE of Karlsruhe ND, 48°02′09″N 100°35′20″W

741st Missile Squadron

Activated by Strategic Air Command on 28 June 1962. Organized on 1 December 1962

F-01 (MAF) 7.5 mi SE of Makoti ND; 38.2 mi SxSW of Minot AFB
47°53′46″N 101°40′26″W

F-02 5.8 mi E of Makoti ND, 47°57′55″N 101°40′37″W F-03 10.5 mi E of Makoti ND, 47°58′46″N 101°34′35″W F-04 13.3 mi ExSE of Makoti ND, 47°55′18″N 101°31′18″W F-05 12.2 mi SE of Makoti ND, 47°51′40″N 101°35′11″W F-06 7.2 mi SxSE of Makoti ND, 47°51′40″N 101°45′43″W F-07 9.5 mi SxSW of Makoti ND, 47°50′03″N 101°52′48″W F-08 8.3 mi SW of Makoti ND, 47°53′30″N 101°56′54″W F-09 3.6 mi SW of Makoti ND, 47°55′07″N 101°50′41″W F-10 4.6 mi WxNW of Makoti ND, 47°58′46″N 101°53′49″W F-11 1.1 mi NxNE of Makoti ND, 47°58′35″N 101°47′32″W

742d Missile Squadron

Activated by Strategic Air Command on 18 July 1962. Organized on 1 January 1963

K-01 (MAF) 8.8 mi SxSW of Kenmare ND; 37.3 mi WxNW of Minot AFB
48°33′02″N 102°07′12″W

K-02 2.3 mi WxNW of Kenmare ND, 48°41′32″N 102°07′24″W K-03 4.0 mi SxSW of Kenmare ND, 48°37′11″N 102°06′24″W K-04 8.6 mi SxSE of Kenmare ND, 48°33′31″N 102°00′54″W K-05 13.3 mi SxSE of Kenmare ND, 48°29′14″N 102°01′07″W K-06 15.8 mi S of Kenmare ND, 48°26′51″N 102°06′17″W K-07 15.6 mi SxSW of Kenmare ND, 48°28′00″N 102°12′38″W K-08 12.8 mi SW of Kenmare ND, 48°32′42″N 102°16′45″W K-09 17.5 mi WxSW of Kenmare ND, 48°32′40″N 102°24′37″W K-10 12.3 mi WxSW of Kenmare ND, 48°37′03″N 102°20′12″W K-11 10.3 mi WxNW of Kenmare ND, 48°37′04″N 102°12′32″W