"44th Bombardment Wing" redirects here. For the 44th Bombardment Wing of World War II, see 44th Air Division.
44th Missile Wing
LGM-30F Minuteman II test launch at Vandenberg AFB, California
Active
1941–1994
Country
United States
Branch
United States Air Force
Type
Wing
Role
Intercontinental ballistic missile
Part of
Strategic Air Command
Garrison/HQ
Ellsworth Air Force Base
Motto(s)
Aggressor Beware
Decorations
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Notable commanders
Howell M. Estes II Leon W. Johnson
Insignia
44th Missile Wing emblem
Military unit
The 44th Missile Wing (44 MW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 4 July 1994.
For over 40 years the 44th was a front-line Strategic Air Command wing, initially as a B-47 Stratojet medium bomber unit in the 1950s. With the phaseout of the B-47, the wing became a LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM unit in the 1960s, being inactivated in 1994 as part of the drawdown of U.S. strategic forces after the end of the Cold War.
During World War II, its predecessor unit, the 44th Bombardment Group was the first B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group of VIII Bomber Command stationed in England. Colonel Leon W. Johnson, while commander of the 44th Bombardment Group, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Ploesti Raid on 1 August 1943.
The 44thMissileWing (44 MW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth...
center; and a missile silo/launch facility, formerly operated by the 66th Strategic Missile Squadron of the 44th Strategic MissileWing, headquartered...
Aerospace Medical Flight For additional history and lineage, see 44thMissileWing The 44th Bomb Group (44 BG) was activated 15 January 1941 at MacDill Field...
ICBMs under the 44th Strategic MissileWing (SMW). The 67th Missile Squadron joined the 44th in August, followed by the 68th Missile Squadron in September...
forces. Missile air forces, wings, and groups (1993–2009) Twentieth Air Force 44thMissileWing 90th Space Wing 91st Space Wing 341st Space Wing 351st Missile...
Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Back in the 1970s, the 44th Strategic MissileWing hosted "Giant Pace Test 74-1," the first SELM exercise. Eleven...
702nd Strategic MissileWing was organized in January 1959 at Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine to be the only SM-62 Snark missilewing in the USAF. In...
to allow differing intercontinental ballistic missile units to compete for the title of "Best ICBM Wing". While the second competition in 1968 was canceled...
platforms, battle management resources, and Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Furthermore, ACC had some KC-135 and KC-10 aerial refueling tankers...
transferred to the 12th Air Force on 1 July 1948. The unit started as the 44th Bombardment Wing, conducting medium bomber training in the United States. It deployed...
of the 44th Strategic MissileWing at Ellsworth. In April 1966, B-52Ds of the wing, together with D series bombers of the 484th Bombardment Wing deployed...
Control System was operational at most Minuteman II wings (except the 44thMissileWing, which was never upgraded) by the late 1970s. Minuteman III wings...
system came into effect for missiles with such designation. Within missile types, wings are ordered numerically by wing designation. The Martin MGM-1...
The 68th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth AFB, South...
The 351st MissileWing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, which was last based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Assigned to Strategic Air...
States to reduce their vulnerability to Soviet missile attacks. In 1962, the 44th Strategic MissileWing was activated at Ellsworth and assigned to the...
terminology Vulnerability of nuclear plants to attack Broken Arrow (nuclear) The missiles involved in the accident must have been the R-27U version as the original...
Force in 1944–45. It became a Strategic MissileWing, and later the 321st Air Expeditionary Group. In 2001, the wing was converted to provisional status and...
The 390th Strategic MissileWing was an intercontinental ballistic missile organization of the United States Air Force. Part of Strategic Air Command,...
Agency - Semi-annual History of the 44th Strategic MissileWing, K-WG-44-HI Jan-Jun 88 Vol 1. Air Force Link: "Missile squadron poised for 72-hour alerts"...
The 67th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force...