556th Strategic Missile Squadron

556th Strategic Missile Squadron
Emblem of the 556th Strategic Missile Squadron
Active	1942-1965
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Strategic Missile Launch Squadron

World War II 556th Bombardment Squadron emblem

The 556th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 820th Strategic Aerospace Division. It was inactivated at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York on 25 June 1965.

History

Activated as a B-26 Marauder medium bombardment squadron in late 1942. Trained under Third Air Force and deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in July 1943. Initially being stationed in England and assigned to IX Bomber Command,

Engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe initially from stations in England, then after D-Day, moved to Advanced Landing Grounds in France and Belgium; advancing eastward as Allied ground forces advanced. Supported Eighth Air Force strategic bombardment missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe; striking enemy airfields to obtain maximum interference in Luftwaffe day interceptor attacks on heavy bomber formations returning to England. Also participated in Western Allied Invasion of Germany, March-April 1945, combat ending with German Capitation in May 1945.

Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe while squadron demobilized personnel in 1945. Squadron reassigned to the United States as a paper unit, inactivated in November 1945.

Reactivated in 1957 as a Strategic Air Command Strategic Missile Squadron, initially performing testing on the SM-62 Snark intercontinental cruise missile. Performed testing at the Atlantic Missile Range in Florida; moving to Presque Isle AFB, Maine for operational deployment in 1959. Reactivated after missile was brought into service.

Reactivated as an SM-65 Atlas ICBM squadron in 1961; remained on nuclear alert until 1965 when the Atlas was taken out of operational service.

Lineage

• Constituted 556 Bombardment Squadron (Medium), on 25 Nov 1942

Activated on 1 Dec 1942

Redesignated 556 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 9 Oct 1944

Inactivated on 12 Nov 1945

• Redesignated 556th Strategic Missile Squadron on 22 Nov 1957

Activated on 15 Dec 1957

Inactivated on 16 Jul 1959

• Activated on 26 Apr 1961

Organized on 1 Oct 1961

Inactivated on 25 June 1965

Assignments

• 387th Bombardment Group, 1 Dec 1942-12 Nov 1945
• Strategic Air Command, 15 Dec 1957
• 702d Strategic Missile Wing, 1 Apr-16 Jul 1959
• Strategic Air Command, 26 Apr 1961
• 820th Air (later Strategic Aerospace) Division, 1 Oct 1961-25 June 1965

Stations

• MacDill Field, Florida, 1 Dec 1942
• Drane Field, Florida, 12 Apr 1943
• Godman Field, Kentucky, 12 May-10 Jun 1943
• RAF Chipping Ongar (AAF-162), England, 1 Jul 1943
• RAF Stoney Cross (AAF-452), England, c. 21 Jul 1944
• Maupertus Airfield (A-15), France, c. 1 Sep 1944
• Chateaudun Airfield (A-39), France, c. 18 Sep 1944

• Clastres Airfield (A-71), France, c. 4 Nov 1944
• Maastricht Airfield (Y-44), Netherlands, c. 4 May 1945
• Rosieres-en-Santerre Airfield (B-87), France, 30 May-c. Nov 1945
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 11-12 Nov 1945
• Patrick AFB, Florida, 15 Dec 1957
• Presque Isle AFB, Maine, 9-16 Jul 1959
• Plattsburgh AFB, New York, 1 Oct 1961-25 June 1965

Aircraft and missiles

• B-26 Marauder, 1942=1945
• SM-62 Snark, 1958–1959
• SM-65 Atlas, 1962–1965

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0892010975