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'{{Infobox military unit |unit_name= 556th Strategic Missile Squadron |image= [[File:Convair SM-65F Atlas 100 556 SMS Site 6 Au Sable Forks NY.jpg|250px]] |caption= 556th SMS Convair SM-65F Atlas #100 at Site 6 Au Sable Forks NY |dates= 1942-1965 |country= [[United States]] |allegiance= |branch= [[United States Air Force]] |type= Strategic Missile Launch Squadron |role= |size= |command_structure= |current_commander= |garrison= [[Plattsburgh AFB]], New York |ceremonial_chief= |colonel_of_the_regiment= |nickname= |patron= |motto= |colors= |march= |mascot= |battles= [[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Streamer.jpg|150px]]<br>[[World War II]] (EAME Theater) |notable_commanders= |anniversaries= |decorations= [[File:Streamer PUC Army.PNG|150px]]<BR>[[Distinguished Unit Citation]] |battle_honours= <!-- Insignia --> |identification_symbol=[[File:556th Strategic Missile Squadron - SAC - Emblem.png|125px]] |identification_symbol_label=556th Strategic Missile Squadron emblem }} The '''556th Strategic Missile Squadron (551 SMS)''' is an inactive [[United States Air Force]] unit. It was last assigned to the [[820th Strategic Aerospace Division]], stationed at [[Plattsburgh AFB]], New York. The 556 SMS was equipped with the [[SM-65F Atlas]] [[Intercontinental ballistic missile]] (ICBM), with a mission of nuclear deterrence. It was the only ICBM squadron east of the Mississippi River. The squadron was inactivated as part of the phaseout of the Atlas ICBM on 25 June 1965. ==History== ===World War II=== Activated as a [[B-26 Marauder]] medium bombardment squadron in late 1942, it trained under the [[Third Air Force]] and deployed to the [[European Theater of Operations]] (ETO) in July 1943. It was initially stationed in [[England]] and assigned to [[IX Bomber Command]]. The squadron engaged in the tactical bombardment of enemy targets in [[Occupied Europe]], initially from stations in England. After [[D-Day]], it moved to [[Advanced Landing Ground]]s in [[France]] and [[Belgium]], moving eastward as Allied ground forces advanced. It 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. It also participated in the Western Allied Invasion of Germany, March–April 1945, combat ending with the German capitation in May. The squadron became part of the [[United States Air Forces in Europe]] while demobilizing personnel in 1945. It was reassigned to the United States as a paper unit, where it was inactivated in November 1945. ===Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Squadron=== [[File:Convair SM-65F Atlas 84 556 SMS Site 2 Alburg VT.jpg|thumb|A Convair SM-65F Atlas #84 at Site 2 Au Alburg VT during a fueling test]] Reactivated in 1957 as a [[Strategic Air Command]] (SAC) Strategic Missile Squadron, it initially performed testing on the [[SM-62 Snark]] intercontinental cruise missile. It also carried out testing at the [[Atlantic Missile Range]] in [[Florida]]; moving to [[Presque Isle AFB]], [[Maine]] for operational deployment in 1959. It was reactivated after the missile was brought into service. Reactivated in 1961 as a SAC [[SM-65F Atlas]] ICBM launch squadron, the unit was stationed at [[Plattsburgh AFB]], [[New York]] and assigned to the [[820th Strategic Aerospace Division|820th Air (later Strategic Aerospace) Division]] on 1 July 1961. The activation of the 556th SMA at Platsburgh AFB was the only Atlas ICBM squadron east of the Mississippi River. The squadron was assigned twelve missiles, based in a 1 x 12 configuration: twelve independent widely dispersed launch sites comprised the missile squadron. The first missile arrived in April 1962, the silos were declared operational in December. During the Cuban missile crisis, the 556th received orders to maintain all 12 missiles on alert status. The Atlas F was the final and most advanced version of the Atlas ICBM and was stored in a vertical position inside underground concrete and steel silos. When stored, the Atlas F sat atop an elevator. If a missile was placed on alert, it was fueled with RP-1 (kerosene) liquid fuel, which could be stored inside the missile for extended periods. If a decision was made to launch the missile, ít was raised to the surface and the liquid oxygen tank was filled. The launch would occur shortly after completion of this process. (see below for site details). The exposure on the surface that this procedure entailed was the great weakness of the Atlas F. It was exposed and vulnerable during this time. Titan II and Minuteman missiles could be launched from within their silos, thereby eliminating this vulnerability. Also, since the Titan did not use a cryogenic fuel or oxydizer, and the Minuteman was a solid fuel rocket, they could be stored fully fueled and ready to launch within a few minutes. The first Atlas F missile was removed from alert status in favor of the more advanced [[LGM-25C Titan II]] on December 1, 1964; the squadron was inactivated on 25 June 1965. Missile sites were subsequently sold off to private ownership after demilitarization. ==Lineage== [[File:556th Bombardment Squadron - Emblem.png|thumb|150px|World War II 556th Bombardment Squadron emblem]] * Constituted as the '''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 Division]] (later [[820th Strategic Aerospace Division]]), 1 Oct 1961 - 25 June 1965<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10159 |title=Factsheet 820 Strategic Aerospace Division |publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20121030120240/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10159 |date=Oct 11, 2007|archivedate=October 30, 2012|accessdate=March 5, 2014}}</ref> ===Stations=== {{col-begin}}{{col-break|width=50%}} * [[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 * [[Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport|Maupertus Airfield]] (A-15), France, c. 1 Sep 1944 * [[Châteaudun Air Base|Chateaudun Airfield]] (A-39), France, c. 18 Sep 1944 {{col-break|width=50%}} * [[Saint-Simon – Clastres Air Base|Clastres Airfield]] (A-71), France, c. 4 Nov 1944 * [[Maastricht Aachen Airport|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 Air Force Base]], Florida, 15 Dec 1957 * [[Presque Isle Air Force Base]], Maine, 9-16 Jul 1959 * [[Plattsburgh Air Force Base]], New York, 1 Oct 1961 - 25 June 1965 {{col-end}} <ref></ref>===Aircraft and missiles=== [[File:556th Strategic Missile Squadron - SM-65F Atlas Missile Sites.png|thumb|SM-65F Atlas Missile Sites]] * [[B-26 Marauder]], 1942-1945 * SM-62 Snark, 1958–1959 * SM-65F Atlas, 1962–1964 * Operated twelve missile sites of one missile at each site (12 total): : 556-1 5.2 mi W of Rouses Point, NY {{Coord|45|00|04|N|073|28|18|W|display=inline|name=556-1}} : 556-2 1.0 mi E of Alburg, VT {{Coord|44|59|14|N|073|17|18|W|display=inline|name=556-2}} : 556-3 1.3 mi SSW of Swanton, VT {{Coord|44|54|08|N|073|08|17|W|display=inline|name=556-3}} : 556-4 6.4 mi S of Willsboro Point, NY {{Coord|44|20|33|N|073|22|11|W|display=inline|name=556-4}} : 556-5 8.2 mi NNE of Elizabethtown, NY {{Coord|44|19|55|N|073|33|13|W|display=inline|name=556-5}} : 556-6 2.1 mi NE of Au Sable Forks, NY {{Coord|44|27|36|N|073|38|33|W|display=inline|name=556-6}} : 556-7 4.1 mi E of Loon Lake, NY {{Coord|44|32|30|N|073|58|31|W|display=inline|name=556-7}} : 556-8 6.6 mi WSW of Saranac, NY {{Coord|44|36|04|N|073|51|24|W|display=inline|name=556-8}} : 556-9 5.9 mi NW of Dannemora, NY {{Coord|44|46|15|N|073|49|20|W|display=inline|name=556-9}} : 556-10 7.3 mi SE of Chateaugay, NY {{Coord|44|50|36|N|073|59|17|W|display=inline|name=556-10}} : 556-11 14.0 mi WNW of Ellenburg, NY {{Coord|44|54|44|N|073|49|04|W|display=inline|name=556-11}} : 556-12 10.7 mi WNW of Mooers, NY {{Coord|44|58|03|N|073|37|29|W|display=inline|name=556-12}} ==See also== {{Portal|United States Air Force|Military of the United States|World War II}} {{kml}} * [[List of United States Air Force missile squadrons]] {{-}} ==References== ===Notes=== {{Reflist}} ===Bibliography=== {{Air Force Historical Research Agency}} * {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|origyear=1969|url= http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-101202-002.pdf|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402|pages= }} ==External links== * [http://www.atlasbases.homestead.com/ 556th Missile Sites] {{USAF missile units}} {{United States Air Force}} {{Strategic Air Command}} [[Category:Military units and formations of the United States in World War II]] [[Category:Missile squadrons of the United States Air Force|Missile]] [[Category:Military units and formations in New York]] [[Category:Military units and formations in Maine]]'