405th Tactical Missile Squadron

The squadron was first activated on 15 January 1941 at Langley Field, Virginia as the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron. Manned like the three bombardment squadrons of the 38th Bombardment Group, to which it was attached, it was designated for the long range reconnaissance mission. While it was assigned to a higher echelon, it was attached to the 38th Group.[3] Since a reorganization of General Headquarters Air Force in September 1936, each bombardment group of the Army Air Forces (AAF) had an attached reconnaissance squadron, which operated the same aircraft as that group's assigned bombardment squadrons.[5] That arrangement continued for units like the 38th that were designated as medium units.[6] The squadron trained with Martin B-26 Marauders, but also flew Douglas B-18 Bolos. In June 1941, the squadron moved to Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi.[3][7]

Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on 19 January 1942, the ground echelon of the squadron departed for Australia. The air echelon remained at Jackson and continued training until the summer of 1942, converting to North American B-25 Mitchells. During this time, in February, the squadron was redesignated the 405th Bombardment Squadron and was assigned to the 38th Group.[3][7]

Squadron B-25 with Green Dragon nose marking

The air echelon arrived at its first combat station, Breddan Aerodrome, Queensland, Australia in early August 1942. The squadron attacked Japanese airfields and shipping, and supported ground forces in New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, moving forward through New Guinea and the Netherlands East Indies. In December 1943, the squadron was awarded its first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for bombing and strafing Japanese installations on Cape Gloucester on New Britain in December 1943. It earned a second DUC for missions on 16 and 17 June 1944 for missions attacking Japanese airfields, merchant ships and naval vessels in New Guinea.[7]

The squadron moved to Pitoe Airfield, Morotai in the Maluku Islands. From this base, it bombed airfields, ground installations, harbors and shipping in the southern Philippines to support the invasion of Leyte. It was awarded a third DUC for strikes on a large enemy convoy at Ormoc Bay on 10 November that prevented the landing of supplies and reinforcements, that were critical to the final outcome of the Battle of Leyte.[7]

In January 1945, the squadron moved to Lingayen Airfield, on Luzon, Philippines, from which it provided air support for American forces on Luzon, and made attacks on Formosa and enemy shipping along the coast of China. In June 1945, the squadron moved temporarily to Palawan, to provide pre-invasion bombardment in preparation for Operation Oboe, the invasion of Borneo. In 21 July 1945, the squadron moved to Okinawa, attacking industrial targets, rail transportation and shipping in southern Japan until V-J Day.[7]

On 18 August 1943, Major Ralph Cheli was leading the squadron to attack the Dague Airdrome, a heaviily defended site on New Guinea, when enemy interceptors concentrated their fire on his aircraft, causing it to burst into flames while still two miles from the target. Maj Cheli had enough altitude and airspeed to zoom and permit his crew to safely parachute. However, this would have exposed the remainder of the squadron to the enemy and caused disorganization in its formation. He continued to lead the attack in this burning plane, and the squadron made a successful strafing and bombing attack on the airfield. Maj Cheli instructed his wingman to assume the formation lead before he crashed into the sea.[7][4]

The squadron moved to Itazuke Airfield, Japan in November 1945, when it became part of the occupation forces. It began conversion to the Douglas A-26 Invader. In October 1946, it moved to Itami Airfield, becoming non-operational shortly after moving and becoming a paper unit. In January 1947, it returned to Itazuke and was manned and served as a basic military training unit until May 1947. Afterwards, until September 1947, it provided labor for various tasks, when manning was again withdrawn and the unit returned to Itami on paper. In December, the squadron began equipping again. However, President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of groups in the Air Force to 48,[8] and the squadron and 38th Group were inactivated on 1 April 1949.[3]

B-26 Invader of 126th Bombardment Wing

38th Bombardment Wing B-57 in France

The 126th Bombardment Wing, an Illinois Air National Guard unit that had been mobilized for the Korean War and selected to reinforce NATO, moved to Laon-Couvron Air Base, France with its Douglas B-26 Invaders in late May 1952. The installation had not been used as an airfield since 1945, when it was an Advanced Landing Ground for the Army Air Forces.[9] However, on 1 January 1953, the 126th was returned to state control, and the 405th was activated to take over the personnel and equipment of its 168th Bombardment Squadron.[2] The squadron mission was to fly night intruder missions, which were mostly targeted using LORAN equipment.[10]

In February 1955, the squadron's pilots began flying jet Lockheed T-33 T-Bird trainers to prepare for the replacement of its B-26s with Martin B-57 Canberras. The T-Birds proved essential for pilot training because the squadron did not receive any dual control B-57Cs until December, after it had completed its conversion to the B-57B. Pilots scheduled to leave Laon soon continued to fly the B-26, and some returned to the United States on temporary duty for formal conversion training with the 3510th Combat Crew Training Wing at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.[11]

The conversion to the B-57 brought with it a new mission, the delivery of nuclear weapons.[12] The 38th Wing maintained B-57s on alert at Laon, and also maintained a detachment at Ramstein Air Base, Germany that was manned on a 30 day rotating basis by crews temporarily stationed there.[13] In February 1956, the squadron configured one of its B-57Bs with a Martin TM-61 Matador guidance system to evaluate the missile's performance after problems developed with the missile's AN/MSQ-1 system. These tests were performed at the test ranges at Wheelus Air Base, Libya. In December 1957, the 38th Bombardment Group was inactivated as the 38th Wing converted to the "dual deputy" system, and the squadron was assigned directly to wing headquarters.[14] In early 1958, the squadron began transferring its B-57s back to the United States. By 18 June 1958, prompted by budget reductions and the programmed replacement of manned tactical bombers with missiles for the nuclear weapon mission, the squadron ceased bomber operations and transferred to Germany as a missile unit.[15]

TM-61 Matador at Hahn Air Base

United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) had organized its TM-61 Matadors in Germany under the 701st Tactical Missile Wing in September 1956. However, the wing and its components had all been organized in the 1950s and lacked combat records.[16][17][18] With the withdrawal of its tactical bombers, USAFE decided to replace these units with the 38th Bombardment Wing and its tactical elements. The 405th Squadron moved on paper to Hahn Air Base, Germany, where it became the 405th Tactical Missile Squadron and assumed the personnel and equipment of the 69th Tactical Missile Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated. Because its missile units were dispersed among several German bases, each missile squadron, along with its support elements at its home station was assigned to a separate group, and the 405th became part of the 586th Tactical Missile Group.[3][18]

TM-76 Mace of the 38th Tactical Missile Wing

In 1962, the squadron began to replace its Matadors with an improved version of the missile, the Martin TM-76 Mace. In September of that year, the 38th Wing reorganized. The 586th Group was absorbed into the squadron and its maintenance squadron became a detachment of the 38th Missile Maintenance Squadron at Sembach Air Base. The 89th Tactical Missile Squadron was activated, as separate missile squadrons were formed for each dispersed site.[19] The squadron was assigned directly to the 38th Wing once more.[3] In September 1966, MGM-13A Mace operations in Europe ceased and only the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, which operated the CGM-13B model of the Mace, which could be launched from its protective shelter and incorporated inertial guidance,[20] remained. The squadron was inactivated along with the 38th Wing and its missiles were shipped to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to be used as targets.[21][3][22][23]

During this era, the squadron's dispersed firing locations included Site IV "Veronica" 7.0 miles (11.3 km) ENE of Hahn Air Base 49°59′58″N 007°23′58″E;[24][lower-alpha 2] Site V "Pot Fuse" 7.0 miles (11.3 km) ESE of Hahn Air Base 49°54′48″N 007°24′46″E[25][lower-alpha 3] and Site VI "Heroin" 9.7 miles (15.6 km) NE of Hahn Air Base 50°02′37″N 007°25′32″E[26][lower-alpha 4]

The squadron was activated again at Woensdrecht Air Base, Netherlands on 17 August 1987 as the final BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile unit and assigned to the 486th Tactical Missile Wing.[lower-alpha 5] However, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was entered into between the United States and the Soviet Union before the squadron had received any of its missies, and it was the first to inactivate in implementing the treaty, on 30 September 1988.[18]

• Unknown (probably Northeast Air District (later 1st Air Force)), 15 January 1941 (attached to 38th Bombardment Group)
• Unknown (probably 3rd Air Force), c. 5 June 1941 (attached to 38th Bombardment Group)
• Unknown (probably III Bomber Command), 5 September 1941 (attached to 38th Bombardment Group)
• 38th Bombardment Group, 25 February 1942 – 1 April 1949
• 38th Bombardment Group, 1 January 1953
• 38th Bombardment Wing, 8 December 1957
• 586th Tactical Missile Group, 18 June 1958
• 38th Tactical Missile Wing, 25 September 1962 – 25 September 1966[27][29]
• 486th Tactical Missile Wing, 17 August 1987 – 30 September 1988[18]

Explanatory notes

Citations

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

• Fletcher, Harry R (1993). Air Force Bases , Vol. II, Air Bases Outside the United States of America (PDF). Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Maurer, Maurer (1987). Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919-1939 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force. ISBN 0-912799-38-2. LCCN 87012257. OCLC 15661556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• McAuliffe, Lt Col Jerome J. (2005). U.S. Air Force in France 1950-1967. San Diego, CA: Milspec Press. ISBN 978-0-9770371-1-7.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Mindling, George; Bolton, Robert (2008). U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, 1949-1969: The Pioneers. Raleigh, NC: Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN 978-0-557-00029-6. LCCN 2008908364. (link to Google Books partial text)
• Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-4346-9.
• "AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits" (PDF). Washington, DC: Department of the Air Force. 15 June 1971. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

Further reading

• Hickey, Lawrence J.; Janko, Mark M. (2002). Saga of the Sun Setters: The Illustrated History of the 38th Bombardment Group During World War II. Eagles Over the Pacific. Vol. I: Prewar to September 1943. Boulder, CO: International Historical Research Associates. ISBN 9780913511046. Retrieved 12 February 2023. (URL is description of contents)
• Hickey, Lawrence J.; Janko, Mark M. (2002). Saga of the Sun Setters: The Illustrated History of the 38th Bombardment Group During World War II. Eagles Over the Pacific. Vol. II: October 1943 to 1945. Boulder, CO: International Historical Research Associates. ISBN 9780913511046. Retrieved 12 February 2023. (URL is description of contents)