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In May 1955, the Air Force decided to
undertake a second missile program, building on the knowledge that was
gained in developing the Atlas. Funding and development soon
followed. The Titans were tested at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg
AFB. (For details of the Titan I development and test flights, see
Titan I website.)
In October 1957, Congress authorized the Air
Force to deploy four Titan I squadrons. Later that number increased to 12
squadrons, evenly split between Titan I and Titan II. With their
6,300-mile range, the Air Force based the Titan I between Colorado and
Washington state. The Titan II, had a longer 9,000-mile range
and could be based farther south. They were located in
Arizona, Kansas, and Arkansas, permitting a wider national
dispersal pattern. Other factors that affected the location of the Titan
launch facilities were population density under the missile's projected
flight path, and the location of existing bases to provide logistical
support. |
| Base |
Squadron |
Dates
Active |
Assigned to |
| |
848th SMS |
|
703rd SMW |
| |
849th SMS |
|
703rd SMW |
| Vandenberg |
576 SMS |
|
704th SMW |
| Vandenberg |
576 SMS |
Oct 18, 1961- Dec. 20, 1961 |
392nd SMW |
|
No known patches |
Lowry AFB
Colorado - 703 Strategic Missile Wing - 848th SMS, 849th SMS
In August, 1957, The Air Force selected Lowry to be
the first Titan base. Construction of launch facilities began on May
1st, 1959. On Feb, 1, 1960, the 848th was activated at Lowry AFB,
marking the first stand-up of a Titan 1 Squadron. On Aug 1, 1960, the
849th was activated. Both were assigned to the 703rd Strategic Missile
Wing. On August 4, 1961, all three units were discontinued. I
have never seen any patches from these units. Air Force Combat Wings
states that the wing never had any missiles and never became operational. |
 |
Lowry AFB,
Colorado - 451st Strategic Missile Wing - 724th SMS, 725th SMS
On August 4, 1961, construction of all nine silos
at Lowry was completed and the 848th and 849th Strategic Missile Squadrons
and 451st Strategic Missile Wing were activated and replaced the earlier
units. On April 18, 1962,
the 724th was declared operational and turned over to SAC. The 725th
SMS was turned over to SAC on May 4th and became fully operational on May
10th. Both squadrons remained operational and on alert for almost
three years. They began taking their Titans off alert on Feb. 17,
1965. The last came off alert on March 26th. Their missiles were
shipped to Mira Loma Air Station, near Vandenberg AFB. Both squadrons
were inactivated June 25th, 19 |
 |
Ellsworth AFB -
44th Strategic Missile Wing - 850th SMS
On Dec. 1, 1960, the 850th SMS was activated under the 28h
Bombardment Wing. On June 22, 1961, it received its first operational Titan
1 missile. The squadron became operational on Sept. 28th and was
turned over to SAC. On Jan. 1, 1962, the 850th was turned over to the
44th Strategic Missile Wing. On Dec. 1, 1962 - it was assigned to the
to the 28hAREFS, briefly making the wing one of three (with the 456th SAW at
Beale and the 462nd SAW at Larson) to operate both B-52s and Titan 1s.
On Feb. 1, 1965, the last Titan I was taken off alert. The 850th was
inactivated on March 25, 1965. |
 |
Beale AFB -
456th Strategic Missile Wing - 851st SMS
The 851st SMS was activated at Beale on April 20, 1962. On May
24th, 1962, a terrific blast rocked launcher 1, destroying a Titan I and
causing heavy damage to the silo. This occurred during a contractor checkout
at Chico Complex 4C. After the investigation, the Air Force concluded
that the two separate LOX explosions occurred because of a blocked vent and
blocked valve. On June 6, 1962 a flash fire at another silo in
the Chico complex killed a worker. Sept 8, 1962, the 851st was
declared operational and turned over to SAC. It was the last Titan 1
Squadron to achieve alert status. On March 9, 1963, after damages were
repaired, the Chico complex became operational The 851st
remained operational for the next two and a half years. On Jan. 4,
1965, the first Titan was taken off alert. The processes was completed by
Jan. 22. On March 25, 1965, the 851st SMS was inactivated. |
 |
Larson AFB -
462nd Strategic Missile Wing - 568th SMS
The 568th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated on
April 1, 1961, as a unit of the 4170th Strategic Wing. On Sept 26,
1962, the squadron was declared operational and turned over to SAC. On
March 18, 1963, it suffered an accident involving a Titan 1 missile in a
silo. During maintenance Air Force personnel inadvertently disconnected the
cable between the missile and the silo and the inter-stage separation
rockets fired, lifting the first stage off the second stage. The event
caused major damage to the silo and missile, fortunately none of the workers
received any injuries. The Titan 1 was not fitted with a warhead at the time
of the incident Titans began going off alert on Jan. 4, 1965; the last
was taken off alert on Feb. 2nd. The 568th was inactivated on March
25, 1965. |
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Mountain Home
AFB - 9th Strategic Missile Wing - 569th SMS
The 569th SMS was activated on June 1, 1961. On
August 16, 1962, it was declared operational and turned over to SAC.
The first Titan was taken off alert on Feb. 17, 1965; the last on April 1st.
The 569th was inactivated June 25, 1965.
|
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308th Strategic Missile Wing - 373rd SMS, 374th SMS
Established as 308th Bombardment Wing in 1951 and inactivated
in 1961. Reactivated Nov. 29, 1961 as 308th Strategic Missile
Wing (ICBM-Titan) at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. |
 |
381st Strategic Missile Wing - 532nd SMS, 533rd SMS
Established as the 381st Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Titan)
and activated 29 Nov. 1961. Placed first Titan II missiles on
alert in July 1963. Became the host organization at McConnell
AFB. |
 |
390th Strategic Missile Wing - 570th SMS, 571 SMS
Established as 390th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 23 March
1953. Redesigned 390th Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM - Titan) and
activated on 28 Nov. 1961 at Davis-Mothan AFB, Ariz. Unit formed
from scratch, but some cadre came from the Davis-Mothan 303rd Bomb
Wing. |
| In a Nutshell |
| Titan I Squadrons |
| Base |
Squadron |
Dates
Active |
Assigned to |
| Ellsworth |
850th SMS |
|
44th SMW |
| Larson |
568th SMS |
Feb. 1, 1963- March 25, 1965 |
462nd SAW |
| Beale |
851st SMS |
Feb. 1, 1963 - March 25, 1965 |
456th SAW |
| Mountain Home |
569th SMS |
June 1, 1961 - June 25, 1965 |
9th SAW |
| Lowry |
724th SMS |
Jul 1, 1961 - June 25, 1965 |
451st SMW |
| Lowry |
725th SMS |
July 1, 1961 - June 25, 1965 |
451st SMW |
| Little Rock |
373rd SMS |
|
308th SMW |
| Little Rock |
374th SMS |
|
|
| McConnell |
532nd SMS |
March 1, 1962 - |
381st SMW |
| McConnell |
533rd SMS |
August 1,. 1962 - |
381st SMW |
| Davis-Monthan |
570th SMS |
June 13, 1963- |
390th SMW |
| Davis-Monthan |
571st SMS |
Nov. 30, 1963 |
390th SMW |
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