550th Bombardment Squadron

550th Strategic Missile Squadron
Convair SM-65F Atlas No. 532, Site 02 Abilene KS, 1963
Active	1942–1949; 1961–1965
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Intercontinental ballistic missile
Garrison/HQ	Shilling AFB, Kansas
Engagements	World War II (EAME Theater)
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (2x)
Insignia
550th Strategic Missile Squadron emblem

Map all coordinates using OSM Map all coordinates using Google
Export all coordinates as KML
Export all coordinates as GPX
Map all microformatted coordinates
Place data as RDF

The 550th Strategic Missile Squadron (550 SMS) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing, stationed at Shilling AFB, Kansas

The 550 SMS was equipped with the SM-65F Atlas Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with a mission of nuclear deterrence. The squadron was inactivated as part of the phaseout of the Atlas ICBM on 25 June 1965.

Activated in late 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to England in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during June 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Second Air Force and was programmed to be re-equipped with B-29 Superfortresses for deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation led to units inactivation in September 1945, being neither manned or equipped.

Effective 15 September 1947, the squadron was activated at Selfridge Field, Michigan. Having been allotted to the organized reserves, with assignment to Second Air Force, Air Defense Command, it was redesigned as a B-29 very heavy bombardment unit on 25 August. In August 1948, the squadron was assigned to the Tenth Air Force, which in December, became a part of the Continental Air Command. On 1 December 1948 it was again reassigned to Air Defense Command where it remained on reserve service until being inactivated on 27 June 1949 due to budget restrictions.

...
Wikipedia