341st Missile Wing

Malmstrom AFB, Montana, the first Minuteman wing (Wing I), placed the first Minuteman missile on alert on 26 October 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  

Lineage - 341st Bombardment Group (Medium) activated on 15 Sep 1942. Inactivated on 2 Nov 1945. Redesignated as 341st Bombardment Group, Light, activated in the Reserve, on 27 Dec 1946. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 341st Bombardment Wing, Medium, which was established on 23 Mar 1953. Activated as 341st Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 1 Sep 1955. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1961.   341st Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) (ICBM-Minuteman) activated on 1 Jul 1961. Redesignated 341st Missile Wing  (MW) on 1 Sep 1991, 341st Space Wing (SW) on 1 Oct 1997 and 341st MW on 1 Jul 2008.  One of the three ICBM wings that continues to have Minuteman III missiles on alert day to day.

Operations Squadrons

10th Strategic Missile Squadron  (SMS) activated on 1 Dec 1961, became the 10th Missile Squadron (MS) on1 Sep 1991.

12th SMS 24 activated on 1 Mar 1962, became 12th MS on 1 Sep 1991.

490th SMS activated 1 May 1962, bcame 490th MS on 1 Sep 1991.

564th SMS activated on 1 Apr 1966, became 564th MS on1 Sep 1991, closed August 2008.

The 10, 12 and 490th SMS each originally had 50 Minuteman IA LGM30A missiles.  Between August 1967 and May 1969, the three squadrons were converted to the Minuteman II LGM-30F missiles as called Minuteman Modernized.  Between 1991 and August 1996, the Minuteman II missiles wre repalced with Minuteman III, LFM-30G, missiles, using the missiles removed from the 321 MW at Grand Forks, which was closing.  In the mid-1990s, the launch control centers were modified with REACT (Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting), changing the LCC configuration, consoles, displays and operating procedures for Minuteman.

The 564 SMS was originally opened with 50 Minuteman II LGM-30F missiles, weapon system WS-133B, the Sylvania ground system cor command and control of the squadron, the same ground system that was at the 321st SMw at Grand Forks.  Called Minuteman II and nicknamed “Deuce,” this configuration had a competely different launch control cneter; launch control equipment building and electroninc operating system that the previous five wings.    In January 1975, 50 Minuteman II missiles were replaced  with Minuteman III, LGM-30G missiles, and  was declared operational in April 1975. Until 1996, the 341 MW had the unique distinction of being the only wing to operate Minuteman II and III systems simultaneously.  In August 2008, the 564 MS was inactivated and all missiles removed, leaving the wing with 150 Minuteman III missiles.