The 488th Tactical Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was formed by the consolidation of the 488th Bombardment Group and the 588th Tactical Missile Group in 1985, but has not been active since consolidation.
At MacDill the group operated as a B-17 replacement training unit.[2] Replacement training units were oversized units which trained aircrews prior to their deployment to combat theaters.[5] However, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[7] This resulted in the 488th, along with other units at MacDill, being disbanded in the spring of 1944[2] and being replaced by the 317th AAF Base Unit, which assumed the group's mission, personnel, and equipment
Cold War
The 588th Tactical Missile Group was formed as a unit including launch, maintenance and support squadrons which could be deployed together rather than Tactical Air Command's previous practice of organizing independent missile squadrons. The 588th was part of to Ninth Air Force and its initial components were the 17th Tactical Missile Squadron, the 588th Communications and Guidance Squadron and the 588th Support Squadron. Initial training included preparation to deploy overseas.[8] However, the 17th Squadron deployed to Pacific Air Forces by itself in early 1958, where it became the nucleus for the 6214th Support Group at Tainan Air Station, Taiwan.
In April the 24th Tactical Missile Squadron was reassigned from the 589th Group to the 588th Group and plans began to deploy to Osan Air Base, South Korea. The 24th engaged in crew training at Orlando but never received any missiles. The squadron did, however, deploy to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and launched TM-61 Matador missiles under the guidance of the 6555th Guided Missile Squadron. However, when the 588th's personnel deployed, the United States Air Force decided to redesignate two fighter units at Osan instead of replacing them with new missile units. Deploying personnel and equipment were reassigned to the 58th Fighter-Bomber Group which was reactivated as the 58th Tactical Missile Group;[9] the 310th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which became the 310th Tactical Missile Squadron;[10] or the newly activated 58th Support Squadron and 58th Communications and Guidance Squadron.[11]
In July 1958 the 4504th Wing reorganized and the 588th was inactivated and replaced by the 4504th Tactical Missile Training Squadron and the 4504th Support Squadron, which absorbed its remaining personnel and equipment.[12]
The 488th Bombardment Group and the 588th Tactical Missile Group were consolidated on 31 July 1985 as the 488th Tactical Missile Wing,[13] but the consolidated unit has not been active.
Lineage
488th Bombardment Group
Constituted as 488th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 September 1943
^This squadron is not related to another 840th Bombardment Squadron (earlier 818th Bombardment Squadron). The two units swapped numbers on 15 February 1944. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 767-768, 777-778.
Citations
^"Abstract, History 588 Tactical Missile Group, activation-Jun 1957". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^"Abstract, History 4504 Missile Training Wing Jul-Dec 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ abcDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations
^"Abstract, History 588 Tactical Missile Group, Jul-Dec 1957". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48-3657.
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. ISBN0-912799-53-6.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. 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. ISBN0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Further reading
Mindling, George; Bolton, Robert (2008). U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, 1949–1969: The Pioneers. Raleigh, NC: Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN978-0-557-00029-6. LCCN 2008908364.
August 24, 2023
488th, tactical, missile, wing, inactive, united, states, force, unit, formed, consolidation, 488th, bombardment, group, 588th, tactical, missile, group, 1985, been, active, since, consolidation, graduation, photo, 17th, tactical, missile, squadron, with, mace. The 488th Tactical Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit It was formed by the consolidation of the 488th Bombardment Group and the 588th Tactical Missile Group in 1985 but has not been active since consolidation 488th Tactical Missile WingGraduation photo of 17th Tactical Missile Squadron with TM 76 Mace MissileActive1943 1944 1957 1958Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleBombardment and Tactical missile trainingCommanders588th Tactical Missile Group commander 1 Lt Col Bowers W Espy The 488th Bombardment Group was a United States Army Air Forces heavy bomber operational and replacement training unit that served during World War II It was last assigned to Third Air Force at MacDill Field Florida where it was disbanded on 1 May 1944 The 588th Tactical Missile Group was a United States Air Force tactical missile training unit that served during the Cold War It was last assigned to 4504th Missile Training Wing at Orlando Air Force Base Florida where it was inactivated on 15 July 1958 Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Cold War 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Components 2 3 Stations 2 4 Aircraft and Missiles 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 BibliographyHistory EditWorld War II Edit The 488th Bombardment Group was activated at Geiger Field Washington in the fall of 1943 with the 840th 841st 842d and 843d Bombardment Squadrons assigned 2 While the 841st and 842d Squadrons were activated with group headquarters at Geiger the 840th at Ephrata Army Air Field Washington and the 843d at Kearney Army Air Field Nebraska were former antisubmarine units 3 The group operated as a Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress operational training unit under Second Air Force 4 The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to satellite groups 5 Toward the end of 1943 Second Air Force prepared to concentrate on Boeing B 29 Superfortress training and Geiger was transferred to Fourth Air Force and became a training base for Aviation Engineer units 6 The 488th headquarters and all its assigned squadrons were transferred to Third Air Force and moved to MacDill Field Florida 2 3 At MacDill the group operated as a B 17 replacement training unit 2 Replacement training units were oversized units which trained aircrews prior to their deployment to combat theaters 5 However the Army Air Forces found that standard military units based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission Accordingly a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit 7 This resulted in the 488th along with other units at MacDill being disbanded in the spring of 1944 2 and being replaced by the 317th AAF Base Unit which assumed the group s mission personnel and equipment Cold War Edit The 588th Tactical Missile Group was formed as a unit including launch maintenance and support squadrons which could be deployed together rather than Tactical Air Command s previous practice of organizing independent missile squadrons The 588th was part of to Ninth Air Force and its initial components were the 17th Tactical Missile Squadron the 588th Communications and Guidance Squadron and the 588th Support Squadron Initial training included preparation to deploy overseas 8 However the 17th Squadron deployed to Pacific Air Forces by itself in early 1958 where it became the nucleus for the 6214th Support Group at Tainan Air Station Taiwan In April the 24th Tactical Missile Squadron was reassigned from the 589th Group to the 588th Group and plans began to deploy to Osan Air Base South Korea The 24th engaged in crew training at Orlando but never received any missiles The squadron did however deploy to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and launched TM 61 Matador missiles under the guidance of the 6555th Guided Missile Squadron However when the 588th s personnel deployed the United States Air Force decided to redesignate two fighter units at Osan instead of replacing them with new missile units Deploying personnel and equipment were reassigned to the 58th Fighter Bomber Group which was reactivated as the 58th Tactical Missile Group 9 the 310th Tactical Fighter Squadron which became the 310th Tactical Missile Squadron 10 or the newly activated 58th Support Squadron and 58th Communications and Guidance Squadron 11 In July 1958 the 4504th Wing reorganized and the 588th was inactivated and replaced by the 4504th Tactical Missile Training Squadron and the 4504th Support Squadron which absorbed its remaining personnel and equipment 12 The 488th Bombardment Group and the 588th Tactical Missile Group were consolidated on 31 July 1985 as the 488th Tactical Missile Wing 13 but the consolidated unit has not been active Lineage Edit488th Bombardment GroupConstituted as 488th Bombardment Group Heavy on 14 September 1943Activated on 1 October 1943 Disbanded on 1 May 1944 2 Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and consolidated with the 588th Tactical Missile Group as the 488th Tactical Missile Wing 13 588th Tactical Missile GroupConstituted as the 588th Tactical Missile GroupActivated on 8 January 1957 Inactivated on 15 July 1958Consolidated with the 588th Tactical Missile Group on 31 July 1985 as the 488th Tactical Missile Wing 13 Assignments Edit II Bomber Command 1 October 1943 III Bomber Command 1 November 1943 1 May 1944 4504th Missile Training Wing 8 January 1957 15 July 1958Components Edit 840th Bombardment Squadron later 818th Bombardment Squadron 1 October 1943 1 May 1944 14 a 841st Bombardment Squadron 1 October 1943 1 May 1944 15 842d Bombardment Squadron 1 October 1943 1 May 1944 15 843d Bombardment Squadron 1 October 1943 1 May 1944 15 17th Tactical Missile Squadron 8 January 1957 6 February 1958 24th Tactical Missile Squadron 25 April 1958 15 July 1958 588th Communications and Guidance Squadron Tactical Missile 8 January 1957 15 July 1958 588th Support Squadron Tactical Missile 8 January 1957 15 July 1958Stations Edit Geiger Field Washington 1 October 1943 2 MacDill Field Florida 1 November 1943 1 May 1944 2 Orlando Air Force Base Florida 8 January 1957 15 July 1958 16 Aircraft and Missiles Edit Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress 1943 1944 2 Martin TM 61 Matador 1957 1958References EditNotes Edit Explanatory notes This squadron is not related to another 840th Bombardment Squadron earlier 818th Bombardment Squadron The two units swapped numbers on 15 February 1944 Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 767 768 777 778 Citations Abstract History 588 Tactical Missile Group activation Jun 1957 Air Force History Index Retrieved 3 October 2013 a b c d e f g h Maurer Combat Units p 358 a b Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 777 776 Abstract History 841 Bombardment Squadron Oct Nov 1943 Air Force History Index Retrieved 3 October 2013 a b Craven amp Cate Introduction p xxxvi Abstract History Geiger Field May June 1945 Air Force History Index Retrieved 3 October 2013 Craven amp Cate p 7 Abstract History 4504 Tactical Missile Wing Jan Jun 1957 Air Force History Index Retrieved 3 October 2013 Robertson Patsy 8 February 2018 Factsheet 58 Operations Group AETC Air Force Historical Research Agency Retrieved 17 August 2018 Maurer Combat Squadrons p 376 See Fletcher page needed Abstract History 4504 Missile Training Wing Jul Dec 1958 Air Force History Index Retrieved 3 October 2013 a b c Department of the Air Force MPM Letter 648q 31 July 1985 Subject Reconstitution Redesignation and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 767 768 a b c Maurer Combat Squadrons p 776 Abstract History 588 Tactical Missile Group Jul Dec 1957 Air Force History Index Retrieved 3 October 2013 Bibliography Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Craven Wesley F Cate James L eds 1955 The Army Air Forces in World War II Vol VI Men amp Planes Chicago Illinois University of Chicago Press LCCN 48 3657 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 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 Further readingMindling 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 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 488th Tactical Missile Wing amp oldid 1167623412, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
