302nd Tactical Missile Squadron
Inactive US Air Force unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 302nd Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 487th Tactical Missile Wing at Comiso Air Station, Italy, where it was inactivated in 1991 with the implementation of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
302nd Tactical Missile Squadron | |
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BGM-109G Gryphon launcher | |
Active | 1943–1946; 1953–1966; 1983–1991 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Role | Cruise Missile |
Nickname(s) | Black Panthers (World War II)[1] Falcons (1953–1958)[2] |
Motto(s) | First to Disperse (1986–present)[3] |
Engagements | Southwest Pacific Theater[4] |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation[4] |
Insignia | |
302nd Tactical Missile Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 1][3] | ![]() |
Patch with 822nd Bombardment Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 2][4] | ![]() |
822d Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)[1] | ![]() |
The squadron was first activated in 1943 as the 822nd Bombardment Squadron. After training, it moved to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it flew North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers in combat. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. In late 1945, the squadron moved to Japan, where it became part of the occupation forces before inactivating in the spring of 1946.
The squadron was reactivated in France 1953, when it replaced an Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War. In 1958, the Air Force withdrew its tactical bombers from Europe but the squadron remained active as the 822nd Tactical Missile Squadron when it replaced the 11th Tactical Missile Squadron at Sembach Air Base. It operated MGM-1 Matador and MGM-13 Mace missiles at Sembach until inactivating in 1966. The squadron was again activated in 1983 as the 302nd Tactical Missile Squadron when the Air Force deployed BGM-109G Gryphon cruise missiles to Europe.