| 87th Tactical Missile Squadron | |
|---|---|
 deployedBGM-109G Gryphon launcher | |
| Active | 1941–1944; 1962–1966; 1986–1989 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | cruise missile |
| Engagements | Antisubmarine Campaign |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 87th Tactical Missile Squadron Emblem |  |
| 87th Bombardment Squadron emblem(approved 26 August 1942)[1] |  |
The87th Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactivesquadron of theUnited States Air Force last based atRAF Molesworth, England. The squadron was originally activated as the8th Reconnaissance Squadron. The unit served onantisubmarine patrol early inWorld War II, then as a training unit until it was disbanded in 1944.
The887th Tactical Missile Squadron was active as a Mace missile unit in Germany from 1962 to 1966.
In September 1985 the two squadrons were consolidated.[2] However, the consolidated squadron remained inactive until August 1986. In that month it was reactivated as aBGM-109G Gryphon cruise missile squadron in theUnited Kingdom. It was inactivated in January 1989 as required by theIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
Thesquadron was first activated as the8th Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) in early 1941. It was one of the four original squadrons of the46th Bombardment Group. In August the squadron changed its role tobombardment and was redesignated the87th Bombardment Squadron. The 87th was equipped withDouglas A-20 Havoc aircraft atHunter Field, Georgia.[1][3] The 51st participated inmaneuvers, including desert maneuvers,[4] and flewanti-submarine warfare patrol and search missions over theGulf of Mexico in early 1942.[3]
The squadron later served as an operational training unit,[1] which involved the use of an oversized parent unit to providecadres for "satellite groups."[5] In late 1943 thesquadron mission changed to replacement training of individualpilots andaircrews.[1][5] Just before disbanding, it began to convert toNorth American B-25 Mitchells.[1]
However, theArmy 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.[6] This resulted in the squadron, along with other units atMorris Field, being disbanded and its personnel, equipment and functions transferred to the333d AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Light Bombardment).[7][8]
The887th Tactical Missile Squadron was organized in September 1962 atSembach AB, Germany and assigned to the38th Tactical Missile Wing. At Sembach the squadron operated theTM-76A Mace missile from Site III "Hacksaw" – 12.5 miles (20.1 km) ENE ofSembach AB49°33′27″N008°08′05″E / 49.55750°N 8.13472°E /49.55750; 8.13472 (Site III).
The squadron was discontinued and inactivated on 25 September 1966 along with its parent wing asUnited States Air Forces Europe reduced its tactical missile force.
From 1975 – 1978, Site III "Hacksaw" was used by Det B, 502nd Army Security Agency (ASA) Bn for the Guardrail I, II, and IIa Integrated Processing Facility (IPF) site. The unit was redesignated as the 330th Electronic Warfare Aviation Company (Forward) (330th EW Avn Co (FWD)), and resubordinated to the 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) in 1978. It appears that this unit used theRC-12 Guardrail aircraft.
From 1979 – 1985, Site III "Hacksaw" was upgraded to the Guardrail V (GRV) IPF, and in the fall of 1985 the unit moved toEchterdingen Army Airfield (Stuttgart International Airport). The site was subsequently used by various and sundry communications units on deployment before being closed and turned over to the German government.
In September 1985, the 887th TMS was consolidated with the87th Bombardment Squadron but it remained inactive.
The consolidated squadron was redesignated87th Tactical Missile Squadron and reactivated atRAF Molesworth as aBGM-109G Gryphon cruise missile squadron in August 1986. It maintained 64 operationalcruise missiles atcombat readiness. The squadron was inactivated in January 1989 as a result of theIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty which resulted in the elimination of the BGM-109G missile from service.
87th Bombardment Squadron
| 887th Tactical Missile Squadron
|
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1964 – 1 June 1966 | 887th Tactical Missile Squadron[14] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 12 December 1986 – 31 July 1988 | 87th Tactical Missile Squadron[14] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Antisubmarine | [1] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
| Units |
| .svg) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
