Lineage

Constituted 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 14 Aug 1942. Activated on 15 Sep 1942. Redesignated 490th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 1 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 2 Nov 1945. Redesignated 490th Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 11 Mar 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 4 Apr 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 490th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 7 Jun 1955. Activated on 1 Sep 1955. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1961. Redesignated 490th Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman), and activated, on 18 Dec 1961. Organized on 1 May 1962. Redesignated 490th Missile Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

341st Bombardment Group, 15 Sep 1942; Tenth Air Force, 25 Oct 1943 (attached to 341st Bombardment Group, 25 Oct 1943?c. 7 Jan 1944); 341st Bombardment Group, 7 May?2 Nov 1945 (312th Fighter Wing for operational control, 7 May?c. 25 Aug 1945). 341st Bombardment Group, 4 Apr 1947?27 Jun 1949. 341st Bombardment Wing, 1 Sep 1955?25 Jun 1961. Strategic Air Command, 18 Dec 1961; 341st Strategic Missile Wing, 1 May 1962; 341st Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991?.

Stations

Camp Malir, Karachi, India, 15 Sep 1942; Moire Camp, Ondal, India, 5 Jan 1943 (operated from Chakulia, India, 20?25 May 1943); Kurmitola, India, 25 May 1943; Dergaon, India, 26 Aug 1944; Moran, India, 20 Oct 1944; Warazup, Burma, 29 Nov 1944; Hanchung, China, 13 Apr?13 Sep 1945 (detachment operated from Hsian, China, 16 Apr?4 Aug 1945); Camp Kilmer, NJ, 1?2 Nov 1945. Dow Field (later, AFB), ME, 4 Apr 1947?27 Jun 1949. Abilene (later, Dyess) AFB, TX, 1 Sep 1955?25 Jun 1961 (deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, 9 Jan?c. 3 Apr 1958). Malmstrom AFB, MT, 1 May 1962?.

Aircraft and Missiles

B?25, 1942?1945. AT?6, 1947?1949; AT?11, 1947?1949. B?47, 1956?1961. Minuteman I, 1962?1969; Minuteman II, 1969?.

Operations

Combat in Central Burma and India, 18 Feb 1943?20 May 1944 and 5 Jul 1944?4 Aug 1945; flew supplies from Chittagong, India to Imphal, India, 20 May?30 Jun 1944 and dropped leaflets for the US Office of War Information, Jan?Aug 1945. Strategic missile operations, 1962?.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma; China Offensive.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Central Burma, 1 Oct?31 Dec 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 22 Oct 1962?31 Dec 1963; 1 Jul 1975?30 Jun 1976; 1 Jul 1976?30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1979?30 Jun 1981; 1 Jul 1988?30 Jun 1990; 1 Jul 1990?30 Jun 1991; 1 Sep 1991 ?31 Aug 1993.

Emblem

Per fess nebuly Celeste and Silver Gray a target issuant from dexter base of the like ringed Or and from its center a sword imbedded Argent hilt of the third between also from target center a lightning bolt palewise and another fesswise Gules; all within a diminished border Azure. Original emblem approved on 11 Jul 1956 (154861 A.C.), modified and reinstated on 2 Mar 1995; replaced emblem approved on 10 Sep 1985 (DFSC 86?03055).