Lineage

Constituted 576th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 15 Jan 1943. Activated on 26 Jan 1943. Redesignated 576th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 13 Sep 1945. Redesignated 576th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 5 Sep 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 24 Sep 1947. Redesignated 576th Bombardment Squadron, Light, Jet, on 27 Jun 1949. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1949. Redesignated 576th Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Atlas) on 6 Mar 1958. Activated on 1 Apr 1958. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 2 Apr 1966. Redesignated 576th Test Squadron on 29 Aug 1991. Activated on 1 Sep 1991. Redesignated 576th Flight Test Squadron on 1 Jul 1994.

Assignments

392d Bombardment Group, 26 Jan 1943?13 Sep 1945. 392d Bombardment Group, 24 Sep 1947?10 Nov 1949. 704th Strategic Missile Wing, 1 Apr 1958; 1st Missile (later, 1st Strategic Aerospace) Division, 1 Jul 1959; 392d Strategic Missile Wing, 18 Oct 1961; 1st Strategic Aerospace Division, 20 Dec 1961?2 Apr 1966. 310th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 30th Operations Group, 1 Jul 1993?.

Stations

Davis-Monthan Field, AZ, 26 Jan 1943; Biggs Field, TX, 1 Mar 1943; Alamogordo AAB, NM, 18 Apr?18 Jul 1943; Wendling, England, 31 Jul 1943?c. 9 Jun 1945; Charleston AAFld, SC, 25 Jun?13 Sep 1945. Barksdale Field (later, AFB), LA, 24 Sep 1947?10 Nov 1949. Cooke (later, Vandenberg) AFB, CA, 1 Apr 1958?2 Apr 1966. Vandenberg AFB, CA, 1 Sep 1991?.

Aircraft and Missiles

B?24, 1943?1945. B?26, 1947?1949. Atlas, 1958?1966. Minuteman III, 1991?; Peacekeeper, 1991?.

Operations

Combat in ETO, 6 Sep 1943?25 Apr 1945. Trained crewmen, tested, and evaluated Atlas missiles, 1958?1966. Tested Minuteman III and Peacekeeper missiles, 1991?.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Gotha, Germany, 24 Feb 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1962?30 Jun 1964; 1 Nov 1991?30 Sep 1993.

Emblem

Per fess enarched enhanced Azure and Celeste, a globe of the first, land masses Vert, overall a rocket palewise Argent nose cone Gules between in dexter chief six mullets in the form of the constellation Big Dipper and in sinister chief seven mullets forming the constellation Southern Cross of thefourth; and issuant an engine blast of the fifth garnished Or culminating in a cloud of smoke in base White issuing pilewise two lightning flashes Red between two olive branches Green; all within a diminished bordure of the first. MOTTO: DUCIMUS?We Lead. Approved on 5 Mar 1959, modified on 2 Mar 1995.