This is a list of the

LGM-30 Minuteman The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and r ...

missile, Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the

44th Missile Wing The 44th Missile Wing (44 MW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 4 July 1994. For over 40 years the 44th was a ...

20th Air Force The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. 20 AF's primary mission is Interc ...

, assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The 44th SMW executed the unique 'Long Life' test of a Minuteman ICBM. The

68th Strategic Missile Squadron The 68th Missile Squadron (68 MS) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The 68 MS was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ...

performed the only launch of a United States ICBM from an operational inland US missile site from LF November-02 (N-02) on 1 March 1965. The first stage was loaded with only enough propellant for seven seconds of burn time and the upper stages were inert. It successfully demonstrated the ability of a

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

missile crew to launch an ICBM.

Overview

The 44th Missile Wing was the second

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM wing. Deployment of the Minuteman ICBM began in 1961 with the initiation of construction of 150 silos and associated launch control facilities. Activation of the 44th Strategic Missile Wing on 1 January 1962, marked the initiation of SAC's first

LGM-30B Minuteman I The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and ...

wing (the 341st SMW was equipped with the Minuteman 1A). The assignment of the 66th Strategic Missile Squadron on 1 September marked the beginning of SAC's first Minuteman IB squadron. During 1962 the 67th and 68th SMS stood up. In April 1963, the first missile was emplaced into a prepared silo. Two months later, SAC accepted the first flight of 10 Minuteman IB ICBMs and in July, some of these missiles were placed on alert status. The last of 150 missiles was placed on alert by the end of 1963. Between October 1971 and March 1973 the Minuteman IBs were replaced by

LGM-30F Minuteman II The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and re ...

missiles. The end of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

and President Bush's order of 28 September 1991 to remove Minuteman II missiles from alert status profoundly affected the 44th MW. To comply with the pending

START I START I (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was a bilateral treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on the reduction and the limitation of strategic offensive arms. The treaty was signed on 31 July 1991 and entered into force on 5 De ...

treaty, the Air Force immediately began removing missiles from their silos. The 67th MS inactivated in August 1992, with the 66th in 1993 and 68th lastly on 5 July 1994. Destruction of silos and alert facilities finished in 1996 when Kilo-06, was imploded on 13 September 1996. Delta-01 and Delta-09 were left intact and are now the

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is an American national historic site established in 1999 near Wall, South Dakota to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

under the control of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

Facilities

The Missile Alert Facility (MAF) consists of a buried and hardened Launch Control Facility (LCC) and an above-ground Launch Control Support Building (LCSB). MAFs were formerly known as Launch Control Facilities (LCFs) but terminology was changed in 1992 with the inactivation of Strategic Air Command (SAC). In addition, a MAF has a landing pad for helicopters; a large radio tower; a large "top hat" HF antenna; a vehicle garage for security vehicles; recreational facilities, and one or two sewage lagoons. The entire site, except for the helicopter pad and sewage lagoons are secured with a fence and security personnel. About a dozen airmen and officers are assigned to a MAF. The underground LCC Launch Control Center (LCC) contains the command and control equipment for missile operations. It is staffed by the two launch officers who have primary control and responsibility for the 10 underground and hardened Launch Facilities (LF)s within its flight which contains the operational missile. Each of the five LCCs also has the ability to command and monitor all 50 LFs within the squadron. The LF is unmanned, except when maintenance and security personnel are needed. A squadron is composed of five flights; flights are denoted by a letter of the alphabet with the facilities controlled by the flight being designated by a number, 01 through 11, with 01 being the MAF.

Units and locations

66th Missile Squadron The 66th Missile Squadron (66 MS) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The 66 MS was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental b ...

Activated by Strategic Air Command on 19 March 1962. Organized on 1 September 1962. Inactivated on 1 September 1993. * A-01 (MAF) 25.3 mi NxNE of Wall, SD; 52.4 mi ExNE of Ellsworth AFB
: A-02 32.6 mi NxNE of Wall SD, : A-03 26.6 mi NxNE of Wall SD, : A-04 26.9 mi NE of Wall SD, : A-05 20.9 mi NE of Wall SD, : A-06 21.3 mi NxNE of Wall SD, : A-07 16.1 mi NE of Wall SD, : A-08 16.2 mi N of Wall SD, : A-09 20.2 mi NxNE of Wall SD, : A-10 23.5 mi N of Wall SD, : A-11 27.8 mi N of Wall SD, * B-01 (MAF) 8.3 mi ExNE of Wasta SD; 39.4 mi E of Ellsworth AFB
: B-02 13.3 mi ExNE of Wasta SD, : B-03 17.1 mi ExNE of Wasta SD, : B-04 13.8 mi E of Wasta SD, : B-05 15.3 mi ExSE of Wasta SD, : B-06 14.4 mi SE of Wasta SD, : B-07 8.6 mi ExSE of Wasta SD, : B-08 10.6 mi SxSE of Wasta SD, : B-09 3.9 mi ExSE of Wasta SD, : B-10 8.2 mi NxNE of Wasta SD, : B-11 10.8 mi NxNE of Wasta SD, * C-01 (MAF) 10.1 mi N of Philip SD; 68.2 mi E of Ellsworth AFB
: C-02 20.0 mi N of Philip SD, : C-03 9.1 mi NxNE of Philip SD, : C-04 3.9 mi N of Philip SD, : C-05 3.0 mi WxSW of Philip SD, : C-06 8.1 mi WxSW of Philip SD, : C-07 6.9 mi WxNW of Philip SD, : C-08 11.9 mi WxNW of Philip SD, : C-09 16.3 mi WxNW of Philip SD, : C-10 13.0 mi NW of Philip SD, : C-11 17.3 mi NxNW of Philip SD, * D-01** (MAF) 6.7 mi SxSW of Cottonwood SD; 58.4 mi ExSE of Ellsworth AFB
: D-02 5.2 mi NxNW of Cottonwood SD, : D-03 1.1 mi W of Cottonwood SD, : D-04 6.4 mi SE of Cottonwood SD, : D-05 9.2 mi SxSE of Cottonwood SD, : D-06 11.2 mi S of Cottonwood SD, : D-07 14.7 mi SW of Cottonwood SD, : D-08 10.0 mi SW of Cottonwood SD, : D-09** 12.8 mi W of Cottonwood SD, : D-10 7.5 mi W of Cottonwood SD, : D-11 9.2 mi WxNW of Cottonwood SD, * E-01 (MAF) 6.3 mi NxNE of Kadoka SD; 80.8 mi E of Ellsworth AFB
: E-02 15.8 mi N of Kadoka SD, : E-03 12.5 mi ExNE of Kadoka SD, : E-04 8.4 mi E of Kadoka SD, : E-05 2.9 mi ExNE of Kadoka SD, : E-06 2.6 mi W of Kadoka SD, : E-07 11.4 mi W of Kadoka SD, : E-08 7.7 mi WxNW of Kadoka SD, : E-09 10.6 mi NW of Kadoka SD, : E-10 9.9 mi NxNW of Kadoka SD, : E-11 15.9 mi NxNW of Kadoka SD, .** Now part of the

67th Missile Squadron The 67th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The 67 MS was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballisti ...

Activated by Strategic Air Command on 19 March 1962. Organized on 1 September 1962. Inactivated on 15 August 1992. * F-01 (MAF) 35.5 mi W of Faith, SD; 61.0 mi NxNE of Ellsworth AFB
: F-02 34.6 mi W of Faith SD, : F-03 30.9 mi W of Faith SD, : F-04 26.0 mi W of Faith SD, : F-05 26.6 mi W of Faith SD, : F-06 30.5 mi W of Faith SD, : F-07 27.2 mi WxSW of Faith SD, : F-08 34.7 mi WxSW of Faith SD, : F-09 41.6 mi W of Faith SD, : F-10 43.9 mi W of Faith SD, : F-11 41.6 mi W of Faith SD, * G-01 (MAF) 11.1 mi NxNW of Enning SD; 45.3 mi NxNE of Ellsworth AFB
: G-02 13.8 mi N of Enning SD, : G-03 7.8 mi N of Enning SD, : G-04 3.0 mi N of Enning SD, : G-05 7.2 mi NW of Enning SD, : G-06 12.2 mi WxNW of Enning SD, : G-07 14.1 mi NW of Enning SD, : G-08 22.0 mi WxNW of Enning SD, : G-09 18.4 mi NW of Enning SD, : G-10 15.6 mi NW of Enning SD, : G-11 17.6 mi NxNW of Enning SD, * H-01 (MAF) 10.0 mi SW of Union Center SD; 25.5 mi NxNE of Ellsworth AFB
: H-02 3.0 mi W of Union Center SD, : H-03 1.8 mi E of Union Center SD, : H-04 4.7 mi SxSW of Union Center SD, : H-05 6.2 mi SE of Union Center SD, : H-06 10.2 mi SxSE of Union Center SD, : H-07 11.9 mi SxSW of Union Center SD, : H-08 15.8 mi SW of Union Center SD, : H-09 15.3 mi SW of Union Center SD, : H-10 13.0 mi WxSW of Union Center SD, : H-11 8.1 mi WxSW of Union Center SD, * I-01 (MAF) 13.1 mi W of Howes, SD; 49.2 mi NE of Ellsworth AFB
: I-02 14.4 mi NW of Howes, SD, : I-03 11.6 mi WxNW of Howes, SD, : I-04 8.8 mi W of Howes, SD, : I-05 3.8 mi W of Howes, SD, : I-06 8.0 mi SW of Howes, SD, : I-07 22.5 mi WxSW of Howes, SD, : I-08 22.1 mi W of Howes, SD, : I-09 17.3 mi W of Howes, SD, : I-10 20.8 mi WxNW W of Howes, SD, : I-11 16.1 mi WxNW W of Howes, SD, * J-01 (MAF) 13.8 mi SE of Maurine SD; 63.3 mi NxNE of Ellsworth AFB
: J-02 11.3 mi E of Maurine SD, : J-03 16.6 mi E of Maurine SD, : J-04 22.0 mi E of Maurine SD, : J-05 19.6 mi ExSE of Maurine SD, : J-06 19.3 mi ExSE of Maurine SD, : J-07 20.8 mi SE of Maurine SD, : J-08 18.7 mi S of Maurine SD, : J-09 14.1 mi SxSE of Maurine SD, : J-10 8.5 mi SE of Maurine SD, : J-11 6.3 mi E of Maurine SD,

68th Missile Squadron The 68th Missile Squadron (68 MS) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 44th Operations Group, stationed at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The 68 MS was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental b ...

Activated by Strategic Air Command on 19 March 1962. Organized on 1 September 1962. Inactivated on 5 July 1994. * K-01 (MAF) 5.6 mi N of Spearfish SD; 48.9 mi NW of Ellsworth AFB
: K-02 11.9 mi NxNE of Spearfish SD, : K-03 12.4 mi NE of Spearfish SD, : K-04 8.0 mi NE of Spearfish SD, : K-05 8.8 mi ExNE of Spearfish SD, : K-06 9.2 mi ExSE of Spearfish SD, : K-07 4.4 mi ExSE of Spearfish SD, : K-08 4.4 mi WxNW of Spearfish SD, : K-09 9.4 mi WxNW of Spearfish SD, : K-10 12.4 mi NW of Spearfish SD, : K-11 10.6 mi NxNW of Spearfish SD, * L-01 (MAF) 6.2 mi SxSE of Vale SD; 30.6 mi NxNW of Ellsworth AFB
: L-02 2.9 mi E of Vale SD, : L-03 6.7 mi ExSE of Vale SD, : L-04 12.4 mi ExSE of Vale SD, : L-05 12.1 mi SxSW of Vale SD, : L-06 7.6 mi SxSW of Vale SD, : L-07 11.2 mi SW of Vale SD, : L-08 8.4 mi WxSW of Vale SD, : L-09 9.6 mi WxNW of Vale SD, : L-10 2.9 mi SW of Vale SD, : L-11 4.5 mi WxNW of Vale SD, * M-01 (MAF) 17.7 mi NxNW of Belle Fourche SD; 68.4 mi NW of Ellsworth AFB
: M-02 25.1 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-03 20.2 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-04 21.3 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-05 16.7 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-06 13.6 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-07 8.6 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-08 3.4 mi N of Belle Fourche SD, : M-09 7.3 mi NW of Belle Fourche SD, : M-10 12.9 mi NW of Belle Fourche SD, : M-11 22.0 mi NxNW of Belle Fourche SD, * N-01 (MAF) 6.7 mi NW of Newell SD; 49.7 mi NxNW of Ellsworth AFB
: N-02** 9.6 mi N of Newell SD, : N-03 4.8 mi N of Newell SD, : N-04 3.8 mi E of Newell SD, : N-05 2.1 mi W of Newell SD, : N-06 7.0 mi W of Newell SD, : N-07 13.5 mi W of Newell SD, : N-08 11.7 mi WxNW of Newell SD, : N-09 18.1 mi NW of Newell SD, : N-10 14.3 mi NW of Newell SD, : N-11 17.4 mi NW of Newell SD, * O-01 (MAF) 38.5 mi W of Opal, SD; 54.6 mi N of Ellsworth AFB
: O-02 30.0 mi WxNW of Opal, SD, : O-03 34.0 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-04 28.0 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-05 32.2 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-06 36.9 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-07 41.0 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-08 41.4 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-09 47.7 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-10 43.6 mi W of Opal, SD, : O-11 48.4 mi W of Opal, SD, .** Only operational silo ever to launch an ICBM, 1 March 1965. Was refurbished after the launch and returned to service. Imploded in 1996 and now being used for storage of

hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...

bales.

References

Ellsworth AFB Minuteman Missile Site Coordinates
* {{Strategic Air Command Installations of Strategic Air Command United States Air Force lists Military units and formations in South Dakota