History of the 485th TMW

The 485th Tactical Missile Wing (485 TMW) was a United States Air Force unit with a lineage stretching back to World War II, evolving through multiple roles before its Cold War service.

Early Origins – World War II

The wing’s roots trace to the 485th Bombardment Group, activated in 1943 as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. It earned the Distinguished Unit Citation for its 1944 mission to Vienna, Austria 

After returning to the U.S. in 1945, it converted to Boeing B-29 Superfortresses and became one of the original ten bombardment groups of Strategic Air Command (SAC) before inactivation in 1946 

Postwar and Cold War Predecessors

In the 1950s, the 485th lineage continued through the 585th Tactical Missile Group, stationed at Bitburg Air Base, Germany from 1956 to 1962. It operated forward-deployed TM-61 Matador cruise missiles, later replaced by TM-76 Mace (MGM-13) missiles 

The group was inactivated in 1962, with its operational squadron transferred to the 38th Tactical Missile Wing.

Formation of the 485th Tactical Missile Wing

In 1983, the 485th Bombardment Group and 585th Tactical Missile Group were consolidated to form the 485th Tactical Missile Wing at Florennes Air Base, Belgium 

Assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and reporting to Seventeenth Air Force, the wing was part of NATO’s deterrence strategy against Soviet intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

Operations and Role

The 485 TMW operated the BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM), a nuclear-capable weapon introduced after the deployment of Soviet SS-20 systems in the 1970s 

Its combat capability came from the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, which controlled 48 GLCMs organized into three flights, each with two Launch Control Centers and four Transporter Erector Launchers (TELs) carrying four missiles each.

The 485th Tactical Missile Maintenance Squadron provided technical support and readiness.

Although all members of the GLCM flight were armed with 9MMs and M16s, the 485th Security Forces Squadron provided the bulk of the defense and security for the entire GLCM flight. Their weaponry included M-16s, M60s, MK-19s, and M-203 Grenade Launchers as well as Platoon Early Warning System (PEWS) and the Ground Surveillance Radar (GSR) to detect enemy forces.

Missile flights could disperse to pre-surveyed sites in Belgium to enhance survivability during potential conflict Each Tactical Missile Squadron consisted of several flights, made up of 69 people and 22 vehicles. Four transporter erector launchers (TEL) each carried four BGM-109G missiles in their containers and ready for launch. Two launch control centers (LCC), each with two launch officers, were connected to the TELs and interconnected for launch. Each TEL and LCC was towed by a large MAN KAT1 8x8 tractor and was capable of traversing rough terrain. There were 16 support vehicles for the flight commander, normally a captain, 19 maintenance technicians, a medical technician and 44 security personnel. 

Each flight was supported by VHF communication relay teams that dispersed to other hid sites to provide primary communications with the main operating base. Each LCC received launch orders and HHQ communication from their UHF SATCOM terminal or the six HF US and NATO radios that were constantly monitored. The flight could operate and survive for 30 plus days in the dispersed environment. The flight would often relocate to several other dispersed locations tim maintain and improve security and survivability. 

During periods of increased tensions between NATO and the Soviet Union, the flights would be deployed to pre-surveyed, classified locations in the countryside away from the base. The members of the flight would dig in, erect camouflage netting to hide the vehicles and prepare for launch. Flight commanders were tasked to survey and select more than one possible deployment site, with all details closely held, and the commander selected the preferred location when the flight deployed from the base.

The 485th Tactical Missile Wing was part of NATO’s dual-track strategy—combining military deterrence with arms control negotiations—playing a role in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty process Despite initial fears of greater instability, the deployment of GLCM ultimately caused Soviet leaders to enter negotiations for, and finally signature of, the INF treaty. The recognition by Soviet leaders of the threat posed by the GLCM and Pershing II missiles made them far more inclined to agree to negotiate their own intermediate-range weapons, especially the SS-20 in exchange for the elimination of the threat posed by the GLCM and the Pershing II. . 

The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 and effective in 1988, required the elimination of all U.S. and Soviet GLCMs in Europe 

The 485 TMW’s missiles were withdrawn and destroyed under treaty verification. 

Legacy

Although active for only five years, the 485 TMW was a key component of NATO’s Cold War deterrence posture and contributed to one of the most significant arms control agreements of the 20th century. Its history reflects the evolution of U.S. Air Force units from WWII bombardment groups to modern missile wings, and their adaptation to changing strategic environments.

The 485th Tactical Missile Wing was deactivated on 30 September 1989.

To preserve this important wing’s legacy during the Cold War, the 485th Tactical Missile Wing Alumni Association was established in 1993 and officially became a 501c3, non-profit organization in 1996. The Association hosts annual reunions in different cities across the United States to include a reunion in Florennes, Belgium.