12th Missile Squadron The 12th Missile Squadron ( 12 MS ) is a United States Air Force unit . It is assigned to the 341st Operations Group , stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base , Montana . The 12 MS is equipped with the LGM - 30G Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) , with a mission of nuclear deterrence . Mission . The mission of the 341st Missile Wing is to keep America free and strong by providing combat - ready people and aerospace forces . History . World War II . The 12th Bombardment Squadron ( Heavy ) was organized and activated at Langley Field , Virginia , on 1 February 1940 , as a member of the Twenty Fifth Bombardment Group ( Heavy ) . The unit moved from Langley where it trained initially , to Borinquen Field , Puerto Rico , being assigned to the 25th Bombardment Group , Caribbean Air Force on 1 November 1940 . Following the initial deployment to Puerto Rico . The Squadron participated in various training and familiarization flights with its small complement of B - 18 Bolo medium bombers , until 8 November 1941 when it was ordered to deploy to Benedict Field , St . Croix , temporarily until September 1942 , then at St . Nicholas , and Antigua . Following the Pearl Harbor Attack , the Squadron commenced operations out of Benedict with its tiny force of three B - 18 ' s . However , these were exchanged for four slightly more efficacious B - 18A ' s by 16 January 1942 . By mid - February , these had been augmented by a further B - 18 ( while one of the B - 18A ' s was away at Mobile Air Depot being fitted with one of the earliest airborne radar systems ) and the Squadron had a total of four crews , three of whom had more than 12 months experience . Operations continued out of Benedict Field until 10 October 1942 , when it moved to Dakota Field , Aruba and the following month came under the operational control of the Antilles Air Task Force and VI Fighter Command . By 11 December , the unit had six B - 18B ' s and four Douglas A - 20A Havoc s while Flight " D " of the Squadron was at distant Borinquen Field with two further B - l8B ' s and a B - 18 . Apparently this aircraft dispersal proved too much for the unit to handle and , by January 1943 , strength on report had dropped to a more reasonable total of just five B¬18B ' s and a single B - 18C at Dakota Field , although Flight " D " remained at Borinquen as late as June , and Flight " C " moved from Dakota to Rio Hato Field , Panama from 1 June till 20 July 1943 . In addition , several 59th Bombardment Squadron aircraft were attached to the 12th BS at this point , as were two Bell P - 39D Aircobra s of the 22d Pursuit Squadron . All of this shuffling of aircraft was due , of course , to the exigencies of the anti - submarine campaign , which had been re - initiated in early January 1943 . By October 1943 , operational control of the now very experienced unit had passed to CAFAC ( Commander , All Forces , Aruba and Curaçao ) , and the United States Navy assumed command and the unit , together with the Lockheed PV - 1 Ventura s of a Navy unit there provided continuous coverage for , amongst others , convoy GAT94 and its route from the time it entered the area . As the anti - submarine war continuously shifted , the Squadron moved to follow , leaving Dakota Field on 23 November to move to Coolidge Field on Antigua , at which time its attachment to CAFAC ended . While there , it provided continuous coverage for Convoy TAG95 . By the end of December , the unit had started to reequip , and had two of the B - 18Bs , but also three North American B - 25D Mitchell s and not fewer than 12 B - 25G ' s at Coolidge . As the submarine war eased , the unit became , essentially , a crew training outfit , although patrols were still flown in conjunction with this tasking . The Squadron ended its Caribbean tour on 24 March 1944 when it was transferred back to the United States and became a B - 25 Mitchell Operational Training Unit at Alamagardo Army Airfield , New Mexico . On 20 June 1944 , the 12th Bombardment Squadron was disbanded . Strategic Air Command . Eleven years later , on 1 September 1955 , the 12th Bombardment Squadron , Medium , was activated at Abilene Air Force Base , Texas . Before being disbanded once more in 1961 , the 12th ’ s B - 47s engaged in training that made it a powerful element of the nation ’ s strategic air power . Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Squadron . Reactivated on 1 December 1961 as an ICBM squadron assigned to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB , Montana . Initially equipped with 50 LGM - 30A Minuteman I s in early 1962 . Upon organization , it became the second Minuteman ICBM squadron in the Air Force . During the mid - 1960s the 12th replaced it ’ s 50 Minuteman I missiles with Minuteman IIs . The 12th SMS was the first squadron at Malmstrom to undergo weapon system upgrade to Minuteman Mod ; and on 22 April 1967 , it was the first squadron to become fully operational with the new Minuteman II missiles under this program . The 12th SMS was also the first squadron in the wing to undergo silo upgrade . By 1978 , the Improved Launch Control System ( ILCS ) had replaced the Minuteman Mod system and the 12th SMS once again had the state - of - the - art weapon system . In 1994 , the 12 MS reorganized under the objective squadron concept . This reorganization took the three combat disciplines , ICBM Operations , Security Police , and Electro - mechanical Maintenance , and combined them under the " one hat " of the missile squadron commander . In early June 1995 , Electro - mechanical Maintenance returned to the Logistics Group . In February 1996 , Missile Field Chefs became part of the 12 MS team . The 12th Missile Squadron ( MS ) led the way in removing Minuteman II missiles and replacing them with LGM - 30G Minuteman III silos from inactivating 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks AFB , North Dakota in 1996 ; Minuteman IIs being retired . The new missile enhances capability , increases flexibility , and marks yet another system upgrade . Heraldry . On a disc of Light Blue sky spattered with White stars , the top of the globe issuing from base , Black , grid lines White ; over all a Dark Gray mailed hand issuing from sinister chief , outlines and highlights White , details Light Blue , grasping a sword in pale , point to base , hilt and pommel AF Golden Yellow , blade White , shaded Light Blue , outlines and details Dark Gray , a Red oval spot on pommel , all between a Red lightning flash edged White and a Green Olive branch , details AF Golden Yellow , pilewise . Approved on 5 August 1957 ( K 2568 ) . Aircraft and Missiles . 12th Missile Squadron Launch Facilities