WELCOME TO THE
HOMESTEAD AFB, FL
From the mid 1950's through 1978.
This web site is a tribute for those who worked, served, and were stationed at Homestead AFB, with the Munitions Maintenance Squadrons, or the MMS sections, under the 4531st CSG/TFW/FMS, 823rd ABG/CSG, 31st CSG/TFW, 31st ADS/MMS, 29th ADS/MMS, 19th ADS/MMS (19th Bombardment Wing/H), and other MMS units not known at this time.
Back in the late 1960's and early 1970's, the MMS section was listed under the 4531st CSG/TFW. Thanks to the research of Frederick W. Sablan, Ret. Major (Munitions Maint. Sup. 1974, and Commander of the 31st MMS from 1975-1976) and Dr. Robert B. Kane, USAF AETC AFHRA/RSO, Maxwell AFB, we now know where the 31st MMS came from.
The 31st MMS began as the 31st Aviation Depot Squadron (31st ADS) in 1957 from Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona. It was redesignated as the 31st Munitions Maintenance Squadron on the 1st of July, 1960. It was discontinued and inactivated in June of 1964; activated and assigned to TAC in March of 1971; then inactivated in May, 1978. Finally, it was redesignated as the 31st Munitions Support Squadron (MUNSS), then the 831st MUNSS, leading up to the 704th MUNSS until its current position.
We now have an original patch of the 31st ADS/MMS scanned on this page (and other pages), thanks to Jim Kitterman! Click here to see the original art work/drawing for the 31st ADS squadron patch, a copy of the lineage to the 31st MMS and other squadron designations.
Articles and photographs are always wanted for this website.
Please contact me by posting a note on the Message Board or the e-mail address below.
Above - Homestead AFB Patches; SAC, 31st TFW, 29th ADS/MMS, 31st ADS/MMS, 19th BW, 4531st TFW, and TAC.
29th & 31st MMS LINKS:
29th ADS/MMS 1959 - A new PCS assignment from Lowry AFB to Homestead AFB, Florida by Doug Mullins. Included is a wonderful partial group photograph of some of the guys in the 29th ADS/MMS.
Special Orders P-47 and P-48, which were dated 2 March, 1971. These Special Orders were for airmen who were assigned to the MMS section, then, under the 31st CSG, over to the "NEW" 31st MMS (TAC) ... I only have 4 pages at this time. Each page has about 18 names on it. Looks like there might be about 5 pages total (90+ airmen). Thanks to Robert "Rob" Landry for several pages. Anyone have the first page?...
29th ADS/MMS - Please Click here to see the original art work/drawing for the squadron patch, a 1959 Organizational Letter, and Lineage for the 29th ADS/MMS at Homestead AFB. The 29th ADS/MMS was assigned to the 823rd ABG/CSG in 1956 and the 19th BW (medium) in 1961-1968.
29th MMS at Homestead AFB in 1965. A real working MMS assignment to Homestead AFB, Florida by Lt. Col. Ted Morris...
823rd Air Base Group (ABG & CSG) - This group was assigned to Homestead AFB in 1956-1968. Click here to see the original art work/drawing for the squadron patch, a 1958 Organizational Letter, and Lineage for the 823rd ABG/CSG at Homestead AFB.
SAC'S Nuclear Bombs (1958) and Locations - The 29th ADS/MMS (under the 823rd ABG/CSC) at HAFB, and the 31st ADS/MMS at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ are included... by Hans M. Kristensen - Four years before the Cuban missile crisis erupted over Soviet deployment of nuclear weapons in Cuba, the U.S. Strategic Air Command had nuclear bombs deployed in 41 locations worldwide. The locations included are... (partial TS declassified document dated June, 1999)
In the 1950s and 1960s - In the late ‘50s, SAC instituted the Bombs on Base (BOB) program. This placed the special weapons on the same base as the aircraft that would carry them, and required significant changes in munitions storage, maintenance and loading operations. There were over 45 stateside and 20 overseas SAC locations, and the BOB program required the construction or extensive upgrading of the existing Munitions Storage Areas (MSAs), the “bomb dumps,” at each base. One of the most important was to match the bombs with the aircraft which would carry them, and place those aircraft on “Alert.” This article (link) also includes Munitions Maintenance in general "In the Cold War,"and includes some MMS history at Homestead AFB. Articles and website are by Lt. Col. Ted Morris.
Cold War in South Florida and Homestead AFB... Homestead AFB was a SAC facility and a Tactical Air Command (TAC) facility for many years, supporting B-47's and B- 52 nuclear bombers as well as fighter interceptor - attack aircraft...
The History on the Space & Missile Program at Homestead AFB - The Hound Dog and Quail Missile history at HAFB "In the Cold War" by Senior Master Sgt. Stan Hammack.
Rob Landry’s photos 31st MMS and the Mig 17 that defected from Cuba and landed at Homestead AFB on 5 October, 1969.
Click here for an aerial view of the WSA/MSA at Homestead AFB.
19th AMMS (Airborne Missile Maintenance Sq.) and other AMMS bases. This web site goes into detail on its members, missile history and photos on the hound dog and quail missiles at HAFB and others in the 1960's by Thomas M. Clinard.
Web Site on Sac's 19th and 379th Bomb Wings at Homestead AFB - This site goes into the history on the big bombers of the 19th and 379th BW during their stay at Homestead.
482nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Det. 1 at Homestead AFB. In July 1961, the squadron formed the 482nd F.I.S., Detachment 1, with the F-102 "Delta Daggers" who protected the East coast, and other areas, and were stationed at Homestead AFB.
The complete history of the 31st FW from 1940 to 1994 and newer... The 31st Fighter Wing was activated on 20th of November, 1947 at Turner Field, Georgia and flew the P-51 Mustang. In August 1948, the wing converted to the F-84 Thunderjet. The wing made aviation history on 22 September 1950...
Some older photographs at Udorn (1972) when the 31st TFW went TDY... photographs by Mitch Murray.
Tybee Island Bomb (Georgia)... My B-47 was one of several bombers flying a Simulated Combat Mission (USCM) from Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. The B-47 had an MK-15 bomb on board. However... by retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Howard Richardson.
ADDITIONAL MMS & RELATED LINKS:
Photos of Lowry AFB by Bruce Taylor - 1968 & Newer 2005
History of Lowry AFB - In 1962, the Department of Weapons Training (3415th Technical School) offered sixty courses in conventional munitions, disaster control, armament, nuclear weapons, and weapons loading...
366 MMS at Da Nang AB, RSVN.- Over 20 pages of photographs of the buildup area, preload, storage, missiles, MSA (ASP-1 and ASP-2), bomb and missile crews, EOD, and other areas in and around the MMS sections at Danang Air Base, Vietnam. Main website by Gordon Sandlie. (updated 5/2011)
Stony Brook Air Force Station (AMC) - This site is by Clarke Ketter, who served at Stony Brook Air Force Station from 1956 to 1959. This site is dedicated to all those who served in the 3084th Aviation Depot Group at Stony Brook Air Force Station in Chicopee Falls, MA. Stony Brook Air Force Station (AMC) was a storage and maintenance site for nuclear weapons during the Cold War period of the 1950’s and 1960’s, and was assigned to the Air Materiel Command until 1962, in support of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Westover Air Force Base.
Thanks For Viewing!
Again, articles and photographs are always wanted for this website.
You can e-mail me at: mail at 31stmms dot us
This Site Copyright by Bruce W. Taylor, 2003 thru. 2012, All Rights Reserved. Updated: May, 2012
This page is not sponsored or endorsed by the United States Air Force. Opinions and views expressed are those of the poster (unless otherwise noted) and not necessarily those of the owner or the Department of the Air Force. Information appearing on this site is unclassified. This site is for reference and educational purposes only. Official U.S. Air Force emblems are protected by federal law. Reproductions for commercial use and for profit are not permitted without the expressed and written permission from the U.S. Air Force. For questions and or comments, please contact the owner, thanks.