James Bowers

The **44th Strategic Missile Wing** (44th SMW) was established in 1962 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, as part of the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command. Its primary mission was to operate and maintain Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), serving as a key component of America's nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. The wing managed up to 150 Minuteman missiles, ensuring rapid-response capability in the event of a nuclear crisis. The 44th SMW was inactivated in 1994 following the end of the Cold War and the implementation of arms reduction treaties, marking the end of its pivotal role in national defense.