587th Tactical Missile Group

The 587th Tactical Missile Group was a United States Air Force unit activated during the Cold War era. Established in 1956, the group was stationed in West Germany as part of the U.S. commitment to NATO’s defense posture in Europe. Its primary mission was the deployment and operation of the TM-61 Matador and later TM-76 Mace surface-to-surface tactical missiles, providing a nuclear-capable deterrent against potential Warsaw Pact aggression. The unit was inactivated in 1966 as missile technology advanced and newer systems replaced the Matador and Mace missiles.