868 TMS

• Origins: The 868th Tactical Missile Squadron (868 TMS) traces its roots back to World War II, when it was originally activated as the 868th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in January 1943. • Unique Nickname: The squadron was famously known as the “Snooper Squadron” because of its pioneering use of radar-equipped B-24 Liberators for night-time “snooper” missions over the Pacific. • Radar Pioneers: The 868th was the first USAAF unit to use the SCR-717 radar system for low-level, nighttime attacks, greatly improving the effectiveness of anti-shipping operations. • Secret Missions: Crew members of the 868th often flew clandestine reconnaissance and pathfinding missions, marking targets for other bombers in the Pacific Theater. • Pacific Operations: The squadron participated in key campaigns across the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and the Philippines during WWII. • Tactical Missile Era: Reactivated during the Cold War, the 868th later became a tactical missile squadron, operating the MGM-13 Mace tactical cruise missile on Okinawa from 1962 to 1965. • Nuclear Deterrence: The 868 TMS was part of America’s forward-deployed nuclear deterrent in the Western Pacific during the tense years of the early 1960s. • Deactivation: The squadron was inactivated in 1965 as part of the phaseout of the Mace missile and changes in U.S. defense posture in the Pacific. • Honors and Awards: The 868th earned multiple Distinguished Unit Citations and campaign streamers for its valor and effectiveness during WWII operations. • Legacy: Despite its relatively brief periods of activation, the 868 TMS’s innovations in night bombing and missile operations left a lasting impact on both Air Force tactics and technology development.