24th USA missile det USARSEVEN

The 24th USA Missile Detachment (24th USA Missile Det), assigned to USARSEVEN (United States Army, Southern European Task Force), was a key American military unit stationed in Europe during the Cold War. Activated in the late 1950s, its primary mission was to provide custodial and technical support for nuclear-capable missile systems, such as the Honest John and later the MGM-52 Lance, operated by allied NATO forces. The detachment played a crucial role in strengthening NATO’s deterrence posture by ensuring the readiness and security of U.S.-supplied nuclear weapons in Southern Europe, particularly Italy. The 24th USA Missile Detachment remained active through much of the Cold War, before being inactivated as part of arms reduction agreements and restructuring in the post-Cold War era.