1961-04-01-sr-p5-reactivation-of-567th

April 01, 1961 Spokesman-Review Page 5:

AT FAIRCHILD TODAY

567th Missile Squadron Celebrates Reactivation

(See pictures, back page.)

The first anniversary of reactivation of the 567th strategic missile squadron at Fairchild air force base will be observed today at an open house and tour of facilities for squadron personnel families.

The unit will be responsible for the missiles soon to become an operational part of the 92d bomb wing.

Tours of the squadron headquarters and assembly building where the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missiles are taken on arrival from San Diego will start every half hour from 9 a. m. to 12:30 p. m. Visitors will also see a film about the Atlas.

Host at the open house is Col. Leonard L, Jella, 567th commander.

“Born” in 1942

The squadron was activated at Davis-Monthan field, Ariz., in December, 1942, as the 567th bomb squadron, Its first commander was Maj. A. D. Cross, who trained the first troops at Biggs field, Fl Paso, Texas. Their first planes were B-24s.

The unit went overseas in June, 1943 and first saw action from a North African base in the bombardment of an airfield in Crete in early July. On August 1 the planes took part in the famous Ploesti raid, its target being Campina, a refinery town 20 miles to the north of Ploesti in Romania.

In the months that followed the Liberators flew hundreds of missions, most of them in the hammering at Germany. Its last operational mission was flown over Germany on April 21, 1945, the situation in central Germany being so fluid as to prevent further effective bombing.

The 567th left England, bound for home, on May 30 and the unit was inactivated on September 13, 1945. Two years later it was redesignated as a very heavy bombardment squadron and activated as a reserve unit at Coffeyville, Kan. It was again inactivated in June, 1949, and remained that way until December, 1959 it was redesignated the 567th strategic missile squadron, activated and assigned in April to the 92d heavy bombardment wing.

Colonel Jella was deputy commander of the 576th missile} squadron at Vandenburg AFB, Calif., before being assigned command of the 567th.

The colonel was guest of the armed services committee of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce yesterday. He outlined the activities of the squadron during the last year.