| 1st Tactical Missile Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1943–1946; 1946–1950; 1951–1958 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | cruise missile |
| Nickname(s) | Pioneers (1951–1958) |
| Engagements | Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
| Insignia | |
| Patch with 1st Tactical Missile Squadron Emblem |  |
| 881st Bombardment Squadron emblem[1] |  |
The 1st Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 585th Tactical Missile Group at Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, where it was inactivated on 18 June 1958.
The first predecessor of the squadron is the 881st Bombardment Squadron, a former United States Army Air Forces unit organized in November 1943. After training in the United States, the 881st deployed to the Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations before the end of the war. It returned to the United States in the fall of 1945 and was inactivated at March Field, California in January 1946.
The squadron's second predecessor was established as the 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Squadron, which conducted guided missile testing for the Army Air Forces and United States Air Force from bases in Florida from 1946 through 1950. It was reactivated the following year and tested cruise missiles, then trained for deployment to Europe with Martin B-61 Matador missiles. It stood alert with its missiles in Germany until it was inactivated in 1958 and transferred its personnel and missiles to the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron
- ^ Watkins, pp. 104–105