Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

451st Strategic Missile Wing

The activation of the 848th SMS at Lowry Air Force Base on February 1, 1960, marked the first stand-up of a Titan I Squadron. Construction on all nine silos at the three launch complexes for the former 848th, redesignated the 724th, was completed by August 4, 1961. On 18 April 1962, Headquarters SAC declared the 724th SMS operational, and 2 days later the first Titan Is went on alert status. A month later, the sister 725th SMS (initially designated the 849th SMS) declared it had placed all nine of its Titan Is on alert status, which marked a SAC first. Both the 724th and 725th Strategic Missile Squadrons formed components of the Lowry-headquartered 451st Strategic Missile Wing.

On November 19, 1964, Defense Secretary McNamara announced the phase-out of remaining first-generation Atlas and Titan I missiles by the end of June 1965. This objective was met; on June 25, 1965, the 724th SMS and 725th SMS were inactivated. SAC removed the last missile from Lowry on April 14, 1965.