Bangor Air Defense Sector

Bangor Air Defense Sector
Emblem of the Bangor Air Defense Sector
Active	1958–1966
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Air Defense
Part of	Air Defense Command
Commanders
Notable commanders	Edwin A. Doss

Map of Bangor ADS

The Bangor Air Defense Sector (BaADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 26th Air Division, being stationed at Topsham Air Force Station, Maine. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.

History

BaADS was established in January 1957 assuming control of former ADC Eastern Air Defense Force units with a mission to provide air defense of Maine and most of Vermont and New Hampshire. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft and radar squadrons. Began operating a Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) direction center about 1958.

THe Sector was inactivated 1 April 1966 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation, most units being reassigned to 36th Air Division.

Lineage

• Established as Bangor Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957

Inactivated on 1 April 1966

Assignments

• 32d Air Division, 8 January 1957
• 26th Air Division, 15 August 1958-1 April 1966

Components

Interceptor units

• 14th Fighter Group (Air Defense), 1 August 1958-25 June 1960, Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont
• 23d Fighter Group (Air Defense), 1 August 1958-1 July 1959, Presque Isle AFB, Maine
• 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 October 1959-1 April 1966, Loring AFB, Maine
• 75th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. 1 July 1959-1 April 1966, Dow AFB, Maine

Missile units

• 30th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC-A), 1960–1964, Dow AFB, Maine 44°51′11″N 068°47′11″W

Radar facilities

• SAGE Direction Center (DC-05) located at: 43°56′42″N 069°57′46″W

Active 1958-30 September 1969

Operated: AN/FSQ-7 Computer

The former Topsham AFS is now an annex of NAS Brunswick. The SAGE DC blockhouse was demolished in August 1985 and is now a sports field.

• GATR (Ground Air Transmitter Receiver) site (R-25) located at: 43°56′27″N 069°57′31″W

GATR site at Topsham AFS, ME, for SAGE DC-5, and for radar site P-13 (Brunswick AFS).

Obliterated, now an empty field

Stations

• Brunswick AFS, ME (P-13) 1951-1965 43°53′44″N 069°55′24″W

Location: 2.5 mi ExSE of Brunswick ME

654th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Current Use: Inactivated, however host Brunswick NAS is still active.

Gap Filler:

Sedgwick, ME (P-13A) 44°18′51″N 068°38′22″W

• Bucks Harbor AFS, ME (M-110) 1953-1979 44°37′46″N 067°23′43″W

Location: 2.5 mi W of Machias Bay ME

907th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Current Use: Active Joint Surveillance System (JSS) FAA site.

• Caswell AFS, ME (P-80) 1952-1980 46°58′15″N 067°50′04″W

Location: 4.3 mi N of Limestone ME

766th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Current Use: National Guard training site. Many USAF buildings still in use.

Gap Filler:

Bridgewater, ME (P-80B) 46°25′15″N 068°01′28″W

• Charleston AFS, ME (P-65) 1952-1980 45°05′30″N 069°05′42″W

Location: 10.6 mi ExNE of Dexter ME

765th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Det 6, 14th Missile Warning Squadron

Current Use: Radar site abandoned. Containment area now a Correctional Center.

Gap filler:

Topsfield, ME (P-65A) 45°23′18″N 067°47′50″W

• Fort Williams, ME (L-2) 1950-1951 43°37′24″N 070°12′40″W

Location: 3.5 mi SE of Portland ME

657th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Current Use: Park

• Lyndonville AFS, VT (M-103) 1956-1963 44°39′55″N 071°46′16″W

Location: 9.2 mi SW of North Stratford NH

911th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Current Use: Abandoned, deteriorated.

• Saint Albans AFS, VT (P-14) 1951-1979 44°46′54″N 073°03′56″W

Location: 2.2 mi SxSE of Saint Albans VT

764th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Current Use: FAA site, now operating an AN/FPS-67B search radar (in the old FPS-107 tower). This now-FAA long-range radar site is now data-tied into the Joint Surveillance System (post 9/11).

Gap Fillers:

Blue Mountain Lake, NY (P-14B) 43°52′21″N 074°24′03″W

Bangor, NY (P-14C) 44°49′38″N 074°22′43″W

Stations

• Topsham Air Force Station, Maine, 8 January 1957-1 April 1966

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Radomes.org Bangor Air Defense Sector

External links

• Bangor Air Defense Sector SAGE facilities