534th Air Defense Group
534th Air Defense Group
 | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1945, 1953–1955 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter Interceptor |
| Role | Air Defense |
| Part of | Air Defense Command |
The 534th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4706th Air Defense Wing at Kinross Air Force Base, Michigan where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945. The group was activated once again in 1953, when ADC established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 507th Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.
History
World War II
The group was activated as the 534th Air Service Group shortly after VE Day in a reorganization of Army Air Forces (AAF) support groups in which the AAF replaced Service Groups that included personnel from other branches of the Army and supported two combat groups with Air Service Groups including only Air Corps units. It was designed to support a single combat group.[1] Its 960th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 784th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[1] The group provided support for one combat group in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. It returned to the United States for inactivation. It was disbanded in 1948.[2]
Cold War
During the Cold WarThe group was reconstituted and redesignated as the 534th Air Defense Goup, and activated at Kinross AFB in 1953[3] with responsibility for air defense of the North Central United States,[citation needed] but without an operational squadron until April, when the 438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying Lockheed F-94 Starfires[4] was activated.[5] The 438th FIS upgraded to Northrop F-89 Scorpions in December 1953.[4] The group replaced the 91st Air Base Squadron as USAF host base unit at Kinross AFB. Assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[6][7]
The 534th was inactivated[3] and replaced by 507th Fighter Group (Air Defense), in 1955[8][9] as result of Air Defense Command's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[10] The 534th was disbanded once again in 1984.[11]
Lineage
- Activated as 534th Air Service Group on 21 May 1945
- Inactivated on 17 October 1945
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948
- Reconstituted and redesignated 534th Air Defense Group on 21 January 1953
- Activated on 16 February 1953
- Inactivated on 18 August 1955
- Disbanded on 27 September 1984
Assignments
- Unknown, 21 May 1945 - 17 October 1945 (probably Air Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations)
- 4706th Defense Wing (later 4706th Air Defense Wing), 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955[3]
Stations
- Italy, 21 May 1945 - 1945
- Pyote Army Air Field, TX, 1945 - 17 October 1945
- Kinross AFB, MI, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Components
Operational Squadron
- 438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 27 April 1953 – 18 August 1955
Support Units
- 534th Air Base Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 534th Materiel Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955[6]
- 534th Medical Squadron (later 534th USAF Infirmary),[7] 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 784th Air Materiel Squadron, 21 May 1945 - 17 October 1945
- 960th Air Engineering Squadron, 21 May 1945 - 17 October 1945
Aircraft
- F-89D 1953-1955
- F-94B 1953
See also
References
Notes
- ^ a b Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. p. 208.
- ^ Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
- ^ a b c Cornett, Lloyd H (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 83.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|url+=ignored (help) - ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p.128
- ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 543. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p.147
- ^ a b See Abstract, History of 534th USAF Infirmary, Jan-Jun 1055 (accessed 23 June 2012)
- ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 370. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 507th Air Refueling Wing
- ^ Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956., p.6
- ^ Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 Sep 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)
- Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
- Cornett, Lloyd H (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
Further Reading
- Grant, C.L., (1961) The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126
- Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense (PDF). Vol. Vol I. 1945-1955. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN 13 9781437921311.
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