4708th Air Defense Wing

The 4708th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Selfridge Air Force Base (AFB), Michigan. It was discontinued on 18 October 1956.

History

The 4708th Defense Wing was organized at the beginning of February 1952 at Selfridge AFB, Michigan as part of a major reorganization of ADC^[1] to assume operational control and the air defense mission of fighter squadrons formerly assigned to the inactivating 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (FIW).^[2][3] The 61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying F-94 Starfire aircraft, and the 172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying World War II era F-51 Mustang aircraft were located at Selfridge, while the 63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying F-86 Sabre aircraft, was located at Oscoda AFB. The 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, flying World War II era F-47 Thunderbolt aircraft was also transferrred to the wing from the 101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, ^[4] and the 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, another F-86 unit, was transferred from the 1st Fighter-Interceptor Wing.^[5] The support elements of the 56th FIW's 56th Air Base Group and 56th Maintenance & Supply Group were replaced at Selfridge by the wing's 575th Air Base Group, and air base squadrons were activated at each of the dispersed locations assigned to the wing to support the fighter squadrons at those stations.^[6] The wing's mission was to train and maintain tactical units in a state of readiness to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft attempting to penetrate the air defense system in the Great Lakes area.^[7]

In July 1952, units at Oscoda AFB were transferred to the 4706th Defense Wing, while in the following month, the 166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, at Youngstown Municipal Airport, where it flew F-84 Thunderjet aircraft was transferred from the 4706th. In November, the federalized Air National Guard (ANG) squadrons were returned to state control. The 136th FIS was returned to the New York ANG and replaced by the 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, the 166th FIS was returned to the Ohio ANG and replaced by the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, and the 172nd FIS was returned to the Michigan ANG, and replaced by the 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.^[8][9] Another F-51 squadron, the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was activated at Selfridge later that month. although it converted to F-86 aircraft by the start of 1953.^{[10] [11]}

In February 1953, another major reorganization of ADC activated Air Defense Groups (Air Def Gp) at ADC bases with dispersed fighter squadrons. These groups were assigned to the wing and assumed direct control of the fighter squadrons at those bases, as well as support squadrons to carry out their role as the USAF host organizations at the bases. As a result of this reorganization, the 575th Air Base Group was redesignated the 575th Air Def Gp and assumed control of the fighter squadrons at Selfridge, while the 500th Air Defense Group at Pittsburgh and the 502d Air Defense Group at Youngstown controlled the squadrons at these locations^[12]. Oscoda AFB (now renamed Wurtsmith AFB)^[13], where the 527th Air Defense Group was activated,^[14] returned to the control of the wing. Although the 518th Air Defense Group took over operations at Niagara Falls,^[14]it was assigned to another wing.^[14] The reorganization also resulted in the wing adding the detection, control and warning mission, and it was assigned eight Aircraft Control & Warning Squadrons (AC&W Sq) in the United States and Canada to perform this mission.^{[15][16][17][18][19][20]} In November it added an additional AC&W Sq.^[20]

In 1955, ADC implemented 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. ^[21] As a result of this project, the 500th Air Def Gp was replaced by the 54th Fighter Group (Air Defense), the 502nd Air Def Gp was replaced by the 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense), the 527th Air Def Gp was replaced by the 412th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and the 575th Air Def Gp was replaced by the 1st Fighter Group (Air Defense).^[22][23]

In March 1956, the 4711th Air Defense Wing moved to Selfridge from Presque Isle AFB, Maine and three of the wing's AC&W Sqs were assigned to it.^[16][19][20] Niagara Falls briefly was assigned to the wing in this realignment.^[24] The fighter groups and remaining radar detection and control squadrons of the wing were transferred to the 30th Air Division in July.^{[15][17][18][19][20][23]} With no remaining operational mission, the wing was finally replaced by the 1st Fighter Wing (Air Defense) on 18 October 1956.^[1][25]

Lineage

• Designated as the 4708th Defense Wing and organized on 1 February 1952

Redesignated as 4708th Air Defense Wing on 1 July 1954

Discontinued on 18 October 1956

Assignments

• Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
• 30th Air Division, 16 February 1953 - 18 October 1956

Stations

• Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 1 February 1952 - 18 October 1956

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Aircraft

• F-47D, 1952
• F-51D, 1952-1953
• F-84C, 1952
• F-86A, 1952
• F-86D, 1953-1955
• F-86F, 1952-1954
• F-89D, 1955
• F-94B, 1952-1953

Commanders

• Col. George S. Brown, 1 February 1952 - ca. 31 March 1952^[7]
• Col. Francis R. Royal, ca. 1 April 1952 - 16 July 1953^[7]
• Col. George B. Greene, Jr., 16 July 1953 - unknown^[26]

See also

• List of MAJCOM wings
• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
• List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf. 
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf. 
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100921-026.pdf. 
• Ravenstein, Charles A (1984). Air Force Combat Wings', Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf. 
• Winkler, David F.; Webster, Julie L (1997). Searching the skies : the legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program. Champaign, IL: US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bn/GetTRDoc?Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf&AD=ADA331231. 

External links

	Military of the United States portal
	United States Air Force portal

• Factsheet, 1st Operations Group (accessed 7 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 15th Wing (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 53rd Test & Evaluation Group (formerly 79th Fighter Group) (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 412th Test Wing (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 47th Fighter Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 56th Training Squadron (accessed 7 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 61st Fighter Squadron (accessed 7 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 63rd Fighter Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• Factsheet, 71st Fighter Squadron (accessed 3 Mar 2012)

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