515th Air Defense Group
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515th Air Defense Group
| 515th Air Defense Group
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| Active | 1944-1945, 1953–1955 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air Defense |
| Part of | Air Defense Command |
The 515th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division, stationed at Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.
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Contents
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History
The group was activated as the 515th Air Service Group in late 1944[1] as part of 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. Designed to support a single combat group.[2] Its 941st Air Engineering Squadron[3] provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 765th Air Materiel Squadron[4] handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[2] It supported one combat group in Italy. In May 1945, the group assumed responsibility for supporting units that were redeploying from the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.[5] It moved to the Pacific Theater and provided the same support on Okinawa until inactivated in 1945. Disbanded in 1948.[6]
The group was redesignated as an air defense group, reconstituted and activated at Duluth Municipal Airport in 1953[7] with responsibility for air defense of Great Lakes area.[citation needed] Assigned the 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Duluth Airport, and flying World War II era F-51 Mustangs[8] as its operational component.[9] The 11th FIS had been assigned directly to the 31st Air Division.[9] The 11th FIS converted to F-86 Sabres in the fall of 1953.[8] The squadron began Flying F-89 Scorpions in June 1955.[8] The group replaced 73rd Air Base Squadron as USAF host unit at Duluth Airport. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[10] Its mission was to provide air defense of Great Lakes area. The group was inactivated and replaced by 343d Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[11][7] as part of ADC'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.[12] Disbanded once again in 1984.[13]
Lineage
- Constituted as 515th Air Service Group
- Activated on 28 December 1944
- Inactivated on 29 October 1945
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948
- Reconstituted and redesignated 515th Air Defense Group on 21 January 1953
- Activated on 16 February 1953
- Inactivated on 18 August 1955
- Disbanded on 27 September 1984
Assignments
- Air Force Servic Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, 28 December 1944 - 1945
- Unknown, 1945 - 29 October 1945
- 31st Air Division, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Stations
- Pomigliano d'Arco Airfield, Italy 28 December 1944 - 1945
- Okinawa, 1945 - 29 October 1945
- Duluth Municipal Airport, MN, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Components
- 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
- 515th Air Base Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 515th Materiel Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 515th Medical Squadron (later 515th USAF Infirmary), 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 765th Air Materiel Squadron 28 December 1944 - 29 October 1945
- 941st Air Engineering Squadron 28 December 1944 - 29 October 1945
Aircraft
- F-51D, 1953
- F-86D, 1953-1955
- F-89D, 1955
See Also
Commanders
- Lt Col. Fergus H. Eddy, 28 Dec 1944 - unknown[14]
- Unknown 16 Feb 1953 - 18 Aug 1955
References
- ^ Abstract, History of 515th Air Service Group, Dec 1944 (accessed 5 Jan 2012)
- ^ a b Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. p. 208.
- ^ Abstract, History of 941st Air Engineering Squadron, Dec 1944 (accessed 5 Jan 2012)
- ^ Abstract, History of 765th Air Materiel Squadron, Dec 1944 (accessed 5 Jan 2012)
- ^ Abstract, History of 515th Air Service Group, May 1945 (accessed 5 Jan 2012)
- ^ Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
- ^ a b Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 82. http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf.
- ^ a b c Cornett & Johnson, p. 114
- ^ a b Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 62. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
- ^ Cornett & Johnson, p.147
- ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 221. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf.
- ^ 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
- ^ Abstract, History of 515th Air Service Group, Jan 1945 (accessed 5 Jan 2012)
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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