516th Air Defense Group
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516th Air Defense Group
| 516th Air Defense Group
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|---|---|
 516th Air Defense Group |
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| Active | 1945, 1953–1955 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air Defense |
| Part of | Air Defense Command |
The 516th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 35th Air Division at McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.
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Contents
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History
The group was first activated as the 516th Air Service Group in Italy in early 1945[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 942nd Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 766th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[2] Supported the 460th Bombardment Group in Italy[3], then moved to Trinidad and supported flying units redeploying from Europe to the United States until inactivated in the Caribbean. It was disbanded in 1948.[4]
The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 516th Air Defense Group, and activated at McGhee-Tyson Airport in 1953 [5] with responsibility for air defense of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Alcoa Aluminum Facilities and TVA dam infastruture in the Tennessee Valley.[citation needed] The group was assigned the 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at McGhee-Tyson Airport, and flying World War II era F-47 Thunderbolts[6] as its operational component.[6] The 469th FIS had been assigned directly to the 35th Air Division.[6] The 469th FIS replaced its "Thunderbolts" with F-86 "Sabres" in July 1953[6] The group teplaced the 74th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at McGhee-Tyson Airport. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[7]
In March 1954, the 469th FIS was joined by the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also flying "Sabres".[6][8] The group was inactivated[5] and replaced by the 355th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[9] 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.[10] Disbanded again in 1984.[11]
Lineage
- Constituted as 516th Air Service Group
- Activated on 25 Jan 1945
- Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945
- Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948
- Reconstituted and redesignated 516th Air Defense Group on 21 Jan 1953
- Activated on 16 Feb 1953
- Inactivated on 18 August 1955
- Disbanded on 27 Sep 1984
Assignments
- Unknown, 25 Jan 1945 - 1945 (probably Air Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations)
- Caribbean Division, Air Transport Command, 1945 - 26 Sep 1945
- 35th Air Division, 1 January 1952 – 18 August 1955
Stations
- Spinazzola Airfield, Italy 26 Jan 1945 - ca. March 1945[1]
- Garagnone, Italy, ca. March 1945 - ca June 1945[3]
- Waller Field, Trinidad ca. June 1945 - 26 Sep 1945
- McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee, 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955
Components
- 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18 March 1954 – 18 August 1955
- 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955
- 516th Air Base Squadron 16 Feb 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 516th Materiel Squadron 16 Feb 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 516th Medical Squadron (later 516th USAF Dispensary) 16 Feb 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 766th Air Materiel Squadron 26 Jan 1945 - 26 Sep 1945
- 942nd Air Engineering Squadron 26 Jan 1945 - 26 Sep 1945
Aircraft
- F-47D, 1953
- F-47N, 1953
- F-86A, 1953-1954
- F-86D, 1954-1955
Commanders
- Lt Col. Robert L. Wehr, 25 January 1945 - March 1945[1][3]
- Lt Col. D. Ross Ellis, March 1945 - 1945
- Unknown 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
See Also
References
- ^ a b c Abstract, History of 516th Air Service Group, Feb 1945 (accessed 6 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.
- ^ a b c Abstract, History of 516th Air Service Group, Mar 1945 (accessed 6 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 d e Cornett & Johnson, p. 129
- ^ Cornett & Johnson, p.147
- ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 567. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
- ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 237. 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
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
External links
- Factsheet, 355th Fighter Wing (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
- Factsheet, 460th Space Wing (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
- Factsheet, 469th Flying Training Squadron (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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