517th Air Defense Group
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517th Air Defense Group
| 517th Air Defense Group
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|---|---|
 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron North American F-86D Sabre 51-6112, Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont |
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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 517th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4711th Air Defense Wing at Ethan Allen Air Force Base, Vermont. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955
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Contents
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History
The group was activated as the 517th 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 943rd Air Engineering Squadron was to provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 767th Air Materiel Squadron to handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron to provide other support.[2] Together with the 518th Air Service Group, it supported the 464th and 465th Bombardment Groups at Pantanella Airfield[1] (the unit histories are contradictory concerning whether the 517th supported the 464th or 465th group). The group relocated to Trinidad[1] and provided support to combat units redeploying from Europe to the United States. It was disbanded in 1948.[3]
The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 517th Air Defense Group, and activated at Ethan Allan AFB in 1953[4] with responsibility for air defense of upper New England.[citation needed] It was assigned the 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Ethan Allan AFB, and flying World War II era F-51 Mustangs[5] as its operational component.[6] The 37th FIS had been assigned directly to the 4711th Defense Wing.[6] The group replaced the 75th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at the base. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[7]
The 37th FIS converted to radar equipped and rocket armed F-86 Sabres in June 1953.[5] The group was inactivated in 1955[4] and replaced by the 14th Fighter Group (Air Defense)[8] 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.[9] Disbanded once again in 1984.[10]
Lineage
- Constituted as 517th Air Service Group
- Activated on 13 January 1945
- Inactivated on 31 July 1945
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948
- Reconstituted and redesignated 517th Air Defense Group on 21 January 1953
- Activated on 16 February 1953
- Inactivated on 18 August 1955
- Disbanded on 27 September 1984
Assignments
- Unknown, 13 January 1945 - ca. 27 May 1945 (probably Air Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations)
- Caribbean Wing, Air Transport Command ca 6 June 1945 - 31 July 1945
- 4711th Defense Wing, (later 4711th Air Defense Wing), 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Stations
- Caserta, Italy 13 January 1945 - 1945
- Pantanella Airfield, Italy 1945 -27 May 1945
- Waller Field, Trinidad 16 June 1945 - 31 July 1945
- Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Components
- 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
- 517th Air Base Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 517th Materiel Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 517th Medical Squadron (later 517th USAF Infirmary), 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 767th Air Materiel Squadron 13 January 1945 - 31 July 1945
- 943rd Air Engineering Squadron 13 January 1945 - 31 July 1945
Aircraft
- F-51D, 1953
- F-86D, 1953-1955
Commanders
- Maj. William C. Richardson, ca. 13 Jan 1945 - ca. Feb 1945[11]
- Lt Col. Lloyd L. Connell, ca. Feb 1945 - after 15 Jun 1945[1]
- Unknown 16 Feb 1953 - 18 Aug 1955
See Also
- Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
- Factsheet, 14th Operations Group (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
- Factsheet, 37th Flying Training Squadron (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
References
- ^ a b c d Abstract, History of 517th Air Service Group, Jan-May 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.
- ^ 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 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. 176. 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. pp. 58. 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
- ^ History of 517th Air Service Group, Jan-Feb 1945 (accessed 6 Jan 2012)
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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