518th Air Defense Group
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518th Air Defense Group
| 518th 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 518th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4707th Air Defense Wing, stationed at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.
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Contents
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History
The group was activated as the 518th 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. It was designed to support a single combat group.[2] Its 944th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 768th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[2] Supported the 465th Bombardment Group in Italy. The group moved to the Caribbean and provided support for flying units redeploying from Europe to the United States. It was disbanded in 1948.[3]
The 518th group was reconstituted, redesignated as an air defense group, and activated at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport in 1953 [4] with responsibility for air defense of Niagara Falls, Toronto, Western and upper New York area.[citation needed] It was assigned the 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Niagara Falls, and flying World War II era F-47 Thunderbolts[5] as its operational component.[6] The 47th FIS had been assigned to the 4708th Defense Wing.[6] Converted the same month to F-86 Sabre aircraft.[5] The 47th FIS upgraded to a later radar equipped and rocket armed version of the "Sabre" in September 1953,[5] but its replacement aircraft not delivered until early 1954.[5] The group replaced 76th Air Base Squadron as the active duty USAF host unit at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[7] The group was replaced by the 15th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[8][4] as part 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] The 518th group was disbanded once again in 1984.[10]
Lineage
- Constituted as 518th Air Service Group
- Activated on 25 January 1945
- Inactivated on 31 July 1945
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948
- Reconstituted and redesignated 518th Air Defense Group on 21 January 1953
- Activated on 16 February 1953
- Inactivated on 18 August 1955
- Disbanded on 27 September 1984
Assignments
- Unknown 25 Jan 1945 - 1945 (probably Air Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations)
- Caribbean Division, Air Transport Command 1945 - 31 July 1945
- 4707th Defense Wing (later 4707th Air Defense Wing), 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Stations
- Pantanella Airfield, Italy 25 January 1945 - 1945
- Waller Field, Trinidad 1945 - 31 July 1945
- Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
Components
- 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
- 518th Air Base Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 518th Materiel Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 518th Medical Squadron (later 518th USAF Infirmary), 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
- 768th Air Materiel Squadron, 25 January 1945 - 31 July 1945
- 944th Air Engineering Squadron, 25 January 1945 - 31 July 1945
Aircraft
- F-47D, 1953
- F-86A, 1953 (-1954)
- F-86D, 1953 (1954)-1955
See Also
References
- ^ see Abstract, History of 518th Air Service Group, Jan 1945-Jul 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 & Johnson, p.82
- ^ a b c d 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. 115. http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf.
- ^ 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. 206. 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. 59. 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
- AFHRA Factsheet, 15th Wing (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
- AFHRA Factsheet, 47th Fighter Squadron (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
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