| 575th Air Defense Group | |
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| Active | 1946-1947, 1953–1955 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air Defense |
| Part of | Air Defense Command |
The 575th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4708th Air Defense Wing, being stationed at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.
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The group was activated in 1946 as the 575th Air Service Group to Support the 4th Fighter Group at Selfridge Field, MI. Its 1044th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the fighter group, its 1054th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[1] The group transferred on paper to Andrews Field, MD, where it was inactivated in 1947.[2] It was disbanded in 1948.[3]
The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 575th Air Base Group, and activated at Selfridge AFB in 1952.[4] It replaced the 56th Air Base Group as the USAF host unit for Selfridge. The group was assigned seven squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[5] Also maintained aircraft stationed at Selfridge.[6]
The group was redesignated as the 575th Air Defense Group in 1953[4] and assumed responsibility for air defense of the upper Great Lakes area.[citation needed] It was assigned the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying F-86 Sabre aircraft[7] 61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying F-94 Starfire aircraft,[8] and 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying World War II era F-51 Mustang aircraft[9] from the 4708th Defense Wing as its operational elements.[10][11][12] The three squadrons were already stationed at Selfridge.[10][11][12] In May 1953, the 431st FIS converted to Sabres[13] and the following month moved to Libya and was assigned away from the group.[12] Meanwhile, in April 1953, the 13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying a newer radar equipped model of the F-86 aircraft[14] was activated as a fourth operational squadron.[15] In July the 56th FIS upgraded to newer radar equipped "Sabres,"[8] so that when the 61st FIS moved to Newfoundland and was transferred out of the group in August,[11] all squadrons of the 575th were flying the same aircraft, the F-86D, for the first time. The group was inactivated[4] and replaced by 1st Fighter Group(Air Defense) in 1955[16] 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.[17] It was disbanded again in 1984.[18]
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Operational Squadrons
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Support Squadrons
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