4704th Defense Wing
4704th Defense Wing
McChord Air Force Base |
---|
The 4704th Defense Wing is a discontinued
wings responsible for a base with wings responsible for a geographical area. It commanded three fighter interceptor squadrons initially, and added three more squadrons before the end of the year. In early 1953 it added several radar squadrons in the Pacific Northwest, one of which was an Air National Guard squadron mobilized for the Korean War. When it was discontinued in the fall of 1954 its units transferred to the 25th Air Division
.
History
The
F-86 Sabre aircraft.[5] The Wing's mission was to train and maintain tactical flying units in state of readiness to destroy enemy aircraft in order to defend Northwest United States.[9] It also oversaw the transfer of Air Force facilities at Portland AFB from Tactical Air Command (TAC) to ADC in March 1952.[10] It managed supporting units at McChord AFB for the 25th Air Division,[11] and controlled host support squadrons at dispersed fighter
bases.
Additional fighter squadrons were assigned to the wing during 1952. In March, the
357th FIS.[15] A final fighter squadron, the 323d FIS at Larson AFB, which was assigned to the 25th Air Division, was briefly attached to the wing at the end of 1952.[16]
At the beginning of 1953, the wing added the aircraft detection, warning and control mission, when six
689th AC&W Sq.[22]
The wing was discontinued in 1954 and its equipment and personnel were transferred to other ADC units at McChord. Its subordinate air defense groups were then assigned directly to the 25th Air Division.[6][20][21]
Lineage
- Designated as the 4704th Defense Wing and organized on 1 February 1952
- Discontinued on 8 October 1954
Assignments
- Western Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952[1]
- 25th Air Division, 10 December 1952 – 8 October 1954[1]
Components
Groups
- 503rd Air Defense Group
- Portland International Airport (formerly Portland AFB), 16 February 1953 – 8 October 1954
- 529th Air Defense Group
- Paine Field (formerly Paine AFB), 16 February 1953 – 8 October 1954
- 567th Air Base Group (later 567th Air Defense Group), 1 February 1952 – 8 October 1954
Squadrons
Fighter Squadrons
Support Squadrons
|
Radar Squadrons
|
Stations
- McChord AFB, Washington, 1 February 1952 – 8 October 1954
Commanders
- Col. Alan T. Bennett, 1 February 1952 – ca. 1 January 1953[10]
- Col. Loring F. Stetson, Jr., ca. 1 January 1953 – unknown[11]
Aircraft
- F-84G, 1953
- F-86D, 1953–1954
- F-86F, 1952–1953
- F-89B, 1952–1953
- F-94A, 1952–1954
- F-94B, 1952–1953
See also
- List of MAJCOM wings of the United States Air Force
- List of United States Air Force Aerospace Defense Command Interceptor Squadrons
- List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons
- United States general surveillance radar stations
References
Notes
- ^ a b c Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 66. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- ^ Grant, C.L., The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, (1961), USAF Historical Study No. 126, p. 33
- ^ ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- ^ ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
- ^ a b c Cornett & Johnson, p. 122
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 85
- ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
- ^ Cornett & Johnson, pp. 124–125
- ^ Abstract, History of 4704th Def Wg, Apr–Jun 1952 (accessed 17 February 2012)
- ^ a b Abstract, History of 4704th Def Wg, Feb–Mar 1952 (accessed 17 February 2012)
- ^ a b Abstract, history of 4704th Def Wg, Jan–Jun 1953 (accessed 17 February 2012)
- ^ a b c Cornett & Johnson, p. 119
- ^ Maurer, p. 287
- ^ a b Maurer, p. 290
- ^ a b Maurer, p. 445
- ^ Maurer, p. 398
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 155
- ^ a b c Cornett & Johnson. p. 95
- ^ a b c d e Cornett & Johnson. pp. 164–65
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 81
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 83
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 161
- ^ Factsheet, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron Archived 22 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 3 March 2012)
- ^ Factsheet, 357th Fighter Squadron Archived 13 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 9 March 2012)
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
Further reading
- Grant, C.L., The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, (1961), USAF Historical Study No. 126
- Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense (PDF). Vol. I. 1945–1955. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN 978-1-4379-2131-1. Archived from the original(PDF) on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
- Winkler, David F.; Webster, Julie L (1997). Searching the skies: The legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program. Champaign, IL: US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. ]