515th Air Defense Group

Last updated

515th Air Defense Group
Air Defense Command.svg
F-86D and Mighty Mouse.jpg
Active1944–1945, 1953–1955
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Type Fighter Interceptor
Role Air Defense
Part of Air Defense Command

The 515th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division, stationed at Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II in Italy, and then redeployed to Okinawa, where it continued that mission until it was inactivated in 1945.

Contents

The group was activated once again in 1953, when Air Defense Command (ADC) established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 343d Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.

History

World War II

The group was activated as the 515th Air Service Group in late 1944 [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. The unit was designed to support a single combat group. [2] Its 941st Air Engineering Squadron [3] provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 765th Air Materiel Squadron [4] handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support. [2] It supported one combat group in Italy. In May 1945, the group assumed responsibility for supporting units that were redeploying from the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. [5] It moved to the Pacific Theater and provided the same support on Okinawa until inactivated in 1945. The 515th was disbanded in 1948. [6]

Cold War

Northrop F-89 Scorpion as flown by the 515th Air Defense Group Northrop F-89 Scorpion in JBER 2.jpg
Northrop F-89 Scorpion as flown by the 515th Air Defense Group

The group was redesignated as an air defense group, reconstituted and activated at Duluth Municipal Airport in 1953 [7] with responsibility for air defense of Great Lakes area.[ citation needed ] It was assigned the 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Duluth Airport, and flying World War II era North American F-51 Mustangs [8] as its operational component. [9] The 11th FIS had been assigned directly to the 31st Air Division. [9] The group replaced 73rd Air Base Squadron as the USAF host unit at Duluth Airport. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities. [10] [11]

The 11th FIS converted to Mighty Mouse rocket armed and airborne intercept radar equipped North American F-86D Sabres in the fall of 1953. [8] The squadron began flying two-seat Northrop F-89 Scorpions in June 1955. [8] The group was inactivated and replaced by the 343d Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955 [7] [12] 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. [13] The 515th was disbanded once again in 1984. [14]

Lineage

Activated on 28 December 1944 [1]
Inactivated on 29 October 1945
Disbanded on 8 October 1948
Activated on 16 February 1953
Inactivated on 18 August 1955
Disbanded on 27 September 1984

Assignments

Stations

Components

Aircraft

Commanders

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">521st Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 521st Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division at Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as the 521st Air Service Group, a support unit for the 310th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">514th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 514th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as a support group for the 319th Bombardment Group in Italy at the end of World War II. After the end of combat in Europe, it deployed to Okinawa, where it was inactivated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">530th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 530th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 9th Air Division at Geiger Field, Washington, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 530th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 301st Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it continued to support the 301st until it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">567th Cyberspace Operations Group</span> Military unit

The 567th Cyberspace Operations Group is a United States Air Force organization at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, assigned to the 67th Cyberspace Wing. It was activated in June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">503rd Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 503d Air Defense Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Portland International Airport, Oregon. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">529th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 529th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division at Paine Field, Washington, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 529th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 2d Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then acted as a depot organization until inactivating in 1946. It was reactivated later that year and served at Dow Field, Maine as the support unit for the 14th Fighter Group, serving until it was replaced in the Wing Base reorganization of 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">525th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 525th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4710th Air Defense Wing at New Castle County Airport, Delaware, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 525th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to Maine, where it supported redeploying units until it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">533d Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 533d Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division at Oxnard Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 533d Air Service Group, a support unit for the 483d Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">501st Combat Support Group</span> Military unit

The 501st Combat Support Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was last active as part of the 501st Tactical Missile Wing at RAF Greenham Common, England, where it provided support for the wing and tenant organizations as the host organization for Greenham Common rom 1982 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">520th Air Defense Group</span> Disbanded United States Air Force organization

The 520th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4706th Air Defense Wing at Truax Field, Wisconsin, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as the 520th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 340th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">502d Air Defense Group</span> Disbanded United States Air Force organization

The 502d Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 4708th Air Defense Wing, at Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">518th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

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, where it was inactivated in 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">516th Air Defense Group</span> Disbanded USAF organization

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">528th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 528th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4711th Air Defense Wing at Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 528th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 97th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">534th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 534th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4706th Air Defense Wing at Kinross Air Force Base, Michigan where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as the 534th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">564th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 564th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4707th Air Defense Wing, at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as the 564th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">519th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 519th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4709th Air Defense Wing, stationed at Suffolk County Air Force Base, New York, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as the 519th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 485th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">566th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 566th Air Defense Group is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 28th Air Division at Hamilton Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 566th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">500th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 500th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with the 4708th Air Defense Wing at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania. It was last active on 18 August 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">527th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 527th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4708th Air Defense Wing at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, whre it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 527th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 461st Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Abstract, History 515 Air Service Group Dec 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  2. 1 2 Coleman, p. 208
  3. "Abstract, History 941 Air Engineering Squadron Dec 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  4. "Abstract, History 765 Air Materiel Squadron Dec 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  5. "Abstract, History 515 Air Service Group May 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  6. Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
  7. 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, p. 82
  8. 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, p. 114
  9. 1 2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 62
  10. 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, p.147
  11. 1 2 See "Abstract, History 515 Infirmary Jul–Dec 1953". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  12. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 221
  13. Buss, Sturm, Volan & McMullen, p.6
  14. Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 September 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
  15. "Abstract, History 515 Air Service Group Jan 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 5 January 2012.

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Further reading