| 634th Radar Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 634th Radar Squadron | |
| Active | 1947-1952, 1953-1974 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Type | General Radar Surveillance |
The 634th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Lake Charles Air Force Station, Louisiana. It was inactivated on 1 July 1974.
The unit was a General Surveillance Radar squadron providing for the air defense of the United States. It was first activated at McChord AFB, WA as an aircraft control squadron to operate the 505th Aircraft Control & Warning Group's Air Defense Control Center for the Provisional Northwestern Air Defense Sector. [1] It soon moved to the Lashup radar site L-31 at Everett, WA (later Paine Field) and added the detection and control mission as well. It was inactivated in the general reorganization of Air Defense Command (ADC) in February 1952. It was soon reactivated and performed the same mission at the mobile site M-118 at Burns AFS, OR. Became part of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment system in 1962. Inactivated in 1970.
The Squadron was activated again in 1973 to replace Operating Location F of the 630th Radar Squadron at Lake Charles AFS as part of the Southern Air Defense System (SADS). [2] SADS had been established because of the inadequacy of the radar coverage to the south of the United States that had been dramatically illustrated whan a Cuban MiG-17 went undetected before it landed at Homestead AFB, [2] and two years later, an An-24 similarly arrived unannounced at New Orleans International Airport. [2] As a result, ADC established SADS with the squadron operating a manual control center at the Houston ARTCC and added radars to supplement the existing Federal Aviation Administration coverage in the area. [2] However, the squadron was inactivated little more than a year later. [3]
Assignments [3]
Stations
The 4704th Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at McChord Air Force Base, Washington, where it was discontinued in 1954. It was established in 1952 at McChord in a general reorganization of ADC, which replaced 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.
The United States Air Force's 505th Command and Control Wing is organized under the United States Air Force Warfare Center. The wing is dedicated to improving readiness through integrated training, tactics development and operational testing for command and control of air, space and cyberspace. It hosts the Air Force's only Air Operations Center Formal Training Unit at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The Southwest Air Defense Sector (SWADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 31 December 1994.
Bedford Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 12.7 miles (20.4 km) north of Bedford, Virginia. It was closed in 1975.
Palermo Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force (USAF) General Surveillance Radar station. It was located in Palermo, New Jersey, 4.8 miles (7.7 km) north of Sea Isle City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It was closed in 1970.
Caswell Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 4.3 miles (6.9 km) north of Limestone, Maine. It was closed in 1980.
The 645th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 April 1976.
The 635th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Dauphin Island Air Force Station, Alabama. It was inactivated on 1 July 1974. The unit was a General Surveillance Radar squadron providing for the air defense of the United States.
Omaha Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 7.5 miles (12.1 km) north of Omaha, Nebraska. It was closed in 1968.
The 777th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Northwest Air Defense Sector, Tactical Air Command, stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. It was inactivated on 15 September 1991.
Condon Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 5.7 miles (9.2 km) west of Condon, Oregon. It was closed in 1970.
Curlew Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 16 miles (26 km) north of Republic, Washington. It was closed in 1959.
Colville Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 14.7 miles (23.7 km) east-northeast of Colville, Washington. It was closed in 1961.
Othello Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 7.2 miles (11.6 km) south of Othello, Washington. It was the home station of the 637th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron and the 637th Air Defense Group, closing in 1975.
Mica Peak Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located atop Mica Peak, 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east-northeast of Mica, Washington. It was closed in 1975 by the Air Force, and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The 637th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 25th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Othello Air Force Station, Washington.
Blaine Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south of Blaine, Washington. It was closed in 1979.
Makah Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 2.4 miles (3.9 km) south of Neah Bay, Washington. It was closed in 1988 by the Air Force, and turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Naselle Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 3.9 miles (6.3 km) north of Naselle, Washington. It was decommissioned by the Air Force in 1966 and later used for commercial and recreational uses.
The 503d Aircraft Control and Warning Group (AC&WG) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 26th Air Division at Roslyn AFS New York. It was inactivated in 1952.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .
