Syracuse Air Defense Sector

External image
External image
	SAGE facilities

Syracuse Air Defense Sector
Syracuse Air Defense Sector
	Syracuse Air Defense Sector Area of Responsibility
Active	1956–1963
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Air defense
Insignia
Syracuse Air Defense Sector emblem

Last updated February 18, 2025

The Syracuse Air Defense Sector (SADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command (ADC) 26th Air Division at Hancock Field, New York.

SADS was established in October 1956 as the 4624th Air Defense Wing, SAGE at Syracuse Air Force Station (AFS), New York, assuming control of former ADC Eastern Air Defense Force units primarily in western New York, most of Pennsylvania and a small portion of western Maryland and eastern West Virginia.^[1] It controlled several aircraft and radar squadrons.

On 15 August 1958 the new Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center (DC-03) and Combat Center (CC-01) became operational. 43°07′19″N076°06′01″W / 43.12194°N 76.10028°W / 43.12194; -76.10028 (SADS-SAGE DC-03, CC-01) DC-03 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. The day-to-day operations of the command were to train and maintain tactical units flying jet interceptor aircraft (F-89 Scorpion, F-101 Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger) and operating radars and interceptor missiles (CIM-10 Bomarc)in a state of readiness with training missions and a series of exercises with Strategic Air Command and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft. In early 1958, Syracuse AFS was renamed Hancock Field.

The sector was inactivated on 4 September 1963 when the 26th Air Division headquarters moved to Hancock Field and the Syracuse Sector, in a realignment of sector boundaries, merged with the Boston Air Defense Sector.

Lineage

Designated as 4624th Air Defense Wing, SAGE and organized on 1 October 1956

Redesignated Syracuse Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957

Inactivated on 4 September 1963

Assignments

32nd Air Division, 1 October 1956
26th Air Division, 15 August 1958 – 4 September 1963

Stations

Syracuse AFS, (later Hancock Field) New York, 1 October 1956 – 4 September 1963

Components

15th Fighter Group (Air Defense)^[2]

Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York, 1 September 1958 – 1 July 1960

49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron ^[3]

Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, 1 August 1959 – 4 September 1963

35th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC)^[4]

Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site, New York, 1 June 1960 – 4 September 1963

Radar Squadrons

648th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 648th Radar Squadron (SAGE))^[5]

Benton AFS, Pennsylvania, 15 August 1958 – 4 September 1963

655th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 655th Radar Squadron (SAGE))^[5]

Watertown AFS, New York, 1 September 1958 – 4 September 1963

662nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 662d Radar Squadron (SAGE))^[5]

Brookfield AFS, Ohio (moved to Oakdale Army Installation), Pennsylvania in July 1960, 15 June 1960 – 4 September 1963

763rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 763d Radar Squadron (SAGE))^[6]

Lockport AFS, New York, 1 September 1958 – 4 September 1963

772nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 772d Radar Squadron (SAGE))^[6]

Claysburg AFS, Pennsylvania, 15 August 1958 – 1 May 1961

Weapons Systems

F-89J, 1959-1959
F-101B, 1959-1963
F-102A, 1958-1960
IM-99 (later CIM-10), 1960-1963

References

Notes

Explanatory Notes

↑ Approved 20 April 1960. Description: Per bend Gules and Azure, on a bend Argent three flight symbols of the second [color mentioned] between in chief two lightning flashes and in base an atom symbol of three orbits, those fesswise and bend sinister positions bearing each two mullets Or, all within a diminished border of the third [color mentioned]. Significance: The emblem is symbolic of the sector and its mission. The blue field of the shield represents the air space and its area of responsibility, and the red field represents combat and the airmen who stand alert and ready to go forth into battle. The blue flight symbols represent the weapons launched for the preservation of peace. The lightning bolts symbolize the capacity to gather and transmit information electronically throughout the airspace of the command, and the electronic symbol indicates the capacity to assimilate and resolve information by electronic means and to direct the weapons in the solution of the air battle. The emblem bears the Air Force colors, ultramarine blue and golden yellow, and the national colors, red, white, and blue.

Citations

↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 37 (map)
↑ Factsheet, 15th Air Base Wing Archived 2014-04-22 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 5 Feb 2012)
↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 213
↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 150
1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, pp. 156-58
1 2 Cornett & Johnson, pp. 165-67

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 26 June 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense (PDF). Vol. II, 1955–1972. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN 9781437921311.
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.
Redmond, Kent C.; Smith, Thomas M. (2000). From Whirlwind to MITRE: The R&D Story of The SAGE Air Defense Computer. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-18201-0.
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. LCCN 97020912.^{[ dead link ‍]}* Radomes.org Syracuse Air Defense Sector

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[1] Approved 20 April 1960. Description: Per bend Gules and Azure, on a bend Argent three flight symbols of the second [color mentioned] between in chief two lightning flashes and in base an atom symbol of three orbits, those fesswise and bend sinister positions bearing each two mullets Or, all within a diminished border of the third [color mentioned]. Significance: The emblem is symbolic of the sector and its mission. The blue field of the shield represents the air space and its area of responsibility, and the red field represents combat and the airmen who stand alert and ready to go forth into battle. The blue flight symbols represent the weapons launched for the preservation of peace. The lightning bolts symbolize the capacity to gather and transmit information electronically throughout the airspace of the command, and the electronic symbol indicates the capacity to assimilate and resolve information by electronic means and to direct the weapons in the solution of the air battle. The emblem bears the Air Force colors, ultramarine blue and golden yellow, and the national colors, red, white, and blue.

[2] Cornett & Johnson, p. 37 (map)

[3] Factsheet, 15th Air Base Wing Archived 2014-04-22 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 5 Feb 2012)

[4] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 213

[5] Cornett & Johnson, p. 150

[cj156-6] 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, pp. 156-58

[cj165-7] 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, pp. 165-67

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