566th Air Defense Group

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 a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.

566th Air Defense Group
Cannon armed F-89 of the 84th FIS at Hamilton AFB
Active1944–1945; 1952–1955
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeFighter Interceptor
RoleAir Defense
Part ofAir Defense Command

The group was activated once again in 1952 to replace the support elements of the inactivating 78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. A year later ADC established it as an operational headquarters for fighter-interceptor squadrons as well. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 78th 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 at Robins Field, Georgia toward the end of World War II as the 566th Air Service Group in 1944 and trained to support a single combat group.[1] Its 984th Air Engineering Squadron[2] would provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 1004th Air Materiel Squadron[2] would handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron would provide other support.[1] The group was inactivated before it could be deployed overseas.[3] It was disbanded in 1948.[4]

Cold War

During the Cold War the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 566th Air Base Group, and activated at Hamilton Air Force Base, California in 1952[5] in a major reorganization of Air Defense Command (ADC) responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying fighter squadrons to best advantage.[6] It replaced the 78th Air Base Group as host unit for Hamilton. The 566th was assigned eight squadrons and one flight to perform its support responsibilities.[7][8][9][10] The group also assumed responsibility to maintain aircraft stationed at Hamilton from the inactivating 78th Maintenance & Supply Group,[11] while the operational elements of the 78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing[12] were assigned to the 28th Air Division.

Lockheed F-94Cs of the 84th FIS
F-86Ds of the 496th FIS

The 566th was redesignated the 566th Air Defense Group[5] and assumed responsibility for air defense of the Northern California. It was assigned the 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying 20mm cannon armed and airborne intercept radar equipped Northrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft[13] from the 28th Air Division as its operational element.[14] The 84th FIS was already stationed at Hamilton.[14] In March, a second operational squadron, the 496th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was activated at Hamilton and assigned to the group.[15]

The 496th FIS was initially equipped with outmoded World War II era North American F-51 Mustang Aircraft.[16] In April, the 83rd FIS traded its Scorpions for Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft.[13] and to later model Starfire, armed with Mighty Mouse rockets, before the end of the year.[13] The 496th FIS, in turn, converted to North American F-86 Sabres (also with radar and Mighty Mouse rockets) during 1953.[16] In February 1954, the 325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, California, also flying Sabres,[17] was assigned to the group.[18] Ten days after its assignment, the 325th FIS moved from Travis to Hamilton.[18] A few months later, in July, the group once again had only two operational squadrons when the 496th FIS transferred to Europe and was assigned elsewhere.[15]

The 566th was inactivated[5] and replaced by the 78th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 18 August 1955[19] as result 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.[20] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.[21]

Lineage
  • Constituted as 566th Air Service Group in 1944
Activated on 7 December 1944[2]
Inactivated on ca. 14 August 1945
Disbanded on 8 October 1948
  • Reconstituted and redesignated as: 566th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952
Activated on 1 February 1952
Redesignated as 566th Air Defense Group on 16 February 1953
Inactivated on 18 August 1955

Assignments
  • Warner Robins Air Technical Service Command, 7 December 1944 – ca. 14 August 1945[2]
  • 4702d Defense Wing, 1 February 1952[5]
  • 28th Air Division 7 November 1952 – 18 August 1955[5]

Stations
  • Robins Field, Georgia, 7 December 1944 – ca. 14 August 1945
  • Hamilton Air Force Base, California, 1 February 1952 – 18 August 1955

Components

Operational Squadrons and Flight
  • 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955[22]
  • 325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 February 1954 – 18 August 1955
  • 496th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 20 March 1953 – 1 July 1954
  • 13th Crash Rescue Boat Flight, 7 November 1952 – 18 August 1955

Support Squadrons

Aircraft
  • North American F-51D Mustang, 1953
  • North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1954
  • North American F-86E Sabre, 1954–1955
  • Northrop F-89B Scorpion, 1953
  • Lockheed F-94B Starfighter, 1953
  • Lockheed F-94C Starfighter, 1953–1955

Commanders
  • Lt Col. Charles E. Stiven, 7 December 1944 – ca. April 1945[2]
  • Lt Col. Charles W. Coleman, ca. April 1945 – ca. 14 August 1945
  • Unknown 1952 – 1955
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See also

References

Notes
  1. Coleman, p. 208
  2. "Abstract, History 566 Air Service Group Dec 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  3. Coleman, p. 215
  4. Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
  5. Cornett & Johnson, p. 84
  6. Grant, p. 33
  7. Cornett & Johnson, p. 134
  8. Cornett & Johnson, p. 151
  9. See "Abstract, History 566 Medical Squadron Jan–Jun 1953". Air Force History Index. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  10. See "Abstract, History 566 Food Service Squadron Feb–Mar 1952". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  11. Cornett & Johnson p.141
  12. Kane, Robert B. (4 February 2010). "Factsheet 78 Air Base Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  13. Cornett & Johnson, p.120
  14. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 293
  15. Maurer, Combat Squadrons p. 598
  16. Cornett & Johnson, p. 130
  17. Cornett & Johnson, p. 126
  18. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p.400-401
  19. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 143
  20. Buss, Sturm, Volan, & McMullen, p.6
  21. Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 September 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
  22. Bailey, Carl E. (8 March 2010). "Factsheet 84 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  23. See "Abstract, History 19 WAF Squadron Apr–Jun 1952". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  24. See "Abstract, History 566 and 78 Hospitals Jul–Dec 1955". Air Force History Index. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2012.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

Further reading
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