T-33A "T-Bird" F-106A Delta Dart and F-15A Eagle from the 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, McChord AFB, WA in formation near Mt Rainier in Washington State.
The command was activated on 25 October 1948[1] being the first Air Division for air defense. Its headquarters was atSilver Lake Air Warning Station, nearEverett, Washington[1] under Continental Air Forces. The 25th AD did not assume any command responsibilities until 1949 when it became an intermediate level command under theAir Defense Command,Western Air Defense Force. Its initial Area of Responsibility (AOR) was a large area of the northwestContinental United States, from the103rd meridian west and north of the42nd parallel north. This encompassed an area consisting of the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming and the western parts of North and South Dakota as well as Nebraska.
During the 1950s the AOR of the 25th AD changed frequently, but its core area always included the area of Washington State west of the Cascade Mountains. On 1 January 1951, Air Defense Command regained major command status, and the 25th AD was one of four Air Divisions assigned to the new command. Later that year, on 15 September HQ 25th AD was moved from Silver Lake toMcChord Air Force Base, nearTacoma, Washington.[1]
25th Air Division ADC/TAC/NORAD Region AOR 1966–1979
During theCold War era, the 25th AD equipped, administered, trained and provided air defense combat ready forces within the northwestern United States. It exercised command jurisdiction over assigned units, installations, and facilities and provided and maintained facilities for the Air Division control center. In addition, the division and its subordinate units also participated in numerous tactical air defense training exercises.[1] In the late 1950s, the Division also controlled United States-built radar stations in Western Canada as part of thePinetree Line. These stations were turned over to theRoyal Canadian Air Force in the early 1960s.
In May 1960, SAGE Combat Center Number 3 (CC-03) became operational at McChord, bringing these separate Direction Centers under a unified center under the 25th AD. In July, DC-16 at Stead was reassigned to the28th Air Division atHamilton Air Force Base, California and the inactivation of the Western Air Defense Force brought the 25th AD directly under the control of Air Defense Command.[1] In 1966 it was assigned to Headquarters,Fourth Air Force at Hamilton,[1] although it remained stationed at McChord. It also replaced theSeattle Air Defense Sector in 1966. Assumed additional designations of25th NORAD Region and25th CONAD Region after activation of the NORAD Combat Operations Center at theCheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado and reporting was transferred toNORAD from ADC atEnt Air Force Base in April 1966. Assumed additional designation25th ADCOM Region on 8 December 1978.
25th Air Division/Northwest Air Defense Sector AOR, 1987–1990
The division was a major part of Air Defense Command, and later Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM) in 1968. In 1979 it was incorporated intoTactical Air Command with the inactivation of ADCOM as a major command. UnderAir Defense Tactical Air Command.[1] In 1985 most active-duty units of ADCOM were inactivated or reassigned to other missions, and the air defense mission came underAir Force Reserve andAir National Guard units underFirst Air Force.
^The simultaneous inactivation and organization of the division represents only a change from a Table of Organization unit to a Table of Distribution unit.
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United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Tactical Air Command (TAC)