4703d Defense Wing | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1952 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter Interceptor |
| Role | Air Defense |
| Part of | Air Defense Command |
The4703d Defense Wing is a discontinuedUnited States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was withAir Defense Command (ADC)'sWestern Air Defense Force atLarson Air Force Base (AFB), Washington. It was established in 1952 in a general reorganization ofAir Defense Command (ADC), which replacedwings responsible for a base with wings responsible for a geographical area. It then assumed control of severalFighter Interceptor squadrons that had been assigned to the101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, which was anAir National Guard unit mobilized for theKorean War. Thewing's569th Air Base Group briefly assumed the host responsibility for Larson, but the wing andgroup were inactivated only 45 days later when Larson became aTactical Air Command base. The wing's units were transferred to the nearby4702d Defense Wing.
Thewing was organized at Larson AFB, Washington on 1 February 1952[1] in a major reorganization of ADC responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying fightersquadrons to best advantage.[2] It absorbed the personnel and equipment of the operational elements of the101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing (FIW) (Maine ANG) which inactivated at Larson AFB five days later and was returned to the ANG.[1][3] The82nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) of the inactivating78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing moved fromHamilton AFB to Larson AFB on 6 February 1952[4] to replace the319th FIS, which deployed from Larson AFB toSuwon Air Base, Korea the day after the 4703rd Defense Wing was organized, although it remained assigned to the wing on paper.[5] Both Squadrons were equipped withF-94 Starfireinterceptor aircraft.[6] The wing's 569th Air Base Group (ABG) absorbed the support elements of the 101st FIW's 101st ABG.[7] However, the wing was short-lived because Larson AFB was transferred from ADC toTactical Air Command (TAC) in April 1952.[1] The 82nd FIS was reassigned to the4704th Defense Wing in March,[8] while the 569th ABG was transferred Western Air Defense Force days later,[1][7] The 569th ABG was replaced by the 62nd ABG at the beginning of April, while TAC's62nd Troop Carrier Wing moved to Larson AFB fromMcChord AFB the same month.[9] The 4703rd Air Defense Wing was discontinued and remaining the ADC squadron at Larson AFB was eventually reassigned to the4702nd Defense Wing,[4] which moved to nearbyGeiger Field later in 1952.[1]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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