Thegroup was originally activated as a support group at the end ofWorld War II and provided logistics and administrative support for the404th Fighter Group in Germany until returning to the United States, where it was inactivated.
The group was activated once again in 1953, when ADC established it as theheadquarters for a dispersedfighter-interceptor squadron and the medical,aircraft maintenance, and administrativesquadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the79th Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.
Thegroup was activated as the502d Air Service Group toward the end ofWorld War II shortly afterV-E Day in a reorganization ofArmy Air Forces (AAF) support groups in which the AAF replaced service groups that included personnel from other branches of the Army and supported two combat groups with air service groups including onlyAir Corps units. It was designed to support a single combat group.[1] Its 920th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 744th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[1] The group supported the404th Fighter Group in Germany in 1945 until returning to the US[2] for inactivation. The group was disbanded in 1948.[3]
During theCold War, the group was redesignated as the502d Air Defense Group, reconstituted and activated atYoungstown Municipal Airport in 1953[4] to provideair defense of Pittsburgh, western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio area.[citation needed] It was assigned the86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was already stationed at Youngstown Municipal Airport, flyingRepublic F-84 Thunderjets.[5] as its operational component.[6] The 86th had previously been assigned directly to the4708th Defense Wing.[6] In July 1953, the 86th replaced its F-84s withFolding-Fin Aerial Rocket armed andradar equippedNorth American F-86 Sabres.[5] The group replaced the 88th Air Base Squadron as USAF host unit at Youngstown. It was assigned threesquadrons to perform its support responsibilities. It was inactivated and replaced by79th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[4][7][8] as part ofAir Defense Command'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.[9] The group was disbanded again in 1984.[10]
^Aircraft is North American F-86D-50-NA Sabre, serial 52-10120Baugher, Joe (29 March 2023)."1952 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved8 April 2023.
^Probably IX Air Force Service Command until return to US, thenThird Air Force
Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)
Coleman, John M (1950).The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
United States
United States Air Force
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