The564th Air Defense Group is a disbandedUnited States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the4707th Air Defense Wing, atOtis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated in 1955. Thegroup was originally activated as the564th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end ofWorld War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.
The group was activated once again in 1952 as the564th Air Base Group to replace the support elements of the inactivating33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing. A year laterAir Defense Command (ADC) established it as an operational headquarters forfighter-interceptor squadrons as well. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the33d 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 duringWorld War II atStinson Field, Texas as the564th Air Service Group in 1944[1] and trained to support a single combatgroup in an overseas theater.[2] Its 995th Air Engineering Squadron would provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 1002nd Air Materiel Squadron would handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron would provide other support.[2] The group was inactivated before it could be deployed overseas.[3] It was disbanded in 1948.[4]
437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-94s over Cape Cod 1953[b]
During theCold War the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the564th Air Base Group, and activated atOtis Air Force Base, Massachusetts in 1952[5] in a major reorganization ofAir 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 33rd Air Base Group as USAF host unit for Otis. The group was assigned eightsquadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[7][8][9][10][11] It also assumedaircraft maintenance responsibility from the 33d Maintenance & Supply Group for units stationed at Otis.[12] The operational elements of the inactivating33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing were assigned to the4707th Defense Wing.[13][14]
In 1953 the group was redesignated the564th Air Defense Group[5] and assumed responsibility for air defense of theBoston area.[citation needed] It was assigned the58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flyingLockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft equipped withair intercept radar and armed with cannon,[15] from the 4707th Defense Wing as its operational element.[14] The 58th FIS was already stationed at Otis.[14] In April 1953, the437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying a newer model of the F-94 aircraft armed withMighty Mouse rockets,[16] was activated as a second operational squadron.[17] The 58th FIS upgraded to the newer F-94s by June 1953[15] and both squadrons converted toNorthrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft in June 1955.[15][16] The group was inactivated[5] and replaced by the33d Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 18 August 1955[18][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]
^Aircraft are Lockheed F-94C-1-LO Starfires, serials 50-1044, 50-1056 (transferred to the MASDC on 3 May 1958, salvaged on 1 July 1958), 50-1058 (transferred to the MASDC on 6 June 1958, salvaged on 1 July 1958), and 51-5698 (transferred to the MASDC on 22 May 1958, salvaged on 27 May 1958).Baugher, Joe (7 April 2023)."1950 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved12 April 2023.,Baugher, Joe (8 April 2023)."1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved12 April 2023.
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
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency