The529th Air Defense Group is a disbandedUnited States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the25th Air Division atPaine Field, Washington, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. Thegroup was originally activated as the529th Air Service Group, a support unit for the2d Bombardment Group at the end ofWorld War II in Italy and then acted as a depot organization until inactivating in 1946. It was reactivated later that year and served atDow Field, Maine as the support unit for the14th Fighter Group, serving until it was replaced in theWing Base reorganization of 1947.
The group was activated as the529th Air Defense Group once again in 1953, whenAir Defense Command (ADC) established it as the headquarters 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 the326th 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 atAmendola Airfield, Italy as the529th Air Service Group shortly afterV-E Day[1][2] as part of 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 only Air Corps units. The group was designed to support a single combat group.[3] Its 955th Air Engineering Squadron[1] provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 779th Air Materiel Squadron[1] handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[3] The 529th supported the2d Bombardment Group.[1] The group moved with the 2d Group toFoggia, Italy where it added support responsibility for all military installations in theFoggia Airfield Complex.[4] After the 2nd Group returned to the United States, the group was apparently used as a depot unit until it was inactivated in 1946.[4][5]
The group was again activated later that year and moved toDow Field, Maine,[6] where it provided support for the14th Fighter Group.[7] The group was inactivated and replaced by 14th Airdrome Group,[8][9] 14th Station Medical Group, and 14th Maintenance & Supply Group[10] in the experimentalWing/Base reorganization of 1947, designed to unify control at air bases.[11] The group was disbanded in 1948.[12]
F-84G as flown briefly by the 83d FIS
The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the529th Air Defense Group and activated atPaine Field, Washington on 18 February 1953[13] with responsibility forair defense of the Northwestern United States.[citation needed] The 529th was assigned the83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Paine Field, flyingRepublic F-84 Thunderjets,[14] as its operational component.[15] The 83d FIS had been assigned directly to the4704th Defense Wing.[15] The group also replaced the 86th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at Paine Field. It was assigned threesquadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[16][17] It was also assigned the 17th Crash Rescue Boat Flight for water rescue duties.
By December 1953, the 83d FIS converted toradar equipped andMighty Mouse rocket armedNorth American F-86D Sabres.[14] When the 4704th Defense Wing was discontinued in 1954, the group was reassigned directly to the 25th Air Division.[13] The group was inactivated[13] and replaced by326th Fighter Group (Air Defense)[18] in 1955 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.[19] The group was disbanded again in 1984.[20]
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.
Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.).The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.LCCN48003657.
United States
United States Air Force
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