566th Air Defense Group
F-89 Scorpion of the84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron atHamilton AFB[a]
Active	1944–1945; 1952–1955
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter interceptor
Role	Air defense

The566th Air Defense Group is a disbandedunit of theUnited States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the28th Air Division atHamilton Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. Thegroup was originally activated as the566th 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 atHamilton Air Force Base, California as the566th Air Base Group to replace the support elements of the inactivating78th 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 the78th Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fightersquadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.

The group was activated atRobins Field, Georgia toward the end ofWorld War II as the566th Air Service Group in 1944 and trained to support a single combatgroup.^[1] Its 984th Air Engineering Squadron^[2] would provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 1004th Air Materiel Squadron^[2] would handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron would provide other support.^[1] The group was inactivated before it could be deployed overseas.^[3] It was disbanded in 1948.^[4]

During theCold War the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the566th Air Base Group, and activated atHamilton Air Force Base, California in 1952^[5] in a major reorganization ofAir Defense Command (ADC) responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure to deploy fighter squadrons to best advantage.^[6] It replaced the 78th Air Base Group as host unit for Hamilton. The 566th was assigned eightsquadrons and oneflight to perform its support responsibilities.^{[7][8][9][10]} The group also assumed responsibility to maintain aircraft stationed at Hamilton from the inactivating 78th Maintenance & Supply Group,^[11] while the operational elements of the78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing^[12] were assigned to the28th Air Division.

The 566th was redesignated the566th Air Defense Group^[5] and assumed responsibility for air defense of the Northern California.^{[citation needed]} It was assigned the84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying 20mm cannon armed andairborne intercept radar equippedNorthrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft^[13] from the 28th Air Division as its operational element.^[14] The 84th FIS was already stationed at Hamilton.^[15] In March, a second operational squadron, the496th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was activated at Hamilton and assigned to the group.^[16]

The 496th FIS was initially equipped with outmodedWorld War II eraNorth American F-51 Mustang Aircraft.^[17] In April, the 83rd FIS traded its Scorpions forLockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft.^[13] and to later model Starfire, armed withMighty Mouse rockets, before the end of the year.^[13] The 496th FIS, in turn, converted toNorth American F-86 Sabres (also with radar and Mighty Mouse rockets) during 1953.^[17] In February 1954, the325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron atTravis Air Force Base, California, also flying Sabres,^[18] was assigned to the group.^[19] Ten days after its assignment, the 325th FIS moved from Travis to Hamilton.^[19] A few months later, in July, the group once again had only two operational squadrons when the 496th FIS moved to Europe and was assigned elsewhere.^[16]

The 566th was inactivated^[5] and replaced by the78th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 18 August 1955^[20] 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.^[21] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.^[22]

• Constituted as566th Air Service Group in 1944

Activated on 7 December 1944^[2]

Inactivated c. 14 August 1945

Disbanded on 8 October 1948^[4]

• Reconstituted and redesignated566th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952

Activated on 1 February 1952^[5]

Redesignated566th Air Defense Group on 16 February 1953^[5]

Inactivated on 18 August 1955^[5]

Disbanded on 27 September 1984^[22]

• Warner Robins Air Technical Service Command, 7 December 1944 – c. 14 August 1945^[2]
• 4702d Defense Wing, 1 February 1952^[5]
• 28th Air Division 7 November 1952 – 18 August 1955^[5]

• Robins Field, Georgia, 7 December 1944 – c. 14 August 1945
• Hamilton Air Force Base, California, 1 February 1952 – 18 August 1955^[5]

• 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955^[15]
• 325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 February 1954 – 18 August 1955^[19]
• 496th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 20 March 1953 – 1 July 1954^[16]
• 13th Crash Rescue Boat Flight, 7 November 1952 – 18 August 1955

• Lt Col. Charles E. Stiven, 7 December 1944 – c. April 1945^[2]
• Lt Col. Charles W. Coleman, c. April 1945 – c. 14 August 1945
• Unknown 1952 – 1955

• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
• List of F-86 Sabre units
• F-89 Scorpion units of the United States Air Force
• F-94 Starfire units of the United States Air Force

Explanatory notes

Citations

 This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• 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.
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980).A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980(PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 23 November 2006. Retrieved1 January 2012.
• Grant, C.L., (1961)The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961].Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN 0-912799-02-1.LCCN 61060979. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969].Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN 0-405-12194-6.LCCN 70605402.OCLC 72556. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 20 December 2016.

• Leonard, Barry (2009).History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense(PDF). Vol. I. 1945-1955. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History.ISBN 978-1-4379-2131-1. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 10 November 2013. Retrieved8 December 2012.

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