In early 1953 it also was assigned nine
radar squadrons in the Midwest. Several of these radar
squadrons were located in Canada as part of the
Mid-Canada Line. At the same time its dispersed fighter
squadrons combined with colocated air base squadrons into air defense groups. The wing was redesignated as an air defense wing in 1954. It was discontinued in and its units transferred to the
30th Air Division in 1956.
History
The
wing was organized as the 4708th Defense Wing the beginning of February 1952 at Selfridge AFB,[1] Michigan as part of a major reorganization of ADC responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying fighter
squadrons to best advantage.[2] It assumed operational control and the
air defense mission of
fighter squadrons formerly assigned to the inactivating
56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (FIW).[3][4] The
61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying
Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft, and the
172d FIS, flying
World War II era
North American F-51 Mustang aircraft were located at Selfridge, while the
63d FIS, flying
F-86 Sabre aircraft, was located at
Oscoda AFB. The
136th FIS at
Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, flying World War II era
Republic F-47 Thunderbolt aircraft was also transferred to the wing from the
101st FIW,[5] and the
71st FIS at
Greater Pittsburgh Airport, another F-86 unit, was transferred from the
1st FIW.[6] The support elements of the 56th FIW's 56th Air Base Group and 56th Maintenance & Supply Group were replaced at Selfridge by the wing's
575th Air Base Group, and air base squadrons were activated at each of the dispersed locations assigned to the wing to support the fighter squadrons at those
stations.[7] The wing's mission was to train and maintain tactical units in a state of
readiness to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft attempting to penetrate the air defense system in the Great Lakes area.[8]
In July 1952, units at Oscoda AFB were transferred to the
4706th Defense Wing, while in the following month, the
166th FIS, at
Youngstown Municipal Airport, where it flew
Republic F-84 Thunderjet aircraft was transferred from the 4706th. In November, the federalized
Air National Guard (ANG) squadrons were returned to state control. The 136th FIS was returned to the New York ANG and replaced by the
47th FIS, the 166th FIS was returned to the Ohio ANG and replaced by the
86th FIS, and the 172nd FIS was returned to the Michigan ANG, and replaced by the
431st FIS.[9][10] Another F-51 squadron, the
56th FIS, was activated at Selfridge later that month. although it converted to F-86 aircraft by the start of 1953.[11][12]
In February 1953, another major reorganization of ADC activated Air Defense Groups at ADC bases with dispersed fighter squadrons. These
groups were assigned to the wing and assumed direct control of the
interceptor squadrons at those bases, as well as support squadrons to carry out their role as the USAF host organizations at the bases. As a result of this reorganization, the 575th Air Base Group was redesignated the 575th Air Defense Gp and assumed control of the fighter squadrons at Selfridge, while the
500th Air Defense Group at Pittsburgh and the
502d Air Defense Group at Youngstown controlled the squadrons at these locations.[13] Oscoda AFB (now renamed
Wurtsmith AFB),[14] where the
527th Air Defense Group was activated,[15] returned to the control of the wing. Although the
518th Air Defense Group took over operations at Niagara Falls,[15] it was assigned to another wing.[15] The reorganization also resulted in the wing adding the
radar detection, control and warning mission, and it was assigned eight Aircraft Control & Warning Squadrons (AC&W Sq) in the United States and Canada to perform this mission.[16][17][18][19][20][21] In November it added an additional AC&W Sq.[21]
In 1955, ADC implemented 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.[22] As a result of this project, the 500th Air Defense Gp was replaced by the
54th Fighter Group (Air Defense), the 502nd Air Def Gp was replaced by the
79th Fighter Group (Air Defense), the 527th Air Def Gp was replaced by the
412th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and the 575th Air Defense Gp was replaced by the
1st Fighter Group (Air Defense).[23][24]
In March 1956, the
4711th Air Defense Wing moved to Selfridge from
Presque Isle AFB, Maine and three of the 4708th's AC&W Sqs were assigned to it.[17][20][21] Niagara Falls briefly was assigned to the wing in this realignment.[25] The fighter groups and remaining radar detection and control squadrons of the wing were transferred to the 30th Air Division in July.[16][18][19][20][21][24] With no remaining operational mission, the wing and the 4711th Wing were discontinued in July 1956[1] They would be replaced shortly by the
1st Fighter Wing (Air Defense), which was activated on 18 October 1956.[26]
Lineage
Designated as the 4708th Defense Wing and organized on 1 February 1952
Redesignated as 4708th Air Defense Wing on 1 July 1954
^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), p.6
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)