The 564th Air Defense Group is a disbanded
United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the
4707th Air Defense Wing, at
Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated in 1955. The
group was originally activated as the 564th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of
World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.
The group was activated once again in 1952 as the 564th Air Base Group to replace the support elements of the inactivating
33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing. A year later
Air Defense Command (ADC) established it as an operational headquarters for
fighter-interceptor squadrons as well. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the
33d Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.
History
World War II
The
group was activated during
World War II at
Stinson Field, Texas as the 564th Air Service Group in 1944[1] and trained to support a single combat
group 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]
Cold War
During the
Cold War the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 564th Air Base Group, and activated at
Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts in 1952[5] in a major reorganization of
Air 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 eight
squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[7][8][9][10][11] It also assumed
aircraft maintenance responsibility from the 33d Maintenance & Supply Group for units stationed at Otis.[12] The operational elements of the inactivating
33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing were assigned to the
4707th Defense Wing.[13][14]
In 1953 the group was redesignated the 564th Air Defense Group[5] and assumed responsibility for air defense of the
Boston area.[citation needed] It was assigned the
58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying
Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft equipped with
air 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, the
437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying a newer model of the F-94 aircraft armed with
Mighty 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 to
Northrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft in June 1955.[15][16] The group was inactivated[5] and replaced by the
33d 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]
Lineage
Constituted as the 564th Air Service Group in 1944
^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. Retrieved 12 April 2023., Baugher, Joe (8 April 2023).
"1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 12 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.