4706th Air Defense Wing

History

The 4706th Defense Wing was organized at the beginning of 1952 at O'Hare IAP in a major reorganization of ADC responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying fighter squadrons to best advantage. The wing assumed the operational squadrons and air defense mission of the inactivating 142d Fighter-Interceptor Wing (FIW), an Oregon Air National Guard (ANG) wing, which had been federalized and moved to O'Hare in 1951 in the expansion of the USAF for the Korean War. The wing also received the regular USAF 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS). flying F-86 Sabre aircraft, at O'Hare from the inactivating 56th Fighter-Interceptor Group at Selfridge AFB, Michigan and the 97th FIS at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, which had been attached to the 142nd FIW. The wing also assumed command of ANG units stationed elsewhere in this reorganization, the 113th FIS, flying F-51H Mustangs, at Scott AFB, Illinois, and the 166th FIS, at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, flying F-84 Thunderjet aircraft. Thus, the wing's fighter squadrons defended Illinois, Indiana, southern Wisconsin, western Michigan and western Ohio. Air Base Squadrons were also activated and assigned to the wing to provide support for USAF units stationed at bases where ADC was the host command.

As ADC realigned during the year. the 113th FIS was reassigned directly to Central Air Defense Force. Then in July, the 63d FIS, another F-86 squadron at Oscoda AFB, Michigan transferred into the wing, and in August, the 166th FIS, moved to Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio and was reassigned to the 4708th Defense Wing.

In February 1953 another ADC reorganization activated Air Defense Groups at ADC bases with dispersed fighter squadrons. These groups assumed direct command of the fighter squadrons at their stations, in addition to support squadrons to assist in their role as USAF host organizations at the bases. The 501st Air Defense Group (Air Def Gp), activated at O'Hare IAP, the 520th Air Defense Group, at Truax Field and the 534th Air Defense Group at Kinross AFB (later Kincheloe AFB), Michigan. Although the 527th Air Defense Group, activated at Oscoda AFB, it was assigned to another wing.

In 1955, ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units that had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. As a result of Project Arrow, the 501st Air Def Gp was replaced by the 56th Fighter Group (Air Defense), the 520th Air Def Gp was replaced by the 327th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and the 534th Air Def Gp was replaced by the 507th Fighter Group (Air Defense). Because Project Arrow called for fighter squadrons to be assigned to their traditional group headquarters, the 97th FIS was moved to Delaware and its personnel and equipment reassigned to the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. In early October, the 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying F-94 Starfire aircraft was assigned to the wing in anticipation of its return to the United States as the Korean war was ending.

The 56th FIS and 319th FIS and three of the radar squadrons transferred from the wing to the 58th Air Division in March 1956 The wing was discontinued a few months later and its units assigned to other ADC organizations.

Lineage

• Designated as the 4706th Defense Wing and organized on 1 February 1952 : Redesignated as 4706th Air Defense Wing on 1 September 1954 : Discontinued on 8 July 1956

Assignments

• Western Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
• 30th Air Division, 16 February 1953
• 37th Air Division, 1 March 1956 – 8 July 1956

Stations

• O'Hare International Airport, Illinois, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1956

Components

Groups

Air Defense Groups

• 501st Air Defense Group, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
• 520th Air Defense Group : Truax Field, Wisconsin, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
• 534th Air Defense Group : Kinross AFB, Michigan, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

Fighter Groups

• 56th Fighter Group (Air Defense), 18 August 1955 – 8 July 1956
• 327th Fighter Group (Air Defense) : Truax Field, Wisconsin, 18 August 1955 – 8 July 1956
• 507th Fighter Group (Air Defense) : Kinchloe AFB, Michigan, 18 August 1955 – 8 July 1956

Squadrons

Fighter Squadrons

• 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 18 August 1955 – 1 March 1956
• 62 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 6 February 1952 – 16 February 1953
• 63rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Oscoda AFB, Michigan, 1 July 1952 – 16 February 1953
• 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 6 February 1952 – 18 August 1955 : Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
• 113th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Federalized Indiana ANG) : Scott AFB, Illinois, 6 February 1952 – 1 April 1952
• 166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Federalized Ohio ANG) : Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 1 April 1952 – 30 March 1953
• 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Johnson AB, Japan 1 October 1955 – 18 October 1955, Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana, 18 October 1955 – 1 March 1956

Radar Squadrons

• 664th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Bellefontaine AFS, Ohio, 16 February 1953 – 1 March 1956
• 665th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Keweenaw (later Calumet AFS), Michigan, 16 February 1953 – 8 July 1956
• 676th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Antigo AFS, Wisconsin, 16 February 1953 – 8 July 1956
• 781st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Fort Custer, Michigan, 16 February 1953 – 1 November 1953
• 782d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Rockville AFS, Indiana, 16 February 1953 – 1 March 1956
• 784th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Fort Knox, Kentucky, 16 February 1953 – 1 March 1956

Support Squadrons

• 83rd Air Base Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 16 February 1953
• 84th Air Base Squadron : Oscoda AFB, Michigan, 1 February 1952 – 16 February 1953
• 91st Air Base Squadron : Kinross AFB, MI, 14 November 1952 – 16 February 1953

Aircraft

• North American F-51D Mustang, 1952 : F-51H, 1952
• North American F-86A Sabre, 1952–1953 : F-86D, 1953–1956 : F-86E, 1952–1953 : F-86F, 1952, 1955–1956
• Republic F-84C Thunderjet, 1952
• Northrop F-89D Scorpion, 1953–1956
• Lockheed F-94B Starfire, 1953 : F-94C, 1955–1956

Commanders

• Col. Fred T. Crimmins, Jr., 1 February 1952 – c. 8 July 1952
• Col. Benjamin S. Preston, Jr. 8 July 1952 – 27 July 1953
• Col. William D. Greenfield, 27 July 1953 – Unknown

References

Notes

Bibliography

• 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)
• Grant, C.L., The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, (1961), USAF Historical Study No. 126

References

1. Cornett, Lloyd H. (1980). "A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980". Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center.
2. Grant, C.L., The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, (1961), USAF Historical Study No. 126, p. 33
3. (1983). "Air Force Combat Units of World War II". Office of Air Force History.
4. (1982). "Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II". Office of Air Force History.
5. Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 119
6. Cornett & Johnson, p. 122
7. Cornett & Johnson, p. 123
8. Cornett & Johnson, p. 117
9. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 242
10. Cornett & Johnson, pp. 81–83
11. Another result of the February 1953 reorganization was that the wing assumed the aircraft detection, control and warning mission, with six squadrons in four states being assigned to the wing.Cornett & Johnson, p. 158
12. Cornett & Johnson, p. 159
13. Cornett & Johnson, p. 168
14. 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
15. Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 209, 370
16. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 227, 323
17. Cornett & Johnson, p. 125
18. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 391
19. (2001). "The USAF in Korea, Campaigns, Units and Stations 1950–1953". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
20. link. (27 September 2015 . Retrieved 6 March 2012)
21. [https://archive.today/20121212013224/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10226 AFHRA Factsheet, 507th Air Refueling Wing]. Retrieved 6 March 2012
22. link. (14 September 2011 . Retrieved 7 March 2012)
23. link. (27 February 2013 . Retrieved 3 March 2012)
24. link. (27 February 2013 . Retrieved 3 March 2012)
25. link. (23 February 2012 . Retrieved 12 March 2012)
26. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/461/765.xml Abstract, History of 4706th Def Wg, Feb–Jun 1952]. Retrieved 19 February 2012
27. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/461/768.xml Abstract, History of 4706th Def Wg, Jul–Dec 1953]. Retrieved 19 February 2012