568th Air Defense Group

History

World War II

The group was activated on Guam toward the end of World War II as the 568th Air Service Group as part of a reorganization of Army 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, designed to support a single combat group. Its 1031st Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 1032nd Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.

Cold War

During the Cold War the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 568th Air Base Group, and activated at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey in 1952 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 the best tactical advantage. It replaced the 52nd Air Base Group as host unit for McGuire. The group was assigned seven squadrons to perform its support responsibilities. It also maintained aircraft stationed at McGuire.

The group was redesignated as the 568th Air Defense Group in 1953 and assumed responsibility for air defense of Northeast United States. It was assigned the 2d and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons (FIS), flying early radar equipped and 20mm cannon armed Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft from the 4709th Defense Wing as its operational elements. The 2nd and 5th FIS were already stationed at McGuire. The same month that it transferred to the 568th, the 2nd FIS briefly traded its F-94s for Republic F-84 Thunderjet Aircraft. Both the 2nd and 5th FIS converted to radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed North American F-86 Sabres in July 1953.

In 1954, McGuire AFB transferred from ADC to Military Air Transport Service,

Lineage

• Constituted as the 568th Air Service Group : Activated c. 5 June 1945 : Inactivated c. 31 May 1946 : Disbanded on 8 October 1948
• Reconstituted and redesignated as 568th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952 : Activated on 1 February 1952
• Redesignated 568th Air Defense Group on 16 February 1953 : Inactivated on 8 July 1954 : Disbanded on 27 September 1984

Assignments

• Twentieth Air Force, 1945–1946
• 4709th Air Defense Wing, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954

Components

Operational Squadrons

• 2d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 8 July 1954
• 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 8 July 1954

Support Squadrons

• 568th Air Police Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Food Service Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Field Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Installations Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Medical Squadron (later 568th USAF Dispensary, 568th USAF Hospital), 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Motor Vehicle Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Operations Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 568th Supply Squadron, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954
• 1031st Air Engineering Squadron, ca. 5 June 1945 – ca. 31 May 1946
• 1032nd Air Materiel Squadron, ca. 5 June 1945 – ca. 31 May 1946

Stations

• Guam, Mariana Islands, 1945 – 1946
• McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 1 February 1952 – 8 July 1954

Aircraft

• Republic F-84G Thunderjet, 1953
• North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1954
• Lockheed F-94A Starfighter, 1953

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

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

References

1. Coleman, p. 208
2. The unit provided support for one combat group in the Pacific Theater. It was disbanded in 1948.Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
3. Cornett & Johnson, p. 85
4. Grant, p. 33
5. Mueller, pp. 411–415
6. Cornett & Johnson, p. 134
7. Cornett & Johnson, p. 152
8. Cornett & Johnson, p. 142
9. Cornett & Johnson, p.113
10. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 14, 34
11. and the group was inactivated. The group's support components were replaced by elements of the [[1611th Air Transport Wing]] Its operational flying squadrons were assigned back to the 4709th Air Defense Wing. The group was disbanded once again in 1984.Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 September 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
12. (1 April 2008). "Factsheet 2 Fighter Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
13. (1 August 2008). "Factsheet 5 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
14. ''See'' Mueller, p. 413