527th Air Defense Group

527th Air Defense Group

Active 1945, 1953–1955
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Fighter Interceptor
Role Air Defense
Part of Air Defense Command

The 527th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4708th Air Defense Wing at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as a support unit for the 461st Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

The group was activated once again in 1953, when ADC established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 412th 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 as the 527th Air Service Group in Italy shortly after VE Day[1] in 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.[2] Its 953rd Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 777th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[2] The group supported the 461st Bombardment Group in Italy. It returned to the US, passing through Camp Patrick Henry, VA, and was inactivated.[3] It was disbanded in 1948.[4]

Cold War

F-89 Scorpion as flown by the 63d FIS in 1955

During the Cold War, the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 527th Air Defense Group, and activated at Wurtsmith AFB in 1953[5] with responsibility for air defense of the Great Lakes area. The group was assigned the 63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Oscoda Air Force Base, (renamed Wurtsmith Air Force Base the day before the 527th was activated[6]), and flying North American F-86 Sabres[7] as its operational component.[8] The 63rd FIS had been assigned directly to the 4706th Defense Wing.[8] The group also replaced the 84th Air Base Squadron as USAF Host unit at Wurtsmith. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[9][10]

The 63d FIS upgraded to later model HVAR rocket armed and airborne intercept radar equipped Sabres in May 1954[7] and to two-seat Northrop F-89 Scorpions in early 1955.[7] The 527th was inactivated[5] and replaced by the 412th Fighter Group (Air Defense)[11][12] as part of Air Defense Command'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.[13] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.[14]

Lineage

Activated on 27 May 1945[1]
Disbanded on 28 August 1948
Activated on 16 February 1953
Inactivated on 18 August 1955
Disbanded on 27 September 1984

Assignments

Stations

Components

Operational Squadron

Support Units

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Abstract, History 527 Air Service Group May-Jul 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Coleman, p. 208
  3. 1 2 "Abstract, History 527 Air Service Group Jun-Aug 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  4. ↑ Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
  5. 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, p. 83
  6. ↑ Mueller, p. 611
  7. 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, p.117
  8. 1 2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 241–242
  9. 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, p.147
  10. 1 2 See "Abstract, History 527 Infirmary, Jan-Jun 1955". Air Force History Index. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  11. ↑ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 297
  12. ↑ Bailey, Carl E. (2007-12-28). "Factsheet 412 Test Wing (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  13. ↑ Buss, Sturm, Volan, & McMullen, p.6
  14. ↑ Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 Sep 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
  15. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (2009-05-22). Factsheet 63 Fighter Squadron (AETC). Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Further Reading


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