502d Air Defense Group explained

Unit Name:502d Air Defense Group
Dates:1945, 1953-1955
Type:Fighter interceptor
Role:Air Defense

The 502d Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 4708th Air Defense Wing, at Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.

The group was originally activated as a support group at the end of World War II and provided logistics and administrative support for the 404th Fighter Group in Germany until returning to the United States, where it was inactivated.

The group was activated once again in 1953, when ADC established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, aircraft maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 79th 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 502d Air Service Group toward the end of World War II shortly after V-E Day 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. It was designed to support a single combat group.[1] Its 920th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 744th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[1] The group supported the 404th Fighter Group in Germany in 1945 until returning to the US[2] for inactivation. The group was disbanded in 1948.[3]

Cold War

During the Cold War, the group was redesignated as the 502d Air Defense Group, reconstituted and activated at Youngstown Municipal Airport in 1953[4] to provide air defense of Pittsburgh, western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio area. It was assigned the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was already stationed at Youngstown Municipal Airport, flying Republic F-84 Thunderjets.[5] as its operational component.[6] The 86th had previously been assigned directly to the 4708th Defense Wing.[6] In July 1953, the 86th replaced its F-84s with Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket armed and radar equipped North American F-86 Sabres.[5] The group replaced the 88th Air Base Squadron as USAF host unit at Youngstown. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities. It was inactivated and replaced by 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[4] [7] [8] 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.[9] The group was disbanded again in 1984.[10]

Lineage

Activated on 1 June 1945[11]

Inactivated c. 9 November 1945

Disbanded on 8 October 1948

Activated on 16 February 1953[4]

Inactivated on 18 August 1955[4]

Disbanded on 27 September 1984[10]

Assignments

Stations

Components

Aircraft

Commanders

Awards and campaigns

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
Citations

Bibliography

Further Reading

Notes and References

  1. Coleman, p. 208
  2. Web site: Abstract, History 502 Air Service Group Sep 1945. Air Force History Index. 4 January 2012.
  3. Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
  4. Cornett & Johnson, p. 81
  5. Cornett & Johnson p. 120
  6. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 297
  7. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 145
  8. Web site: Factsheet 53 Test and Evaluation Group (ACC). Bailey. Carl E.. 2010-03-29. Air Force Historical Research Agency. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053425/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=13916 . 4 March 2016. 22 November 2016.
  9. Buss, Sturm, Volan & McMullen, p.6
  10. Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 Sep 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
  11. Web site: Abstract, History 502 Air Service Group Jun 1945. Air Force History Index. 4 January 2012.
  12. Johnson, p. 33
  13. Web site: Abstract, History 502 Air Service Group Jul 1945. Air Force History Index. 4 January 2012.

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