| Unit Name: | 533d Air Defense Group |
| Dates: | 1945, 1953–1955 |
| Type: | Fighter interceptor |
| Role: | Air defense |
The 533d Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division at Oxnard Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 533d Air Service Group, a support unit for the 483d Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy.
The group was activated once again in 1953, when Air Defense Command (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 414th Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.
The group was activated at Sterparone Airfield, Italy as the 533d Air Service Group shortly after VE 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 959th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 783rd Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[1] The 533d supported the 483d Bombardment Group in Italy in 1945 until it was inactivated in the fall.[2] The group was disbanded in 1948.[3]
The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 533d Air Defense Group, and activated at Oxnard Air Force Base, California in 1953[4] with responsibility for air defense of Southern California. Assigned the 354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Oxnard, and flying World War II era North American F-51 Mustangs[5] as its operational component.[6] The 354th FIS had been assigned directly to the 27th Air Division.[6] The 354th upgraded to Lockheed F-94 Starfires in July 1953.[5] The group also replaced the 90th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at Oxnard.[7] The group was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[8] [9]
The 533d was inactivated[4] and replaced by the 414th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[10] [11] 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.[12] the group was disbanded once again in 1984.[13]
Inactivated on 25 September 1945[2]
Disbanded on 8 October 1948[3]
Activated on 16 February 1953[4]
Inactivated on 18 August 1955[4]
Disbanded on 27 September 1984[13]
Operational Squadron
Support Units
Further reading