| Unit Name: | Detroit Air Defense Sector |
| Dates: | 1957–1966 |
| Country: | United States |
| Role: | Air Defense |
| Command Structure: | Air Defense Command |
The Detroit Air Defense Sector (DEADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command (ADC) 26th Air Division at Custer Air Force Station (AFS), Michigan. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.
DEADS was originally designated as the 4627th Air Defense Wing, but was redesignated before being organized in January 1957 at Custer AFS, Michigan.[1] It became operational in September 1958, but did not assume control of former ADC Central Air Defense Force units with a mission to provide air defense of lower Michigan, northeast Indiana, and most of Ohio until 1959.[2] The organization provided command and control over several aircraft, missile and radar squadrons.
On 1 September 1959 the new Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center (DC-06) and Combat Center (CC-01) became operational. DC-06 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. The day-to-day operations of the command were to train and maintain tactical units flying jet interceptor aircraft (F-86 Sabre, F-89 Scorpion, F-101 Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-104 Starfighter, F-106 Delta Dart) and operating interceptor missiles (CIM-10 Bomarc) and radar squadrons in a state of readiness with training missions and series of exercises with Strategic Air Command and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft.
The Sector was inactivated 1 April 1966 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation and replaced at Custer AFS by the 34th Air Division.[3] Most of its units were reassigned to 34th or the 29th Air Division.
Redesignated as Detroit Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957 and organized
Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1966.
Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966
Youngstown Airport, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 March 1960
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 March 1960
Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966
Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana, 1 April 1959 – 1 March 1960
Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, 15 July 1963 – 1 April 1966
Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site, New York, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966
Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966
Oakdale Army Installation, Pennsylvania, 1 November 1959 – 15 June 1960; 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966
Bellefontaine AFS, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966
Empire AFS, Michigan, 15 July 1963 – 1 April 1966
Port Austin AFS, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966
Lockport AFS, New York, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966
Custer AFS, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 25 June 1965
Guthrie AFS, West Virginia, 1 July 1961 – 1 April 1966
Snow Mountain AFS, Kentucky, 1 August 1961 – 25 May 1962