564th Air Defense Group

564th Air Defense Group
F-89D of the 564th Air Defense Group's 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in 1955
Active	1944-1945; 1952–1955
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter Interceptor
Role	Air Defense
Part of	Air Defense Command
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General Luther H. Richmond (1953–1955)

The 564th Air Defense Group is a disbanded 4707th Air Defense Wing, stationed at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.

The group was activated once again in 1952 to replace the support elements of the inactivating 33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing. A year later ADC established it as an operational headquarters for fighter-interceptor squadrons as well. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 33d 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 during World War II as the 564th Air Service Group in 1944^[1] and trained to support a single combat group in an overseas theater.^[2] Its 995th Air Engineering Squadron would provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 1002nd Air Materiel Squadron would handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron would provide other support.^[2] The group was inactivated before it could be deployed overseas.^[3] It was disbanded in 1948.^[4]

Cold War

437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-94s over Cape Cod 1953

During the [6] It replaced the 33rd Air Base Group as USAF host unit for Otis. The group was assigned eight squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.^{[7][8][9][10][11]} It also assumed aircraft maintenance responsibility from the 33d Maintenance & Supply Group for units stationed at Otis.^[12] The operational elements of the inactivating 33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing^[13] were assigned to the 4707th Air Def Wg.^[14]

In 1953 the group was redesignated as the 564th Air Defense Group^[5] and assumed responsibility for air defense of the Boston area. It was assigned the 58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), flying Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft equipped with air intercept radar and armed with cannon,^[15] from the 4707th Defense Wing as its operational element.^[14] The 58th FIS was already stationed at Otis.^[14] In April, 1953, the 437th FIS, flying a newer model of the F-94 aircraft armed with HVAR rockets,^[16] was activated as a second operational squadron.^[17] The 58th FIS upgraded to the newer F-94s by June 1953^[15] and both squadrons converted to Northrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft in June 1955.^[15][16] The group was inactivated^[5] and replaced by the 33d Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 18 August 1955^[18][19] as result of ADC'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.^[20] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.^[21]

Lineage

• Constituted as 564th Air Service Group in 1944

Activated on 5 December 1944

Inactivated on 30 June 1945

Disbanded on 8 October 1948

• Reconstituted and redesignated as: 564th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952

Activated on 1 February 1952

Redesignated as 564th Air Defense Group on 16 February 1953

Inactivated on 18 August 1955

Assignments

• San Antonio Air Technical Service Command, 5 December 1944 - 30 June 1945
• 4707th Defense Wing (later 4707th Air Defense Wing), 1 February 1952 – 18 August 1955^[5]

Stations

• Stinson Field, Texas, 5 December 1944 - 30 June 1945
• Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 1 February 1952 – 18 August 1955

Components

Operational Squadrons

• 58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955^[22]
• 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 27 April 1953 – 18 August 1955

Support Squadrons

Aircraft

• Northrop F-89D Scorpion, 1955
• Lockheed F-94B Starfighter, 1953
• Lockheed F-94C Starfighter, 1953-1955

Commanders

• Unknown, 5 December 1944 - 9 December 1944
• Maj. Joseph D. Clemens, 9 December 1944 - 11 December 1944
• Lt Col. Lawrence L. Martin, 11 December 1944 - 12 December 1944
• Lt Col. Clifford R. Rassmussen, 12 December 1944 - 6 March 1945
• Lt Col. Hugh H. Master, 6 Mar 1945 - 30 June 1945
• Unknown, 1952 - 1953
• Col. Luther H. Richmond, 1953 - 18 August 1955

See also

• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
• F-89 Scorpion units of the United States Air Force
• F-94 Starfire units of the United States Air Force

References

Notes

Bibliography

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

• 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)
• Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. 
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. 
• Grant, C.L., (1961) The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.  
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.  

• Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense. Vol I. 1945-1955. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History.  

External links

• "Camp Edwards History". Massachusetts National Guard. Retrieved November 9, 2012. 
• Smith, Mary; Freer, Barbara. "World War II Prisoners of War, Stalag Luft I, Lt. Col. Luther H. Richmond". Retrieved August 3, 2014. 

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