26th Air Division (United States)
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| 26th Air Division | |
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 Official crest of the 26th Air Division |
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| Active | 21 October 1948–30 September 1969 19 November 1969–30 September 1990 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | see "Stations" section below |
| Equipment | see "Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles" section below |
| Decorations | see "Lineage and honors" section below |
Contents |
[edit] History
Beginning in November 1948, the division performed air defense over an area that covered much of the industrial northeast, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.. It employed off shore naval picket ships, fixed "Texas Tower" radar sites, airborne early warning units, and a civilian ground observer corps program. The latter phased down when the SAGE program was implemented. Improved radar and communications equipment and fighter interceptors, and better techniques and methods, eventually led to the 26th Air Division becoming the first operational SAGE air defense system (1 January 1959) within Air Defense Command. The 26th's area of control expanded until by 1963 its boundaries extended from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico and well toward the center of the United States. In 1961 the division assumed air defense training responsibility for Air National Guard (ANG) units within the area. During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the division deployed fighter aircraft and part of its airborne early warning and control force to Florida. In April 1966, the division, replaced by the First Air Force, moved without personnel or equipment to Adair Air Force Station, Oregon, where it assumed responsibility for the defense of Oregon, part of California and Nevada, gradually phasing down until it replaced the 27th Air Division at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona in November 1969. In October 1979, it transferred to Tactical Air Command and continued to supervise its assigned components until 1 July 1987.
[edit] Background of name
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[edit] Mission
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[edit] Operations
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[edit] Lineage and honors
Established as 26 Air Defense Division on 21 October 1948. Activated on 16 November 1948. Redesignated 26 Air Division (Defense) on 20 June 1949. Inactivated on 1 February 1952.
Organized on 1 February 1952. Redesignated: 26 Air Division (SAGE) on 8 August 1958; 26 Air Division on 1 April 1966. Inactivated on 30 September 1969.
Activated on 19 November 1969. Inactivated on 30 September 1990.
[edit] Service streamers
This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:
none
[edit] Campaign streamers
This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:
none
[edit] Armed forces expeditionary streamers
none
[edit] Decorations
This unit earned the following unit decorations:
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (3): 4 February 1972–12 March 1973; 15 July 1975–14 July 1977; 16 July 1978–15 July 1980.
[edit] Awards
[edit] Emblem
Or, three stylized jet aircraft one in chief fesswise, one bend sinisterwise in bend, and one palewise, nose to base in sinister fess azure, arched from sinister base to dexter fess a segment of a globe of the like charged with a stylized building within an atomic symbol argent. (Approved 17 November 1960)
[edit] Assignments
First Air Force, 16 November 1948; Air Defense Command, 1 April 1949 (attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 17 November 1949); First Air Force, 16 November 1949 (remained attached to Eastern Air Defense Force to 31 August 1950); Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 September 1950–1 February 1952.
Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952; Air Defense Command, 1 August 1959; Fourth Air Force, 1 April 1966–30 September 1969.
Tenth Air Force, 19 November 1969; Aerospace Defense Command, 1 December 1969; Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979; First Air Force, 6 December 1985–30 September 1990.
[edit] Components
Air Force:
- Air Forces, Iceland: 1 July 1963–4 September 1963.
Division:
Sectors:
- Bangor Air Defense: 15 August 1958–1 April 1966.
- 4622 Air Defense Wing (SAGE) (later, Boston Air Defense): 1 June 1956–8 July 1956; 18 October 1956–1 April 1966.
- Detroit Air Defense: 4 September 1963–1 April 1966.
- Goose Air Defense (Manual): 1 July 1963–1 April 1966.
- Montgomery Air Defense: 1 July 1963–1 October 1964.
- 4621 Air Defense Wing (SAGE) (later, New York Air Defense): 1 April 1956–8 July 1956; 1 October 1956–1 April 1966.
- Syracuse Air Defense: 15 August 1958–4 September 1963.
- Washington Air Defense: 1 September 1958–1 April 1966.
Wings:
- l Fighter: 31 December 1969–1 October 1970.
- 33 Fighter: 18 October 1956–8 January 1957(under control of 4622 Air Defense Wing [SAGE], 18 October 1956–8 January 1957).
- 78 Fighter: 1 April 1966–15 September 1969; 19 November 1969–31 December 1969.
- 551 Airborne Early Warning and Control: 1 July 1959–1 April 1966.
- 4707 Air Defense: 1 March 1956–18 October 1956.
- 4709 Defense (later, 4709 Air Defense): 16 February 1953–1 October 1956.
- 4710 Defense (later, 4710 Air Defense): 16 February 1953–1 March 1956.
Groups:
- 408 Fighter: 1 April 1966–15 September 1969.
- 414 Fighter: 19 November 1969–31 December 1969.
- 503 Aircraft Control and Warning: attached 1 April 1949–15 November 1949, assigned 16 November 1949–1 February 1952 (not operational, 25 March 1950–1 February 1952).
- 751 Air Defense: 1 March 1970–17 January 1974.
- 858 Air Defense: 1 March 1970–17 January 1974.
Squadrons:
- 82 Fighter Interceptor: 1 April 1966–25 June 1966 (detached 1 April 1966–25 June 1966).
- 84 Fighter Interceptor (later, 84 Fighter Interceptor Training): 1 October 1970–27 February 1987.
- 456 Fighter Interceptor: 1 April 1966–18 July 1968.
- 4758 Defense Systems Evaluation: 19 November 1969–31 October 1970.
[edit] Stations
Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, 16 November 1948; Mitchel Air Force Base Sub Base #3, Roslyn (later, Roslyn Air Force Station), New York, 18 April 1949–1 February 1952.
Mitchel Air Force Base Sub Base #3, Roslyn, New York, 1 February 1952; Syracuse Air Force Station, New York, 15 August 1958; Hancock Field, New York, 14 February 1959; Stewart Air Force Base (later, Stewart Air National Guard Base), New York, 15 June 1964; Adair Air Force Station, Oregon, 1 April 1966–30 September 1969.
Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, 19 November 1969; March Air Force Base (later, March Air Reserve Base), California, 31 August 1983–1 July 1987.
[edit] Aircraft / Missiles / Space vehicles
F-84 Thunderjet, 1953; F-86 Sabre, 1953–1960; F-94 Starfire, 1953–1960; F-89 Scorpion, 1956–1959, 1963–1966; F-102 Delta Dagger, 1957–1966, 1966–1969, 1969–c. 1980; F-104 Starfighter, 1958–1960, 1963–1964; Bomarc Missile Program, 1959–1966; F-101 Voodoo, 1959–1966, 1966–1969; F-106 Delta Dart, 1959–1966, 1966–1969, 1969–1981; B/EB-57 Canberra, 1969–1970; F-100 Super Sabre, 1969–1970; T-33 Shooting Star, 1981–1987.
[edit] Commanders
Unknown (manned at paper unit strength), 16 November 1948–31 March 1949; Colonel Ernest H. Beverly, c.1 April 1949; Brigadier General Russell J. Minty, by November 1949.
Colonel Hanlon H. Van Auken, 1953; Brigadier General James W. McCauley, 1 April 1953; Brigadier General Thayer S. Olds, 26 October 1955; Brigadier General Arthur C. Agan Jr., 1 August 1957; Major General Sam W. Agee, 8 August 1958; Brigadier General Ernest H. Beverly, c. May 1960; Brigadier General William E. Elder, c. June 1960; Brigadier General Ernest H. Beverly, 20 June 1960; Brigadier General Henry Viccellio, 11 July 1960; Major General Arthur C. Agan Jr., 1 July 1963; Brigadier General Thomas B. Whitehouse, 8 June 1964; Major General Von R. Shores, 20 July 1964; Major General Gordon H. Austin, 29 July 1965; Brigadier General Frank W. Gillespie, 1 April 1966; Colonel Wayne E. Rhynard, 29 July 1966; Colonel Harry L. Downing, by September 1969–c.30 September 1969.
Brigadier General Sanford K. Moats, 19 November 1969; Brigadier General Richard G. Cross Jr., August 1970; Brigadier General James E. Paschall, 1 December 1971; Brigadier General Ranald T. Adams Jr., 21 May 1973; Brigadier General Dan A. Brooksher, 30 August 1974; Major General Thomas E. Clifford, 19 April 1976; Brigadier General James S. Creedon, 7 September 1978; Colonel Allan E. Aaronson, 22 January 1979; Colonel Frank T. Faha, 15 March 1979; Brigadier General James S. Creedon, 2 February 1980; Brigadier General Thomas W. Sawyer, 1 August 1980; Colonel Henry D. Canterbury, 27 January 1982; Colonel Richard A. Pierson, 7 June 1982; Brigadier General Christian F. Dreyer Jr., 22 May 1985; Brigadier General John M. Davey, 15 August 1986–1 July 1987.
