85th Group

The 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Third Air Force, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was inactivated on 28 June 2006.

Overview

The 85th Group was the USAF component in Iceland. As a component of U.S. Joint Forces Command's (USJFCOM) Iceland Defense Force (IDF), the 85th Group was a tenant unit of U.S. Naval Air Station (NAS) Keflavík, strategically located on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base in the southwest corner of Iceland. Originated in 1952, the 85th Group was an Independent Group comprising seven squadrons and 13 staff agencies. Operationally, the group was assigned to the Iceland Defense Force (IDF) as part of Island Command Iceland.

As the "Guardians of the North," the 85th Group was responsible for deterring aggression in the North Atlantic, protecting Iceland's airspace and supporting contingency operations. This was accomplished through surveillance, air superiority and the use of rescue assets. The 85th Group was responsible for deterring aggression in the North Atlantic and protecting Iceland's airspace. It also supported contingency operations through surveillance, air superiority and rescue forces.

Units

• 85th Operations Squadron (85th OS). Was the air arm of the Iceland Defense Force and sole provider of Iceland's air sovereignty. It executed USACOM tasking for rotational F-15, KC-135, and HC-130 assets. It provided operational control, intelligence, total force management and maintenance of all U.S. Air Force combat aircraft in Iceland. It also provided all aerospace intelligence to IDF. Maintains organizational infrastructure and assets for U.S. Air Force contingency operations.

The vital air defense mission were carried out by F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft of deployed temporary duty units rotating every 90 days to Iceland. While deployed to Keflavik, the F-15s were under the operational control of the 85th Operations Squadron (OS). The 85th OS's Tanker Flight oversaw the operations of deployed KC-135 Stratotanker and HC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft.

• 56th Rescue Squadron (56th RS) performed the rescue function for the 85th Group. Using HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters, the 56th was responsible for combat rescue and reaction force response through insertion, extraction, and recovery of NATO combatants. Also known as "The Northern Lifesavers," the 56th provided continuous peacetime alert with long-range rescue capability for an area encompassing more than one million square miles and extending to the North Pole. More than 290 lives were saved since 1971 by the 56th and its predecessor, Detachment 14, 67th Aerospace and Recovery Squadron.

• 932d Air Control Squadron (932d ACS) was responsible for the detection and identification of all aircraft within the Iceland Military Air Defense Identification Zone. Using four ground-based radars and occasionally AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, the 85th Group's 932nd Air Control Squadron provided air surveillance of Iceland and the North Atlantic, referred to as the Military Air Defense Identification Zone (MADIZ). It controled and coordinated the employment of assigned air defense forces to include fighter, tanker, and air/ground surveillance systems. Coordinated with USACOM, NORAD and NATO command and control units and reports unidentified air traffic to the NCA.

History

World War II

Operated as a training unit within the United States, primarily with Third Air Force in the Southeast first using Vultee V-72 single-engine attack aircraft. Converted to A-24 Banshee dive bombers in August 1942 and attached to Fourth Air Force in California, taking part in training maneuvers at the Desert Training Center with Army ground units programmed for the Operation Torch landings in North Africa.

Returned to Third Air Force in Louisiana and re-equipped with A-36 Apaches attack in early 1943, moving briefly to Kentucky for maneuvers, and then to Georgia with P-40 Warhawks single-engine fighters in early 1944 for replacement pilot training. Received a few P-47 Thunderbolts in March 1944. Afterward, served as a replacement training unit until it disbanded on 1 May 1944 due to a reorganization of AAF training units, being replaced by the 345th Army Air Force Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Fighter).

Cold War

See also: 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron; Naval Air Station Keflavik

Replaced the Iceland Base Command, which had been the headquarters for Army (and later Air Force) units stationed in Iceland since 1942 and assigned to Military Air Transport Service. Between 1952 and 1961, provided air defense for Iceland, operated Keflavik Airport, and furnished base support for all U.S. military forces in Iceland. Performed its defense mission under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Also was the Air Force component of NATO Iceland Defense Force.

Installation transferred to the U.S. Navy on 30 June 1961, along with base support activities.

Air Forces Iceland continued the air defense mission of Iceland as a tenant organization at Keflavik. it was transferred from MATS to Air Defense Command in 1962; Tactical Air Command in 1978 and Air Combat Command in 1992 until it was inactivated in 1993 and replaced by the 35th Wing. In 1994, it was consolidated with the 85th Tactical Fighter Training Wing and activated to replace the 35th Wing as the headquarters for Air Force units in Iceland.

Air Force reductions and a new agreement with the Government of Iceland continued to affect Keflavik organizations. On 1 March 1995, the 57th Fighter Squadron was inactivated and the interceptor force was replaced by Regular Air Force and Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft rotating every 90 days to Iceland.

The 85th was reduced to a Group level in 1995 and supported rotational deployments. In 2002 jurisdiction of Air Force units in Iceland was transferred to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The 85th Group continued to support rotational deployments until it was inactivated during a one-hour, formal ceremony on 28 June 2006, as a result of the Air Force reduction in forces in Iceland. All rotational fighters left and the 56th Rescue Squadron ceased operation at the end of the fiscal year.

Lineage

• Constituted as 85th Bombardment Group (Light) on 13 January 1942

Activated on 10 February 1942

Redesignated as 85th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 27 July 1942

Redesignated as 85th Fighter-Bomber Group on 10 August 1943

Disbanded on 1 May 1944

Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesignated as 85th Tactical Fighter Training Wing

Consolidated on 29 September 1994 with Air Forces Iceland

• Designated as Iceland Air Defense Force and organized, on 1 April 1952

Redesignated Air Forces Iceland on 1 January 1960

Inactivated on 31 May 1993

• Redesignated 85th Wing on 29 September 1994

Activated on 1 October 1994

Redesignated 85th Group on 1 July 1995

Inactivated on 28 June 2006.

Assignments

• 3d Air Support Command, 10 February 1942
• III Bomber Command, 16 March 1942
• XII Bomber Command, 2 May 1942
• III Bomber Command, 8 May 1942
• III Ground Air Support Command (later, III Air Support Command), 10 August 1942
• IV Air Support Command, 2 November 1942
• Desert Training Center, 21 January 1943
• III Air Support Command, 8 April 1943
• 23d Bombardment Training Wing, 10 April 1943
• III Fighter Command, 6 Aug 1943 - 1 May 1944
• Military Air Transport Service, 1 April 1952
• 64th Air Division, 1 July 1962
• 26th Air Division, 1 July 1963
• Goose Air Defense Sector, 4 September 1963
• 37th Air Division, 1 April 1966
• 21st Air Division, 31 December 1969
• Aerospace Defense Command, 1 October 1975
• Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979
• First Air Force, 6 December 1985 - 31 May 1993
• Eighth Air Force, 1 October 1994
• Third Air Force, 1 October 2002
• 48th Fighter Wing, 8 October 2004 - 28 June 2006.

Components

Operational Components

Divisions

• 65th Air Division, 24 April 1952 - 8 March 1954

Groups

• 85th Operations Group, 1 October 1994 – 1 July 1995
• 1400th Operations Group, 18 December 1955 – 1 July 1960

Squadrons

• 56th Rescue Squadron, 1 July 1995 – 28 June 2006
• 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 13 November 1954 – 18 December 1955; 1 July 1960 – 31 May 1993
• 85th Operations Support Squadron (later 85th Operations Squadron, 1 July 1985 – 28 June 2006
• 305th Bombardment (later, 499th Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944
• 306th Bombardment (later, 500th Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944
• 307th Bombardment (later, 501st Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944
• 308th Bombardment (later, 502d Fighter-Bomber) Squadron, 10 February 1942 – 1 May 1944
• 667th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 30 September 1988
• 932d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (later 932d Air Defense Squadron, 932d Air Control Squadron), 8 March 1954 - 18 December 1955; 1 July 1960 - 31 May 1993; 1 July 1995 - 28 July 2006
• 933d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 18 Apr 1955 - 18 December 1955; 1 July 1960 - 8 October 1960
• 934th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 8 October 1960

Support Compnents

Groups

• 85th Support Group, 1 October 1994 - 1 July 1995
• 1400th Air Base Group, 1 April 1952 - 1 July 1960
• 1400th Maintenance & Supply Group, 1 May 1959 - 1 July 1960
• 1400th USAF Hospital, 1 July 1960 - 1 October 1961

Squadrons

• 85th Civil Engineer Squadron, 1 July 1985 - 28 June 2006
• 85th Logistics Squadron, 1 July 1985 - ca. 30 September 2002
• 85th Mission Support Squadron, 1 July 1985 - 28 June 2006
• 85th Security Forces Squadron, 1 July 1985 - 28 June 2006
• 1400th Air Base Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 1 October 1961
• 1400th Civil Engineering Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 1 October 1961
• 1400th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 1 July 1961
• 1400th Supply Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 1 October 1961
• 1400th Support Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 1 July 1962
• 1400th Transportation Squadron, 1 July 1960 - 1 October 1961
• 4557th Security Police Squadron, ca. 1985 - 31 May 1993
• 4557th Supply Squadron, 1 March 1987 - 31 May 1993

Stations

Aircraft

See Also

• List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons

References

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

• http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123020835
• http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123022673

External links

• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 85th Group
• GlobalSecurity.org: 85th Group