519th Air Defense Group

519th Air Defense Group

F-86A Sabre of the group's 75th FIS with US Navy F9F Cougar off Long Island
Active 1945-1947; 1953–1955
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Fighter Interceptor
Role Air Defense
Part of Air Defense Command
Equipment North American F-86 Sabre

The 519th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4709th Air Defense Wing, stationed at Suffolk County Air Force Base, New York, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as a support unit for the 485th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in It/aly and then redeployed to the United States where it was inactivated in 1945.

The group was activated once again in 1953, when ADC established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 52d 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 and Post-War

The group was activated as the 519th Air Service Group in Italy shortly before the end of World War II in early 1945 as part of 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.[1] Designed to support a single combat group.[2] Its 945th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 769th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[2] It supported the 485th Bombardment Group in Italy.[3] The group returned to the US, where it continued to support heavy bombardment groups. The group was scheduled to move overseas in 1946, but its movement was cancelled.[4] It was reduced to nominal strength of 4 officers and 7 enlisted men in March 1946, but re-manned in April.[5] The group deployed to Alaska with the 97th Bombardment Group.[6][7] It was replaced by 97th Airdrome Group, 97th Maintenance & Supply Group, and 97th Station Medical Group as part of the Air Force Wing/Base reorganization (Hobson Plan) in 1947, which was designed to unify control at air bases.[6][8][9] It was disbanded in 1948.[10]

Cold War

The 519th was reconstituted, redesignated as an air defense group, and activated at Suffolk County AFB in 1953[11] with responsibility for air defense of the Northeastern United States. It was assigned the 45th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) and 75th FIS, which were already stationed at Suffolk County AFB, flying North American F-86 Sabres[12][13] as its operational components.[14][15] The 45th FIS and 75th FIS had been assigned directly to the 4709th Defense Wing.[14][15] The group replaced 77th Air Base Squadron as USAF host unit at Suffolk County AFB. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[16][17] Eight days later, the 331st FIS, equipped with a radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed model of the "Sabre"[18] was activated and assigned to the group.[19] In May 1953, the 45th FIS moved to Morocco and was reassigned away from the group.[14] Later in 1953, the 75th FIS upgraded to improved radar equipped "Sabres".[13]

The 519th was inactivated[11] and replaced by the 52d Fighter Group (Air Defense)[20][21] as result 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.[22] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.[23]

Lineage

Activated on 20 January 1945[3]
Inactivated 1 December 1947
Disbanded 8 October 1948
Activated on 16 February 1953
Inactivated on 18 August 1955
Disbanded on 27 September 1984

Assignments

Stations

Components

Operational Squadrons

  • 45th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 28 May 1953[26]
  • 75th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955[27]
  • 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 24 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

Support Units

  • 519th Air Base Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
  • 519th Materiel Squadron, 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955[16]
  • 519th Medical Squadron (later 519th USAF Infirmary),[17] 16 February 1953 - 18 August 1955
  • 769th Air Materiel Squadron, 20 January 1945 - 1 December 1947[1]
  • 945th Air Engineering Squadron, 20 January 1945 - 1 December 1947[1]

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Abstract, History 519 Air Service Group Jan-Feb 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Coleman, p. 208
  3. 1 2 "Abstract, History 323 Service Group, 517, 518, 519 Air Service Groups Jan 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Abstract, History 519 Air Service Group Jan 1946". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Abstract, History 519 Air Service Group Mar 1946". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012. "Abstract, History 519 Air Service Group Apr 1946". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Mueller, pp. 143, 145
  7. ↑ See Robertson, Patsy (July 19, 2010). "Factsheet 97 Operations Group (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  8. ↑ Goss, p. 59 note
  9. ↑ "Abstract, History 769 Air Materiel Squadron Aug-Nov 1947". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  10. ↑ Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
  11. 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, p. 82
  12. ↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 115
  13. 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, p. 118
  14. 1 2 3 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 202
  15. 1 2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 274
  16. 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, p.147
  17. 1 2 "Abstract, History 519 Infirmary Jan-Jun 1955". Air Force History Index. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  18. ↑ Cornett & Johnson, p.136
  19. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p.408
  20. ↑ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 114
  21. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (January 27, 2009). "Factsheet 52 Operations Group (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  22. ↑ Buss, Sturm, Volan, & McMullen, p.6
  23. ↑ Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 Sep 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units
  24. 1 2 3 "Abstract, History 519 Air Service Group Apr-Jul 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Abstract, History 519 Air Service Group Sep 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 7, 2012.(this was a paper transfer without personnel or equipment)
  26. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (November 24, 2010). "Factsheet 45 Fighter Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  27. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (February 26, 2008). "Factsheet 75 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved March 3, 2012.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

Further Reading

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