4727th Air Defense Group
Military unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 4727th Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Syracuse Air Defense Sector at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, where it was discontinued in 1959.
| 4727th Air Defense Group | |
|---|---|
465th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86D Sabre, Griffiss AFB, New York[a] | |
| Active | 1957–1959 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter interceptor |
| Role | Air defense |
| Insignia | |
| Patch with 4727th Air Defense Group emblem |  |
The group was formed to provide a single command and support organization for the two fighter interceptor squadrons of Air Defense Command, that were tenants at Griffiss, an Air Materiel Command base. It was also assigned a maintenance squadron to perform aircraft maintenance. It was discontinued after the 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved in 1959, leaving only a single fighter squadron at Griffiss.
History
The group was established to provide a headquarters for Air Defense Command (ADC) fighter-interceptor squadrons stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base,[1] an Air Materiel Command base, whose Rome Air Force Depot (until February 1958) and 2856th Air Base Wing (after February 1958) acted as host base organizations for the group.[2] The 4727th was assigned the 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying Lockheed F-94 Starfire[3] aircraft and the 465th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying Northrop F-89 Scorpions[4] as its operational components.[5][6] The interceptor aircraft assigned to these squadrons were armed with Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets. The F-89s were also armed with Falcon missiles or Genie rockets. All assigned aircraft were equipped with data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system
The 27th and 465th Squadrons were already stationed at Griffiss and had been assigned to the 4711th Air Defense Wing.[5][6] Group aircraft maintenance was centralized in the 606th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (CAMS), which was activated at Griffiss in August.[7] The 27th FIS converted to Convair F-102 Delta Daggers in the fall of 1957.[3]
In July 1959 The 465th and the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, swapped equipment, personnel, and stations.[6][8][9] The group was discontinued when the 27th moved to Loring Air Force Base, Maine in October 1959,[5] leaving only a single operational ADC squadron at Griffiss.[1] The 49th was then assigned directly to the Syracuse Air Defense Sector,[8] and the 606th CAMS was inactivated.[7]
Lineage
- Designated as 4727th Air Defense Group and organized on 8 February 1957
- Discontinued on 15 October 1959[1]
Assignments
- 32d Air Division, 8 February 1957 – 1 August 1958
- Syracuse Air Defense Sector, 1 August 1958 – 15 October 1959[1]
Stations
- Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, 8 February 1957 – 15 October 1959[1]
Components
Commanders
- Col. Frank J. Keller, by 1 January 1958 - after 31 December 1958[13]