The 4756th Air Defense Wing was the designation of two different discontinued United States Air Force organizations.[1][2] Both wings were stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida and fulfilled similar missions. The first was organized in 1957 when Air Defense Command (ADC) assumed responsibility for managing Tyndall from Air Training Command and focused on weapons testing and development and evaluating the readiness of ADC fighter units. The wing also controlled a ground control interceptradar squadron. This wing was discontinued in 1960 and its mission transferred to its parent 73d Air Division.
The second wing was organized in 1962. It also conducted testing, but focused on crew training for interceptor aircraft. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the wing also assumed an alert state at bases in Florida. This wing was discontinued in 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center, which had replaced the 73d Air Division at Tyndall in 1966.
Loading an AIR-2 Genie on an F-101 at Tyndall AFB during a William Tell weapons meet
The first wing was organized in 1957, when Tyndall Air Force Base was transferred from Air Training Command to Air Defense Command (ADC). It assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of ATC's 3625th Combat Crew Training Wing, which was discontinued.[3] The primary mission of the wing was to conduct air defense weapons employment and testing. It also provided combat crew training on the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter[4] until ADC released all its F-104s to the ANG in 1960 because the F-104A fire control system was not sophisticated enough to make it an all weather interceptor.[5] From 1957 until 1959, the wing also controlled the 678th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, which performed the radar aircraft detection, warning, and control mission.[6] In addition to the mission units listed below, the wing was assigned various support and maintenance units to carry out its mission as host unit for Tyndall,[7] Between 1960 when the wing was discontinued and 1962, most of the wing's units were reassigned directly to the 73d Air Division (Weapons).[citation needed]
A major responsibility of wing was to evaluate the readiness and effectiveness of Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor squadrons which were required to spend one month each year undergoing evaluation exercises at Tyndall. As part of this mission the 4756th also conducted the annual worldwide interceptor weapons meet called "William Tell."[8] The wing participated, along with Air Proving Ground Command, in developing the initial operational testing and development of tactics for the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft.[9]
Second wingedit
TF-102A Delta Dagger 56-2317 at Tyndall AFB in 1968
Following the Cuban Revolution, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) developed a plan for reinforcing air defenses in southern Florida, named Operation Southern Tip. On 7 April 1961 the JCS tested Operation Southern Tip in which the 4756th wing deployed six F-102s to Homestead Air Force Base, where they stood five minute alert. The same month the Bay of Pigs Invasion occurred and the JCS decided not to terminate the exercise, but to retain the aircraft at Homestead. In July, the number of aircraft was reduced to four and the 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron assumed the alert mission from the wing.[10]
During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, elements of the wing assumed an air defense alert mission.[11] Initially, a total of 60 F-101, F-102 and F-106 aircraft at Tyndall were placed on alert. On 19 November, however, these airplanes were released to resume training and testing except for eight F-102s and TF-102s that remained on strip alert[12]
After the crisis, the wing established a Detachment at Key West Naval Air Station to perform the air defense alert mission.[13] The second wing was discontinued at the start of 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center.[14]
Lineageedit
Designated as the 4756th Air Defense Wing (Weapons) and organized on 1 July 1957
^ abcdefgCornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 67. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2012..
^Cornett & Johnson refers to this as a reactivation, however under USAF organizational rules at the time, the wing was a MAJCON (4-digit) unit and the lineage of the first 4756th Air Defense Wing had been terminated and could not be revived. Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors (2d, Revised ed.). Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Historical Research Center. p. 12. (An updated, but abbreviated, version of this work is available at A Guide to USAF Lineage and Honors 2012-10-30 at the Wayback Machine)
^Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982(PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 562. ISBN0-912799-53-6.
^ abcd"Abstract, History 4756 Air Defense Wing, Jul 1957-Dec 1963". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
^McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962-1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 Mar 2000), p. 6
^ ab"Abstract, History 4756 Air Defense Wing, Jul-Dec 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
^"Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, CY 1962". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
^NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO , 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996), p. 28
^ abc"Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, Jul-Dec 1967". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
^"Abstract, History of 325th Ftr Wg, 1942-1992". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
^ ab"Abstract, History 756 Air Defense Wing, CY 1966". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
Bibliographyedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962-1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 Mar 2000)
Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982(PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-53-6.
NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996)
Further Reading
Leonard, Barry (2009). (PDF). Vol. II, 1955–1972. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN978-1-4379-2131-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
4756th, defense, wing, designation, different, discontinued, united, states, force, organizations, both, wings, were, stationed, tyndall, force, base, florida, fulfilled, similar, missions, first, organized, 1957, when, defense, command, assumed, responsibilit. The 4756th Air Defense Wing was the designation of two different discontinued United States Air Force organizations 1 2 Both wings were stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base Florida and fulfilled similar missions The first was organized in 1957 when Air Defense Command ADC assumed responsibility for managing Tyndall from Air Training Command and focused on weapons testing and development and evaluating the readiness of ADC fighter units The wing also controlled a ground control intercept radar squadron This wing was discontinued in 1960 and its mission transferred to its parent 73d Air Division 4756th Air Defense WingF 102 Delta Dagger of the wing at Tyndall AFB in 1960Active1957 1960 1962 1967Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleAir Defense Fighter Training and Weapons DevelopmentPart ofAir Defense CommandInsigniaPatch showing 4756th Air Defense Wing emblem The second wing was organized in 1962 It also conducted testing but focused on crew training for interceptor aircraft During the Cuban Missile Crisis the wing also assumed an alert state at bases in Florida This wing was discontinued in 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center which had replaced the 73d Air Division at Tyndall in 1966 Contents 1 History 1 1 First wing 1 2 Second wing 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Components 2 4 Commanders 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory editFirst wing edit nbsp Loading an AIR 2 Genie on an F 101 at Tyndall AFB during a William Tell weapons meet The first wing was organized in 1957 when Tyndall Air Force Base was transferred from Air Training Command to Air Defense Command ADC It assumed the mission personnel and equipment of ATC s 3625th Combat Crew Training Wing which was discontinued 3 The primary mission of the wing was to conduct air defense weapons employment and testing It also provided combat crew training on the Lockheed F 104 Starfighter 4 until ADC released all its F 104s to the ANG in 1960 because the F 104A fire control system was not sophisticated enough to make it an all weather interceptor 5 From 1957 until 1959 the wing also controlled the 678th Aircraft Control amp Warning Squadron which performed the radar aircraft detection warning and control mission 6 In addition to the mission units listed below the wing was assigned various support and maintenance units to carry out its mission as host unit for Tyndall 7 Between 1960 when the wing was discontinued and 1962 most of the wing s units were reassigned directly to the 73d Air Division Weapons citation needed A major responsibility of wing was to evaluate the readiness and effectiveness of Air Defense Command fighter interceptor squadrons which were required to spend one month each year undergoing evaluation exercises at Tyndall As part of this mission the 4756th also conducted the annual worldwide interceptor weapons meet called William Tell 8 The wing participated along with Air Proving Ground Command in developing the initial operational testing and development of tactics for the Convair F 102 Delta Dagger aircraft 9 Second wing edit nbsp TF 102A Delta Dagger 56 2317 at Tyndall AFB in 1968 The second wing provided interceptor combat crew training for McDonnell F 101 Voodoo and Convair F 106 Delta Dart aircrews interceptor aircraft weapons training and conducted operational testing and evaluation of manned interceptors fire control systems and armament 4 The wing was ADC s only unit conducting live firing and operating target control systems after the 4750th Air Defense Wing at Vincent Air Force Base Arizona was discontinued 4 Following the Cuban Revolution the Joint Chiefs of Staff JCS developed a plan for reinforcing air defenses in southern Florida named Operation Southern Tip On 7 April 1961 the JCS tested Operation Southern Tip in which the 4756th wing deployed six F 102s to Homestead Air Force Base where they stood five minute alert The same month the Bay of Pigs Invasion occurred and the JCS decided not to terminate the exercise but to retain the aircraft at Homestead In July the number of aircraft was reduced to four and the 482d Fighter Interceptor Squadron assumed the alert mission from the wing 10 During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 elements of the wing assumed an air defense alert mission 11 Initially a total of 60 F 101 F 102 and F 106 aircraft at Tyndall were placed on alert On 19 November however these airplanes were released to resume training and testing except for eight F 102s and TF 102s that remained on strip alert 12 After the crisis the wing established a Detachment at Key West Naval Air Station to perform the air defense alert mission 13 The second wing was discontinued at the start of 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center 14 Lineage editDesignated as the 4756th Air Defense Wing Weapons and organized on 1 July 1957 Discontinued on 1 July 1960 1 Designated as 4756th Air Defense Wing Training and organized on 1 September 1962 Discontinued on 1 January 1968 1 Assignments edit 73d Air Division 1 July 1957 1 July 1960 1 73d Air Division 1 September 1962 Fourteenth Air Force 1 April 1966 1 January 1968 1 Stations edit Tyndall Air Force Base Florida 1 July 1957 1 July 1960 1 Tyndall Air Force Base Florida 1 September 1962 1 January 1968 1 Components edit USAF Interceptor Weapons School 1 July 1957 1 July 1960 4756th Air Defense Group Weapons 15 1 July 1957 1 July 1960 678th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron 1 April 1957 1 November 1959 4756th Air Defense Group Weapons 15 1 September 1962 1 January 1963 4756th Drone Squadron 16 1 January 1963 1 January 1968 4756th Flying Training Squadron 13 11 March 1967 1 January 1968 4756th Operations Squadron 13 11 March 1967 1 January 1968 4757th Air Defense Squadron 17 1 January 1963 1 January 1968 Commanders edit Col Dean Davenport 1 July 1957 after December 1958 6 9 Col Klem F Kalberer 1 September 1962 after January 1963 4 Col William D Harris unknown 1966 18 Col Thomas D DeJarnette 1966 after January 1967 18 See also editList of MAJCOM wings of the United States Air Force List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadronsReferences editNotes edit a b c d e f g Cornett Lloyd H Johnson Mildred W 1980 A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 1980 PDF Peterson AFB CO Office of History Aerospace Defense Center p 67 Archived from the original PDF on 13 February 2016 Retrieved 6 March 2012 Cornett amp Johnson refers to this as a reactivation however under USAF organizational rules at the time the wing was a MAJCON 4 digit unit and the lineage of the first 4756th Air Defense Wing had been terminated and could not be revived Ravenstein Charles A 1984 A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors 2d Revised ed Maxwell AFB AL USAF Historical Research Center p 12 An updated but abbreviated version of this work is available at A Guide to USAF Lineage and Honors Archived 2012 10 30 at the Wayback Machine Mueller Robert 1989 Air Force Bases Vol I Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 PDF Washington DC Office of Air Force History p 562 ISBN 0 912799 53 6 a b c d Abstract History 4756 Air Defense Wing Jul 1957 Dec 1963 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 McMullen Richard F 1964 The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962 1964 ADC Historical Study No 27 Air Defense Command Ent Air Force Base CO Confidential declassified 22 Mar 2000 p 6 a b Abstract History 4756 Air Defense Wing Jul Dec 1958 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 Mueller p 564 Abstract History 4756 Air Defense Wing CY 1959 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 a b Abstract History 4756 Air Defense Wing Jul Dec 1957 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 McMullen pp 3 4 Abstract History of 4756th Air Def Wg CY 1962 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 NORAD CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis Historical Reference Paper No 8 Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command Ent AFB CO 1 Feb 63 Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996 p 28 a b c Abstract History of 4756th Air Def Wg Jul Dec 1967 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 Abstract History of 325th Ftr Wg 1942 1992 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2012 a b Cornett amp Johnson p 90 Cornett amp Johnson p 112 Cornett amp Johnson p 106 a b Abstract History 756 Air Defense Wing CY 1966 Air Force History Index Retrieved 14 March 2014 Bibliography edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Cornett Lloyd H Johnson Mildred W 1980 A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 1980 PDF Peterson AFB CO Office of History Aerospace Defense Center Archived from the original PDF on 13 February 2016 Retrieved 6 March 2012 McMullen Richard F 1964 The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962 1964 ADC Historical Study No 27 Air Defense Command Ent Air Force Base CO Confidential declassified 22 Mar 2000 Mueller Robert 1989 Air Force Bases Vol I Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 PDF Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 53 6 NORAD CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis Historical Reference Paper No 8 Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command Ent AFB CO 1 Feb 63 Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996 Further Reading Leonard Barry 2009 History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense PDF Vol II 1955 1972 Fort McNair DC Center for Military History ISBN 978 1 4379 2131 1 Archived from the original PDF on 16 December 2019 Retrieved 6 February 2013 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 4756th Air Defense Wing amp oldid 1192920647, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
