516th Air Defense Group

{{Short description|Disbanded USAF organization}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name= 516th Air Defense Group |image=F-86D000 (4576590726).jpg |image_size =300 |caption=North American F-86D Sabre as flown by the 516th Air Defense Group |dates={{Hlist|1945|1953–1955}} |country={{USA}} |branch={{air force|USA}} |type= |role=Air defense |size= |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |equipment= |equipment_label= |nickname= |motto=Up and at 'Em |colors= |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |battles= |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honours=  |identification_symbol=180px |identification_symbol_label=Patch showing the 516th Air Defense Group Emblem }} The '''516th Air Defense Group''' is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 35th Air Division at McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955.

The group was originally activated as a support unit for the 460th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the Caribbean, where it supported units redeploying from the European Theater until 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 355th 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=== The group was first activated shortly before the end of World War II as the '''516th Air Service Group''' in Italy in early 1945<ref name="516 ASG F45">{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/102/889.xml |title=Abstract, History of 516th Air Service Group Feb 1945|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=6 January 2012}}</ref> 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. The unit was designed to support a single combat group.<ref name=coleman>Coleman, p. 208</ref> Its 942d Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 766th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.<ref name=coleman/> Supported the 460th Bombardment Group in Italy,<ref name="516 ASG M 45">{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/102/890.xml |title=Abstract, History of 516th Air Service Group Mar 1945|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=6 January 2012}}</ref> then moved to Trinidad and supported flying units redeploying from Europe to the United States until the group was inactivated in the Caribbean. It was disbanded in 1948.<ref>Department of the Air Force Letter, 322 (AFOOR 887e), 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units</ref>

===Cold War=== [[File:105th Fighter Squadron P-47N 45-49253.jpg|thumb|105th Fighter Squadron F-47N{{efn|When the 105th FIS was returned to the control of the Air National Guard on 1 December 1952, its F-47s were transferred to the 469th FIS, which continued to fly them until equipping with F-86s.}}]] During the Cold War, the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the '''516th Air Defense Group''', and activated at McGhee Tyson Airport in February 1953<ref name="cj 82">Cornett & Johnson, p. 82</ref> with responsibility for air defense of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Alcoa Aluminum Facilities.<ref>''See'' {{cite web|url= http://www.dm.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4327 |title=355th Wing History|date=28 November 2007|publisher=355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120306001200/http://www.dm.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4327 |archive-date=6 March 2012 |access-date=24 August 2015}} (mission statement for 355th Fighter Group, replacement for 516th</ref> The group was assigned the 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was already stationed at McGhee-Tyson Airport, flying World War II era Republic F-47 Thunderbolts<ref name="cj 129">Cornett & Johnson, p. 129</ref> as its operational component.<ref name="cj 129"/> The 469th had been assigned directly to the 35th Air Division.<ref name="cj 129"/> The group replaced the '''74th Air Base Squadron''' as USAF host organization at McGhee Tyson Airport. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.<ref name=cj147>Cornett & Johnson, p.147</ref><ref name=516Inf1955>''See'' {{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/407/101.xml |title=Abstract, History 516 Infirmary, Jan–Jun 1955|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=20 June 2012}}</ref>

The 469th Squadron replaced its Thunderbolts with North American F-86 Sabre jet aircraft in July 1953<ref name="cj 129"/> In March 1954, the 469th was joined by the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying Mighty Mouse rocket armed and airborne intercept radar equipped Sabres.<ref name="cj 129"/><ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 567</ref> The group was inactivated<ref name="cj 82"/> and replaced by the 355th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 237</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9974 |last1=Robertson |first1=Patsy |title=Factsheet 355 Fighter Wing (ACC) |date=8 November 2011 |publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency |url-status=dead |access-date=3 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913060905/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9974 |archive-date=13 September 2012 }}</ref> as part of ADC'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.<ref>Buss, Sturm, Volan & McMullen, p.6</ref> The group was disbanded again in 1984.<ref>Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 Sep 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units</ref>

==Lineage== * Constituted as '''516th Air Service Group''' : Activated on 25 Jan 1945 : Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945 : Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948 * Reconstituted and redesignated '''516th Air Defense Group''' on 21 Jan 1953 : Activated on 16 Feb 1953 : Inactivated on 18 August 1955 : Disbanded on 27 Sep 1984

===Assignments=== * Unknown, 25 Jan 1945 – 1945 (probably XV Air Force Service Command) * Caribbean Division, Air Transport Command, 1945 – 26 Sep 1945 * 35th Air Division, 1 January 1952 – 18 August 1955<ref name="cj 82"/>

===Stations=== * Spinazzola Airfield, Italy 26 Jan 1945 – ''ca''. March 1945<ref name="516 ASG F45"/> * Garagnone, Italy, ''ca''. March 1945 – ''ca'' June 1945<ref name="516 ASG M 45"/> * Waller Field, Trinidad ''ca''. June 1945 – 26 Sep 1945 * McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee, 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955

===Components=== {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break|width=50%}} '''Operational Squadrons''' * 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18 March 1954 – 18 August 1955 * 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=14353 |last1=Robertson |first1=Patsy |title=Factsheet 469 Flying Training Squadron (AETC) |date=21 June 2011 |publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency |url-status=dead |access-date=3 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165844/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=14353 |archive-date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> {{Col-break|width=50%}} '''Support Units''' * 516th Air Base Squadron, 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955 * 516th Materiel Squadron, 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955<ref name=cj147/> * 516th Medical Squadron (later 516th USAF Infirmary),<ref name=516Inf1955/> 16 Feb 1953 – 18 August 1955 * 766th Air Materiel Squadron, 26 Jan 1945 – 26 Sep 1945 * 942d Air Engineering Squadron, 26 Jan 1945 – 26 Sep 1945 {{col-end}}

===Aircraft=== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * Republic F-47D Thunderbolt, 1953 * Republic F-47N Thunderbolt, 1953 * North American F-86A Sabre, 1953–1954 * North American F-86D Sabre, 1954–1955 {{div col end}}

===Commanders=== * Lt Col. Robert L. Wehr, 25 January 1945 – March 1945<ref name="516 ASG F45"/><ref name="516 ASG M 45"/> * Lt Col. D. Ross Ellis, March 1945 – 1945 * Unknown 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

==References== ===Notes=== ; Explanatory notes {{Notelist}}

: Footnotes {{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography=== {{Air Force Historical Research Agency}} * Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956) * {{cite book|last=Coleman|first=John M|title=The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces|year=1950|publisher=Columbia University Press|location=New York, NY}} * {{cite book|last=Cornett|first=Lloyd H|author2=Johnson, Mildred W|title=A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980|url=http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf|year=1980|publisher=Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center|location=Peterson AFB, CO|access-date=20 November 2011|archive-date=13 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213173347/http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf|url-status=dead}} * {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20210115181723/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 15 January 2021 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}} * {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180455/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}

==Further reading== * Grant, C.L., (1961) [https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studies/101-150/AFD-090529-030.pdf The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126] * {{cite book|last=Leonard|first=Barry|title=History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/bmd/BMDV1.pdf|volume=I. 1945–1955|year=2009|publisher=Center for Military History|location=Fort McNair, DC|isbn=978-1-4379-2131-1|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-date=10 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110121813/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/bmd/BMDV1.pdf|url-status=dead}}

==External links== {{Aerospace Defense Command|state=autocollapse}} {{USAAF 15th Air Force World War II}}

0516 Category:Aerospace Defense Command units Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1984 Category:Military units and formations established in 1953