528th Air Defense Group

The group was first activated in Italy as the 528th Air Service Group about VE Day[1] in 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. Designed to support a single combat group.[2] Its 954th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 778th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[2] The group provided support for 97th Bombardment Group in Italy in 1945. It was disbanded in 1948.[3]

F-94B Starfire as flown by the 74th FIS

The group was reconstituted during the Cold War, redesignated as the 528th Air Defense Group, and activated at Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine in 1953[4] with responsibility for air defense of Northeastern US. The 529th was assigned the 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Presque Isle flying cannon armed and airborne intercept radar armed Lockheed F-94 Starfires[5] as its operational component.[6] The 74th FIS had been assigned directly to the 4711th Defense Wing.[6] The group also replaced the 85th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at Presque Isle. it was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[7][8]

In March, the 57th FIS, flying Northrop F-89 Scorpions[9] was activated at Presque Isle as the group's second operational squadron.[10] In June, the 74th FIS also converted to Scorpions.[5] The 74th FIS moved to Greenland and was reassigned away from the group in August 1954.[6] A few days earlier, in a swap of units, the 318th FIS had moved from Greenland and was reassigned to the group to replace the 74th FIS.[11] Upon arrival at Presque Isle, the 318th FIS converted to newer model Scorpions armed with Mighty Mouse rockets. A second swap of units began when the 82d Fighter Interceptor Squadron arrived from Iceland the same day the 74th FIS left,[12] and also converted to "Scorpions".[13] The 57th FIS then moved to Iceland and was reassigned away from the group in November of the same year.[10] The group was inactivated[4] and replaced by the 23d Fighter Group (Air Defense)[14][15] in 1955 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.[16] Disbanded once again in 1984.[17]

• Unknown (probably XV Air Force Service Command), 18 May 1945 – 1945
• 4711th Defense Wing (later 4711th Air Defense Wing), 15 February 1953 – 18 August 1955[4]

• Amendola, Italy, 18 May 1945 – 1945
• Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine, 15 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

• Northrop F-89C Scorpion, 1953–1954
• Northrop F-89D Scorpion, 1954–1955
• Lockheed F-94B Starfire, 1953, 1954

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

• 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)
• Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
• 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.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.