473d Fighter Group

The 473d Fighter Group was a United States Army Air Forces and later United States Air Force unit with two distinct periods of service. It was first constituted on 12 October 1943 and activated on 1 November 1943 at Grand Central Air Terminal in California. During World War II, the group was intended to function as a Replacement Training Unit for fighter pilots, primarily using Lockheed P-38 Lightning aircraft. Replacement Training Units prepared aircrews for deployment to operational combat formations, and they were generally larger than standard combat units because of their instructional mission. The group initially included the 482d, 483d, and 484th Fighter Squadrons; the 451st Fighter Squadron was added approximately one month later. The wartime organization did not become an operational combat group. As the Army Air Forces reassessed its organizational structure, it concluded that conventional units were not well suited to the specialized requirements of large-scale training activities. A base-centered system based on numbered Army Air Forces Base Units was introduced to improve administrative efficiency and manpower use. In late March 1944, the 473d and most of its squadrons moved from California to Ephrata Army Air Base in Washington, while the 482d Fighter Squadron moved to Moses Lake Army Air Field. On 31 March 1944, the group and its associated replacement-training squadrons were disbanded. The Ephrata elements were consolidated into the 430th AAF Base Unit, while the 482d provided the organizational basis for the 431st AAF Base Unit. The unit was reconstituted on 8 July 1955 and redesignated the 473d Fighter Group (Air Defense). It was activated on 8 April 1956 during the Cold War as part of the Air Defense Command's effort to establish and operate K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Initially assigned to the 4710th Air Defense Wing, the group served as the host organization for United States Air Force activities at the new installation and received support organizations needed to operate the base. In July 1956, after the 4710th wing was discontinued, the group was assigned directly to the 37th Air Division. The group's planned operational component was the 484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was authorized to operate Northrop F-89 Scorpion interceptors. The aircraft were not delivered before the squadron was inactivated in February 1959, and the squadron consequently never achieved an operational air-defense role under the group. Construction delays also meant that the K. I. Sawyer runway was not completed and ready for modern aircraft until 1959. The group nevertheless became important to the development of the base. In August 1958, it hosted the Strategic Air Command's 4042d Strategic Wing, initially activated as a headquarters and intended to serve as the foundation for a forward-deployed Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombardment wing. In August 1959, the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved from O'Hare International Airport to K. I. Sawyer and operated McDonnell F-101 Voodoo aircraft. The relocation addressed local opposition to maintaining a regular Air Force presence at a major civilian airport and concerns about safeguarding nuclear-armed MB-1 Genie air-to-air rockets at that location. Two months after the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron arrived, the 56th Fighter Group and its support units were transferred on paper from O'Hare to K. I. Sawyer. The 56th assumed the 473d's mission, personnel, and equipment. The 473d Fighter Group was inactivated on 30 September 1959, with its last assignment being the 30th Air Division. Although it was later redesignated the 473d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985, the available record does not indicate a subsequent activation. The unit therefore represents an organizational lineage associated with wartime training, Cold War air defense, and the establishment of a strategically significant Air Force base rather than a commercial consumer brand.

The 473d Fighter Group was constituted on 12 October 1943 and activated on 1 November at Grand Central Air Terminal, California. It was assigned to IV Fighter Command, with an attachment to the Los Angeles Fighter Wing, and was organized around the 482d, 483d, and 484th Fighter Squadrons. The 451st Fighter Squadron joined the group in December 1943. The intended role was replacement training for fighter pilots, primarily using P-38 Lightning aircraft, although the assigned squadrons operated a variety of aircraft during the brief training period. The group was created during a major transformation in Army Air Forces training administration. Replacement Training Units were large organizations that prepared personnel for overseas combat assignments, but the Army Air Forces increasingly viewed standard combat-group structures as inefficient for this purpose. It moved toward a functional base-unit model in which training, maintenance, supply, and administrative responsibilities were organized around individual installations. In March 1944, the 473d moved with most of its components to Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington. The 482d Fighter Squadron instead moved to Moses Lake Army Air Field. At the end of March, the group and its training squadrons were disbanded. The Ephrata organizations were consolidated into the 430th AAF Base Unit, and the 482d became the basis of the 431st AAF Base Unit. The group therefore never deployed as an operational World War II fighter formation. The lineage was revived during the Cold War. The organization was reconstituted and redesignated the 473d Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 8 July 1955, then activated on 8 April 1956 under Air Defense Command. Its immediate purpose was to open and operate K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan. The group was initially assigned to the 4710th Air Defense Wing and acted as the installation host, overseeing or supporting the various Air Force organizations based there. When the 4710th wing was discontinued in July 1956, the group was placed under the 37th Air Division. The 484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned as the group's operational air-defense squadron and was authorized to receive Northrop F-89 Scorpions. The aircraft did not arrive before the squadron was inactivated in February 1959, so the group did not establish the intended interceptor capability. Base construction also progressed slowly; the main runway was not ready to receive modern aircraft until 1959. K. I. Sawyer nevertheless became an important strategic installation. In August 1958, the group hosted the 4042d Strategic Wing of Strategic Air Command. The wing was initially a headquarters organization intended to provide the framework for a forward-based B-52 bomber unit. In August 1959, the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved from O'Hare International Airport to K. I. Sawyer with F-101 Voodoo aircraft. Its relocation was influenced by opposition to a continuing regular Air Force presence at a busy civilian airport and by security concerns involving nuclear-armed MB-1 Genie rockets. In the autumn of 1959, the 56th Fighter Group and its support units were transferred on paper from O'Hare to K. I. Sawyer. The 56th assumed the 473d's mission, personnel, and equipment, and the 473d was inactivated on 30 September 1959. Its last assignment was the 30th Air Division. The group was later redesignated the 473d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985, but the available reference material does not document a later activation. Its historical significance lies in its two short-lived but distinct functions: wartime replacement training and the establishment and support of a Cold War air-defense base.

• 1985

  Redesignated as a tactical fighter group

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The inactive lineage was redesignated the 473d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July; no later activation is documented in the supplied reference.

• 1959

  Mission transferred and group inactivated

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 56th Fighter Group assumed the 473d's mission, personnel, and equipment at K. I. Sawyer. The 473d was inactivated on 30 September.

• 1958

  Became host to the 4042d Strategic Wing

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  In August, the group hosted Strategic Air Command's 4042d Strategic Wing, an organization intended to support a forward-based B-52 bomber capability.

• 1956

  Reactivated to open K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was activated on 8 April under Air Defense Command and became the host organization for United States Air Force operations at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan.

• 1955

  Air-defense redesignation

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage was reconstituted and redesignated the 473d Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 8 July.

• 1944

  World War II organization disbanded

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After moving to Washington for replacement training, the group and its training squadrons were disbanded on 31 March as the Army Air Forces shifted toward a numbered base-unit structure.

• 1943

  Constituted as a fighter group

  [1]473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 473d Fighter Group was constituted on 12 October 1943 and activated on 1 November at Grand Central Air Terminal, California, for a planned replacement-training mission.

A military organizational unit focused first on fighter-pilot replacement training and later on Cold War air-defense support and the operation of a United States Air Force installation.

• 1959

  Transfer of the air-defense mission to the 56th Fighter GroupStrategy

  Background

  The 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved to K. I. Sawyer with F-101 Voodoo aircraft, while the 56th Fighter Group and its support units were transferred from O'Hare.

  Action taken

  The 56th Fighter Group assumed the 473d's mission, personnel, and equipment, and the 473d was inactivated.

  Aftermath

  The organizational transition consolidated the air-defense and support structure at K. I. Sawyer under the 56th Fighter Group.

  Source

• 1944

  Conversion from group-based training to base-unit administrationStrategy

  Background

  The Army Air Forces determined that conventional organizational structures were poorly suited to the specialized and manpower-intensive requirements of replacement training.

  Action taken

  The 473d Fighter Group and its replacement-training squadrons were disbanded and their functions were consolidated into numbered AAF Base Units.

  Aftermath

  The group did not become an operational World War II fighter formation, while its former training functions continued through the successor base units.

  Source

1. 1473rd Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org