568th Air Defense Group
Corporate brand
UnclaimedThe 568th Air Defense Group was a United States Air Force organization that provided support services and later operated fighter-interceptor units during and after the Second World War.
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Overview
The 568th Air Defense Group was a disbanded United States Air Force organization whose lineage extended from a Second World War support formation to a Cold War air-defense headquarters. It was first constituted as the 568th Air Service Group and activated on Guam in 1945, near the end of the Pacific campaign. The unit belonged to a reorganization of Army Air Forces support structures intended to give individual combat groups dedicated Air Corps logistical and maintenance support. Its principal elements included an engineering squadron, a materiel squadron, and a headquarters and base-services squadron. Together, these organizations maintained aircraft and equipment, managed supplies, and provided the administrative and installation services required by a combat group operating in the Pacific Theater. The wartime organization was inactivated around the end of the war and was later disbanded in 1948. Its lineage was revived during the Air Defense Command’s postwar restructuring. The formation was reconstituted and redesignated as the 568th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952, then activated at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, on 1 February of that year. It replaced the 52nd Air Base Group as McGuire’s host organization. In this role, it managed the base’s support infrastructure and maintained aircraft stationed there while the Air Force sought a more flexible arrangement for deploying fighter squadrons against possible air threats. On 16 February 1953, the unit became the 568th Air Defense Group. The redesignation reflected an expanded mission: in addition to its host-base responsibilities, the group served as an operational headquarters for fighter-interceptor squadrons assigned to defend the northeastern United States. Its operational components were the 2d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and the 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, both of which were already based at McGuire. The squadrons operated radar-equipped interceptor aircraft, initially including Lockheed F-94 Starfires. The 2d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron briefly operated Republic F-84G Thunderjets in 1953, while both squadrons converted that year to radar-equipped North American F-86D Sabres armed with air-to-air rockets. The group’s Cold War existence was brief. In 1954, McGuire Air Force Base was transferred from Air Defense Command to Military Air Transport Service. The 568th Air Defense Group was consequently inactivated on 8 July 1954. Its installation-support responsibilities passed to elements associated with the 1611th Air Transport Wing, while its fighter-interceptor squadrons returned to the 4709th Air Defense Wing. The organization was ultimately disbanded on 27 September 1984. It was therefore not a commercial brand or business enterprise, but a historical military unit identified by an official Air Force designation.
History
The 568th Air Defense Group originated in the Army Air Forces’ wartime effort to reorganize support formations. It was constituted as the 568th Air Service Group and activated on Guam around 5 June 1945. Unlike earlier service-group arrangements that could include personnel from several Army branches and support more than one combat group, the new air-service structure was centered on Air Corps personnel and was designed to support a single combat group. The 568th’s 1031st Air Engineering Squadron performed maintenance beyond the supported combat group’s own capabilities. The 1032nd Air Materiel Squadron handled supply responsibilities, while the Headquarters and Base Services Squadron provided administrative and general installation support. The unit served in the Pacific Theater during the closing phase of the Second World War and was inactivated around 31 May 1946. It was subsequently disbanded on 8 October 1948. The organization returned during the early Cold War as part of Air Defense Command’s effort to address limitations in the traditional wing-base structure. ADC wanted to position fighter squadrons where they could respond more effectively to changing air-defense requirements. The lineage was reconstituted and redesignated as the 568th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952, and the group was activated at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, on 1 February. It was assigned to the 4709th Air Defense Wing and replaced the 52nd Air Base Group as McGuire’s host unit. The group’s initial responsibilities were primarily support-oriented. It administered base functions through several assigned squadrons and also maintained aircraft stationed at McGuire. The unit’s mission broadened on 16 February 1953, when it was redesignated the 568th Air Defense Group. It became an operational headquarters as well as a base-support organization, assuming responsibility for fighter-interceptor elements assigned to the defense of the northeastern United States. The 2d and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons became its operational components. Both squadrons had been stationed at McGuire before the reorganization. Their equipment reflected the rapid development of postwar interception technology. The Lockheed F-94 Starfire provided radar-assisted interception capability, and the 2d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron briefly exchanged its F-94s for Republic F-84G Thunderjets during 1953. By July 1953, both squadrons had converted to North American F-86D Sabres equipped with airborne radar and Mighty Mouse air-to-air rockets. The group was inactivated after a further reorganization of McGuire’s command relationships. In 1954, the base moved from Air Defense Command to Military Air Transport Service. The 568th Air Defense Group was inactivated on 8 July 1954. Its support functions were taken over by elements connected with the 1611th Air Transport Wing, while the 2d and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons were reassigned to the 4709th Air Defense Wing. The group’s designation was finally disbanded on 27 September 1984. Its history illustrates the changing organization of United States air defense between the end of the Second World War and the consolidation of Cold War interceptor forces.
- 1984
Lineage disbanded
[1]The group’s designation was disbanded on 27 September 1984.
- 1954
Inactivated after McGuire command transfer
[1]The group was inactivated on 8 July 1954 after McGuire transferred from Air Defense Command to Military Air Transport Service.
- 1953
Redesignated as the 568th Air Defense Group
[1]On 16 February 1953, the group assumed an operational air-defense role in addition to its base-support responsibilities.
- 1953
Fighter-interceptor squadrons assigned
[1]The 2d and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons became the group’s operational elements.
- 1953
Transition to F-86D Sabres
[1]Both fighter-interceptor squadrons converted to radar-equipped North American F-86D Sabres armed with Mighty Mouse rockets.
- 1952
Reconstituted as the 568th Air Base Group
[1]The lineage was reconstituted and redesignated as the 568th Air Base Group on 1 January 1952.
- 1952
Activated at McGuire Air Force Base
[1]The group was activated on 1 February 1952 as McGuire’s host organization under the 4709th Air Defense Wing.
- 1948
Disbanded after the Second World War
[1]The wartime lineage was formally disbanded on 8 October 1948.
- 1946
Wartime organization inactivated
[1]The original 568th Air Service Group was inactivated around the end of May 1946.
- 1945
Constituted as the 568th Air Service Group
[1]The organization was created as a support formation for a single Army Air Forces combat group in the Pacific.
Products and positioning
A United States Air Force support and air-defense organization rather than a commercial brand. Its historical role shifted from combat-group logistical support to host-base management and operational control of fighter-interceptor squadrons.
Military logistics · 1945
Air-service support
During its Second World War existence, the group provided the specialized support required by a combat group in the Pacific. Its engineering element handled aircraft maintenance beyond the combat group’s organic capacity, its materiel element managed supply activities, and its headquarters and base-services element delivered administrative and general support. These were organizational capabilities rather than commercial products.
Installation support · 1952
McGuire Air Base support
As the 568th Air Base Group, the organization served as host unit for McGuire Air Force Base beginning in 1952. It coordinated the base’s support functions through assigned squadrons, maintained aircraft at the installation, and replaced the 52nd Air Base Group in the host-unit role. The function continued after the group’s redesignation as an air-defense organization.
Air defense · 1953
Fighter-interceptor operations
From 1953 to 1954, the group provided operational headquarters functions for the 2d and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons. These units defended the northeastern United States using radar-equipped interceptors, including the Lockheed F-94 Starfire and North American F-86D Sabre. The squadrons also had a brief association with the Republic F-84G Thunderjet during the transition period.
Brand decisions
1954
Transfer McGuire responsibilities after command realignmentStrategyBackground
McGuire Air Force Base was transferred from Air Defense Command to Military Air Transport Service.
Action taken
The 568th Air Defense Group was inactivated; its support responsibilities moved to elements associated with the 1611th Air Transport Wing, and its operational squadrons returned to the 4709th Air Defense Wing.
Aftermath
The group ceased operations on 8 July 1954 and was later disbanded in 1984.
1953
Expand from base support to operational air defenseStrategyBackground
Air Defense Command was reorganizing its forces to place fighter-interceptor squadrons under arrangements that offered greater tactical flexibility.
Action taken
The 568th Air Base Group was redesignated the 568th Air Defense Group and given responsibility for operational headquarters functions alongside its McGuire support role.
Aftermath
The group controlled the 2d and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons until its inactivation in 1954.
Sources1 sources
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