Page 10 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 8-21-15

Aug. 21, 2015 NEWS Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
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This week in history 6SLNHVODXQFK¿UVW)VRUWLH«

1955: 56th FG reactivates

Sixty years ago, the 56th Fighter Group I or World War II records. During World War Tech. Sgt. Timothy Boyer
reactivated as the 56th FG (Air Defense). II, the 56th Fighter Group had more air-to-
air kills than any other U.S. group in the 7KHQG)LJKWHU6TXDGURQODXQFKHGLWV¿UVWVRUWLHLQDQ)/LJKW-
Three years earlier, it had inactivated at Sel- European Theater of Operations. Therefore, QLQJ,,7XHVGD\DW/XNH$LU)RUFH%DVH/W&RO0DWWKHZ9HGGHU
fridge Air Force Base, Michigan. The 4706th LWTXDOLÀHGDVKDYLQJDQRWDEOHUHFRUG QG)6GLUHFWRURIRSHUDWLRQVDQGLQVWUXFWRUSLORWÀHZWKHKRXU
Air Defense Wing activated at O’Hare Inter- DQGDKDOIPLVVLRQLQWKHPRVWUHFHQW)DUULYDO7KHMHWODQGHGDW
national Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Upon That same day, the 4706th ADW picked up /XNHDOLWWOHPRUHWKDQDZHHNSULRUWRLWV¿UVWVRUWLHEHLQJÀRZQ
activation, the 4706th ADW assumed control another F-86 squadron. That squadron was
RIWKHWK)LJKWHU,QWHUFHSWRU*URXS·VÁ\LQJ the 56th FIS. Today, that squadron is the 56th
VTXDGURQV 1RZ WKH WK ZDV UHDFWLYDWHG Training Squadron. On that day, the 56th FIS
under the 4706th ADW. moved from Selfridge AFB to Wright-Patterson
AFB in Ohio.
On Aug. 18, 1955, both the group and a
VXERUGLQDWHXQLWWKHWK86$),QÀUPDU\ At O’Hare, the 56th FG (Air Defense) had
activated at O’Hare. The 62nd Fighter-Inter- the same mission as many other organizations.
ceptor Squadron was already there. The Air That mission was to defend the northeastern
Force reassigned the squadron to the group portion of the U.S. from Soviet bombers.
from the 501th Air Defense Group.
The 56th FG (Air Defense) remained at
The 63rd FIS was reassigned to the group O’Hare until 1959. Then Air Defense Com-
from the 527th ADG. As part of its reassign- mand reorganized again. At that time, the
ment, the 63rd moved from Wurtsmith AFB, group moved without personnel or equipment
Michigan, to O’Hare. Both squadrons were to K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan. Both the 62nd
Á\LQJWKH1RUWK$PHULFDQ)6DEUH and 63rd moved with the group. There, they
absorbed the resources of the 473rd FG and
The group’s reactivation was due to one of EHJDQÁ\LQJWKH0F'RQQHOO)9RRGRR
Air Defense Command’s many reorganiza-
WLRQV7KDWUHRUJDQL]DWLRQZDVFDOOHG3URMHFW Courtesy of Rick Griset
$UURZ 3URMHFW $UURZ·V SXUSRVH ZDV WR UHDF-
WLYDWH ÀJKWHU XQLWV ZLWK QRWDEOH :RUOG :DU WK+LVWRU\2I¿FH

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