The group was originally activated as a support unit for a bombardment group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the Caribbean, where it supported units redeploying from Europe 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 14th 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 activated as the 517th Air Service Group in Italy in early 1945, shortly before the end of World War II.[1] It was split from the 323rd Service Group when the Army Air Forces (AAF) replaced Service Groups that included personnel from other branches of the Army and supported two combat groups with Air Service Groups that included only Air Corps units. It was designed to support a single combat group - "scheduled to be" the 464th Bombardment Group.[2][3] Its 943rd Air Engineering Squadron was to provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 767th Air Materiel Squadron to handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron to provide other support.[2] Together with the 518th Air Service Group, it supported the 464th and 465th Bombardment Groups at Pantanella Airfield[1] (the unit histories are contradictory concerning whether the 517th supported the 464th or 465th group). The group relocated to Trinidad[1] and provided support to combat units redeploying from Europe to the United States. It was disbanded in 1948.[4]
During the Cold War, the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 517th Air Defense Group, and activated at Ethan Allan AFB in 1953[5] with responsibility for air defense of upper New England.[citation needed] It was assigned the 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Ethan Allan AFB, and flying World War II era F-51 Mustangs[6] as its operational component.[7] The 37th FIS had been assigned directly to the 4711th Defense Wing.[7] The group replaced the 75th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at the base. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[8][9]
The 37th FIS converted to airborne intercept radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed North American F-86 Sabres in June 1953.[6] The group was inactivated in 1955[5] and replaced by the 14th Fighter Group (Air Defense)[10][11] 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.[12] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.[13]
Lineage
Constituted as 517th Air Service Group
Activated on 13 January 1945
Inactivated on 31 July 1945
Disbanded on 8 October 1948
Reconstituted and redesignated 517th Air Defense Group on 21 January 1953
^The F-51s of the 134th FIS were transferred to the 37th FIS when the 134th was returned to the control of the Air National Guard on 1 November 1952. The 37th FIS continued to fly them until it equipped with Sabres in 1953.
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.
