The group was originally activated the 518th Air Service Group, a support unit for the 465th Bombardment Group at the end of World War II in Italy and then redeployed to the Caribbean, where it supported redeploying units until it was inactivated in 1945.
The group was activated once again in 1953, when Air Defense Command (ADC) established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, aircraft maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the 15th 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 shortly as the 518th Air Service Group in Italy in early 1945.[2] It was split from the all-branch 323rd Service Group as part of the Army Air Forces creating Air Service Groups to service Air Corps units only. It was designed to support a single combat group.[3] Its 944th Air Engineering Squadron provided aircraft maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 768th Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.[3] The unit supported the 465th Bombardment Group in Italy.[4] The group moved to the Caribbean and provided support for flying units redeploying from Europe to the United States. It was disbanded in 1948.[5]
Cold War
F-86D firing a Mighty Mouse rocket
During the Cold War, the 518th group was reconstituted, redesignated as an air defense group, and activated at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport in 1953[6] with responsibility for air defense of Niagara Falls, Toronto, Western and upper New York area.[citation needed] It was assigned the 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was already stationed at Niagara Falls, and flying World War II era Republic F-47 Thunderbolts[7] as its operational component.[8] The 47th had been assigned to the 4708th Defense Wing.[8] The group was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.[9][10] It converted the same month to jet propelled North American F-86 Sabre aircraft.[7]
The 47th upgraded to a later airborne intercept radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed version of the Sabre in September 1953,[7] but its replacement aircraft were not delivered until early 1954.[7] The group replaced the 76th Air Base Squadron as the active duty USAF host unit at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport. The group was replaced by the 15th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955[6][11][12] as part 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.[13] The 518th group was disbanded once again in 1984.[14]
^Aircraft is Republic F-47D-40-RA Thunderbolt, serial 45-49431. This aircraft was destroyed in a mid-air collision with another F-47. Baugher, Joe (4 March 2023). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
^Robertson, Patsy (2 December 2010). "Factsheet 15 Wing (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
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.
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