The 4721st Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 organization. Its last assignment was with the 4700th Air Defense Wing

4700th Air Defense Wing

The 4700th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Spokane Air Defense Sector, being stationed at Geiger Field, Washington. It was discontinued on 30 June 1960-History:...

, being stationed at Larson Air Force Base

Larson Air Force Base

Larson Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base located five miles northwest of the central business district of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington. After its closure, the airport was operated as Grant County International Airport.-History:Larson Air Force Base was named in...

, Washington. It was last active 1 May 1959

History

The 4721st Air Defense Group was organized at Larson AFB, Washington to centralize supervision and support of 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command stationed at Kingsley Field, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 July 1968.-History:...

 and 538th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

538th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron is provisional unt of United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, and is currently located at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.-Overview:...

. Both squadrons were already stationed at Larsen, flying F-86 "Sabre" aircraft, and assigned directly to the 9th Air Division

9th Air Division

Several air forces and space forces have included a 9th Air Division:*9th Air Division, of the Luftwaffe*9th Anti-Missile Defence Division of the Russian Space Forces*9th Assault Ropshinskaya red banner, Order of Ushakov Air Division of Soviet Naval Aviation...

. The 4721st was a tenant of Tactical Air Command

Tactical Air Command

Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...

's 62nd Air Base Group. In July 1957, the base transferred from TAC to Military Air Transport Service

Military Air Transport Service

The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...

, although the 62nd ABG remained the host unit. In the summer of 1957, both the 322 FIS and the 538 FIS upgraded to later model Sabres. In April 1959, the 322nd FIS moved to Kingsley Field, Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

 and was reassigned out of the group as part of ADC's drawdown at Larson. The following month, the 4721st was discontinued and its remaining squadron, the 538th FIS, assigned to the 4700th Air Defense Wing.

Lineage

• Established as 4721st Air Defense Group on 1 Dec 1956

Discontinued on 1 May 1959

Assignments

• 9th Air Division, 1 Dec 1956
• 25th Air Division, 15 Aug 1958
• 4700th Air Defense Wing, 1 Sep 1958 – 1 May 1959

Components

• 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 Dec 1956 – 1 Apr 1959
• 538th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 Dec 1956 – 1 May 1959