Western Air Defense Force
Encyclopedia
The Western Air Defense Force (WADF) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base
, California
. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.
(ConAC) reorganized Air Defense Command when it became an operating agency. Air defense units within the Continental United States (CONUS) were given to the Eastern and Western Air Defense Liaison Groups, with Western and Eastern Air Defense Forces activated on 1 September 1949.
The command was originally assigned the region within the Continental United States (CONUS) to the west of the 102d degree of longitude, from the Canadian border in the north to the Rio Grande
river border between the United States and Mexico in the south and west to the Pacific Ocean
coastline. This was adjusted in 1951 with the activation of Central Air Defense Force
(CADF) with the region being adjusted slightly to the west to the border of Montana and North Dakota at the Canadian Border, south along the eastern borders of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico to the Mexican Border. Organizations stationed east of that boundary were transferred to CADF.
The delineation was again adjusted in March 1956 to the region generally to the west of the 114th degree of longitude, roughly along the eastern borders of Idaho, Nevada and California from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the south. Organizations stationed east of that boundary were transferred to CADF, whose region was shifted westward.
Western Air Defense Force was inactivated on 1 July 1960, with its assigned units reassigned either to 25th or 28th Air Divisions, or to the new Air Defense Sectors created with the advent of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system.
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 Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.
History
WADF was an intermediate-level command and control organization of Air Defense Command. It's origins date to 1 March 1949 when Continental Air CommandContinental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
(ConAC) reorganized Air Defense Command when it became an operating agency. Air defense units within the Continental United States (CONUS) were given to the Eastern and Western Air Defense Liaison Groups, with Western and Eastern Air Defense Forces activated on 1 September 1949.
The command was originally assigned the region within the Continental United States (CONUS) to the west of the 102d degree of longitude, from the Canadian border in the north to the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
river border between the United States and Mexico in the south and west to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coastline. This was adjusted in 1951 with the activation of Central Air Defense Force
Central Air Defense Force
The Central Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was deactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(CADF) with the region being adjusted slightly to the west to the border of Montana and North Dakota at the Canadian Border, south along the eastern borders of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico to the Mexican Border. Organizations stationed east of that boundary were transferred to CADF.
The delineation was again adjusted in March 1956 to the region generally to the west of the 114th degree of longitude, roughly along the eastern borders of Idaho, Nevada and California from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the south. Organizations stationed east of that boundary were transferred to CADF, whose region was shifted westward.
Western Air Defense Force was inactivated on 1 July 1960, with its assigned units reassigned either to 25th or 28th Air Divisions, or to the new Air Defense Sectors created with the advent of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) system.
Lineage
- Established as Western Air Defense Force and organized September 1, 1949.
- Discontinued July 1, 1960
Assignments
- Continental Air CommandContinental Air CommandContinental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
, September 1, 1949 – January 1, 1951 - Air Defense Command, January 1, 1951 – July 1, 1960
Air Divisions
- 8th Air Division (AEW&Con)
- Stationed at McClellan AFB, California
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 May 1954
- Re-assigned to Air Defense Command, 1 May 1955
- 9th Air Division (Defense)
- Stationed at Geiger Field, Washington
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 8 October 1954
- Inactivated on 15 August 1958
- 25th Air Division
- Stationed at Silver Lake, Washington
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force from Fourth Air ForceFourth Air ForceThe Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, 1 February 1950 - Moved to McChord AFB, Washington, 15 September 1951
- Re-designated 25th Air Division (SAGE), 1 March 1959
- Re-assigned to Air Defense Command, 1 July 1960
- 27th Air Division (Defense)
- Stationed at Norton AFB, California
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 20 September 1950
- Inactivated on 1 October 1959
- 28th Air Division (Defense)
- Stationed at Hamilton AFB, California
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 January 1951
- Re-designated 28th Air Division (SAGE), 1 July 1960
- Re-assigned to Air Defense Command, 1 July 1960
- 29th Air Division
- Stationed at Great Falls AFB, Montana
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 March 1951
- Great Falls AFB renamed Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 1 October 1955
- Re-designated 29th Air Division (SAGE), 1 July 1960
- Re-assigned to Air Defense Command, 1 July 1960
- 34th Air Division (Defense)
- Assigned to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 5 January 1951
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense ForceCentral Air Defense ForceThe Central Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was deactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(CADF), 15 February 1953
Air Defense Sectors
- Los Angeles Air Defense Sector
- Stationed at Norton AFB, California
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force from 27th Air Division, 1 October 1959
- Re-assigned to 28th Air Division, 1 July 1960
- Phoenix Air Defense SectorPhoenix Air Defense SectorThe Phoenix Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 28th Air Division, being stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
- Stationed at Luke AFB, Arizona
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 15 June 1959
- Re-assigned to 28th Air Division, 1 July 1960
Wings
- 1st Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Stationed at George AFB, California
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force, 1 January 1951
- Inactivated 6 February 1952
- 78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Stationed at Hamilton AFB, California
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force, 1 January 1951
- Inactivated 6 February 1952
- 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Stationed at Larson AFB, Washington
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force, 1 January 1951
- Re-assigned to Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
(USAFE), 22 August 1951
- 101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Federalized Maine Air National GuardMaine Air National GuardThe Maine Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Maine. It is, along with the Maine Army National Guard, an element of the Maine National Guard...
- Stationed at Larson AFB, Washington
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force from Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF), 2 August 1951 - Inactivated and returned to state control, 6 February 1952
- 142d Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Federalized Oregon Air National GuardOregon Air National GuardThe Oregon Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is, along with the Oregon Army National Guard, an element of the Oregon National Guard...
, 2 March 1951 - Stationed at Geiger Field, Washington
- Re-assigned to Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF), 11 April 1951
- 325th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Stationed at McChord AFB, Washington
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force from Air Defense Command, 1 May 1951
- Inactivated 6 February 1952
- 552d Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing
- Stationed at McClellan AFB, California
- Re-assigned to Western Air Defense Force from 8th Air Division (AEW&Con), 1 July 1957
- Re-assigned to 28th Air Division, 1 July 1960
- 4702d Defense Wing
- Stationed at Hamilton AFB, California
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
- Re-assigned to 25th Air Division, 1 November 1952
- 4703d Defense Wing4703d Defense WingThe 4703d Defense Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division, being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California...
- Stationed at Larson AFB, Washington
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
- Discontinued 7 April 1952
- 4704th Defense Wing
- Stationed at McChord AFB, Washington
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
- Re-assigned to 25th Air Division, 1 December 1952
- 4705th Defense Wing4705th Defense WingThe 4705th Defense Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division, being stationed at Norton Air Force Base, California...
- Stationed at Norton AFB, California
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
- Discontinued 1 March 1952
- 4750th Training Wing (Air Defense)
- Stationed at Yuma County Airport, Arizona
- Activated by Western Air Defense Force, 1 September 1953
- Re-assigned to Air Defense Command, 1 October 1953
Groups
- 162d Aircraft Control and Warning Group
- Federalized Washington Air National GuardWashington Air National GuardThe Washington Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Washington. It is, along with the Washington Army National Guard, an element of the Washington National Guard...
, 12 May 1951 - Assigned to Larson AFB, Washington
- Re-assigned to 25th Air Division, 25 June 1951
Squadrons
- 115th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Federalized Alabama Air National GuardAlabama Air National GuardThe Alabama Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is, along with the Alabama Army National Guard, an element of the Alabama National Guard...
, 20 January 1952 - Assigned to Geiger Field, Washington
- Assigned to WADF, 17 March 1952-16 February 1953
- 917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron917th Aircraft Control and Warning SquadronThe 917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Seattle Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Puntzi Mountain Air Force Station, British Columbia...
- Assigned to Puntzi Mountain AS, British Columbia
- Assigned to WADF, 16 April 1952-1 January 1953
- 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron918th Aircraft Control and Warning SquadronThe 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Seattle Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Baldy Hughes Air Station, British Columbia, Canada...
- Assigned to Baldy Hughes AS, British Columbia
- Assigned to WADF, 16 April 1952-16 February 1953
- 919th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron919th Aircraft Control and Warning SquadronThe 919th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Spokane Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Saskatoon Mountain Air Station, Alberta, Canada...
- Assigned to Saskatoon Mountain AS, Alberta
- Assigned to WADF, 16 April 1952-16 February 1953