World War II

The group was activated as the 515th Air Service Group in late 1944^[1] as part of a reorganization of Army Air Forces (AAF) support groups in which the AAF replaced Service Groups that included personnel from other branches of the Army and supported two combat groups with Air Service Groups including only Air Corps units. The unit was designed to support a single combat group.^[2] Its 941st Air Engineering Squadron^[3] provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 765th Air Materiel Squadron^[4] handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support.^[2] It supported one combat group in Italy. In May 1945, the group assumed responsibility for supporting units that were redeploying from the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.^[5] It moved to the Pacific Theater and provided the same support on Okinawa until inactivated in 1945. The 515th was disbanded in 1948.^[6]

Cold War

Northrop F-89 Scorpion as flown by the 515th Air Defense Group

The group was redesignated as an air defense group, reconstituted and activated at Duluth Municipal Airport in 1953^[7] with responsibility for air defense of Great Lakes area. It was assigned the 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Duluth Airport, and flying World War II era North American F-51 Mustangs^[8] as its operational component.^[9] The 11th FIS had been assigned directly to the 31st Air Division.^[9] The group replaced 73rd Air Base Squadron as the USAF host unit at Duluth Airport. It was assigned three squadrons to perform its support responsibilities.^[10][11]

The 11th FIS converted to Mighty Mouse rocket armed and airborne intercept radar equipped North American F-86D Sabres in the fall of 1953.^[8] The squadron began flying two-seat Northrop F-89 Scorpions in June 1955.^[8] The group was inactivated and replaced by the 343d Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955^[7][12] as part of ADC'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 515th was disbanded once again in 1984.^[14]

Assignments

• Air Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, 28 December 1944 – 1945
• Unknown, 1945 – 29 October 1945
• 31st Air Division, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955^[7]

Stations

• Pomigliano d'Arco Airfield, Italy 28 December 1944 – 1945^[1]
• Okinawa, 1945 – 29 October 1945
• Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

Components

Aircraft

• North American F-51D Mustang, 1953
• North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1955
• Northrop F-89D Scorpion, 1955

Commanders

• Lt Col. Fergus H. Eddy, 28 December 1944 – unknown^[15]
• Unknown 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

Notes

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• 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.
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.