4730th Air Defense Group

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= 4730th Air Defense Group

File:Air Defense Command.svg

| image= 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair F-102A-75-CO Delta Dagger 56-1329 McGuire.jpg

| image_size = 290

|caption=332d FIS Convair F-102 at McGuire AFB

|dates= 1957–59

|country={{flag|United States|23px}}

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|branch={{air force|USA}}

|type=Fighter Interceptor

|role=Air Defense

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|command_structure=Air Defense Command

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|identification_symbol=165px

|identification_symbol_label=Patch with the 4730th Air Defense Group emblem

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The 4730th Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the New York Air Defense Sector at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, where it was discontinued in 1959.

The group was formed to provide a single command and support organization for the two fighter interceptor squadrons of Air Defense Command that were tenants at McGuire, a Military Air Transport Service base. It was also assigned a squadron to perform aircraft maintenance. The 4730th was discontinued when the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved in 1959, leaving only a single fighter squadron at McGuire.

History

The 4730th Air Defense Group was established to provide a headquarters for the two Air Defense Command (ADC) Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons (FIS) stationed at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey,Cornett & Johnson, p. 89 a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) base.Mueller, p. 413 MATS' 1611th Air Base Group acted as host base organization for McGuire.Mueller, p.411 The group was assigned the 332d and 539th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons (FIS), flying radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed North American F-86D Sabre aircraft as its operational components.Cornett & Johnson, p. 127Cornett & Johnson, p. 131 Some of the Sabres were F-86Ls, which were equipped with a data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system.Maurer, p. 410Maurer, p.646 The group mission was to train and maintain tactical flying units to defend the Mid-Atlantic United States. The two fighter squadrons were already stationed at McGuire and had been assigned to the New York Air Defense Sector.

Maintenance for the two squadrons was provided by the 601st Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (CAMS), which was activated at McGuire along with the rest of the group.Cornett & Johnson, p.142 The 332d FIS converted to Convair F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft in July 1957, while the 539th FIS retained its F-86s until the Spring of 1959, when it converted to Convair F-106 Delta Darts.

The group was discontinued shortly after the 332d FIS departed for England Air Force Base, Louisiana, leaving only a single operational ADC squadron at McGuire. The 601st CAMS was inactivated with the group, while the 539th FIS was assigned directly to the New York Air Defense Sector.

=Lineage=

Designated as the 4730th Air Defense Group and organized on 8 February 1957

: Discontinued on 1 August 1959

Assignments

New York Air Defense Sector, 8 February 1957 – 1 August 1959

Components

332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 February 1957 – 10 July 1959
539th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 February 1957 – 1 August 1959
601st Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 February 1957 – 1 August 1959

Stations

McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 8 February 1957 – 1 August 1959

=Aircraft=

F-86D: 1957–59
F-86L: 1957–59
F-102A: 1957–59
F-106A: 1959

=Commanders=

Col. Herbert L. Phillips, by 1 January 1958 – ca. 31 December 1958{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/445/672.xml |title=Abstract, History 4730 Air Defense Group Jan–Dec 1958|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=19 January 2012}}
Col. Phillip Brooks, ca. 1 January 1959 – 1959{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/445/672.xml |title=Abstract, History 4730 Air Defense Group Jan–Jun 1959|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=19 January 2012}}

References

=Notes=

=Bibliography=

{{cite book|last=Cornett|first=Lloyd H|author2=Johnson, Mildred W|title=A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980|url=http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf|year=1980|publisher=Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center|location=Peterson AFB, CO|access-date=20 November 2011|archive-date=13 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213173347/http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf|url-status=dead}}
{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180455/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
{{cite book|last=Mueller|first=Robert|title=Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982|url= https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330255/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-026.pdf |year=1989|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-53-6}}