The 20th Air Division is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...

organization. Its last assignment was with

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 Ju ...

Tyndall Air Force Base Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (325 ...

, Florida where it was inactivated on 1 March 1983. During most of the division's history it served with

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inac ...

as a regional

command and control Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization o ...

headquarters. Between 1955 and 1967 the division controlled

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...

units in the central United States. It controlled a slightly different areas of the midwestern US from 1955 to 1960 and again from 1966 to 1967. Its area of responsibility shifted to the east coast if the United States from 1969 to 1983. It was shifted to its final station on paper in 1983 and was immediately inactivated.

History

The 20th Air Division was assigned to

(ADC) for most of its existence. It served as a regional command and control

headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

, controlling fighter interceptor and

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

units over several areas of responsibility during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

. For three years it also commanded a

surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...

squadron. The division was initially activated as an intermediate command organization under Central Air Defense Force at

Grandview Air Force Base Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport is a former airport that operated alongside Richards-Gebaur Air Reserve Station (also Richards-Gebaur Air Force Station) until the base's closure in 1994, and until it was closed in 1999. Formerly, it was oper ...

(later Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base) in June 1955.Cornett & Johnson, p. 53 The division was responsible for the interceptor and radar units within an area that covered parts of Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, and virtually all of Kansas and Missouri.Cornett & Johnson. p. 31 On 1 October 1959 ADC activated the

Sioux City Air Defense Sector The Sioux City Air Defense Sector (SCADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Sioux City Air Force Station, Iowa. History SCADS was es ...

and its

Semi Automatic Ground Environment The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. SA ...

(SAGE) DC-22 Direction Center and assigned it to the division.Cornett & Johnson, p. 59 The 20th also operated a Manual Control Center (MCC-2) at Richards-Gebaur. The division was inactivated in 1960 when ADC reorganized its regional air defense units, and the 33d Air Division assumed command of most of its former units. 20th AD - Map - 1966-1967

The division was reactivated in 1966 under

Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...

as a SAGE organization, replacing the Chicago Air Defense Sector when ADC discontinued its air defense sectors and replaced them with air divisions. The 20th provided air defense from the Truax Field, Wisconsin DC-7/CC-2 SAGE blockhouse for parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and all of Illinois. The division also acted as the 20th NORAD Region after activation of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) Combat Operations Center at the

Cheyenne Mountain Complex The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is a Space Force installation and defensive bunker located in unincorporated El Paso County, Colorado, next to the city of Colorado Springs, at the Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, which hosts the activities o ...

, Colorado. Operational control of the division was transferred to NORAD from ADC. In addition to the active duty interceptor and radar units, the division supervised

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

units that flew interception sorties using (among other aircraft)

McDonnell F-101 Voodoo The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range bomber escort (known as a ...

s and Convair F-106 Delta Darts. At the same time the division controlled numerous radar squadrons. It was inactivated in 1967 as part of an ADC consolidation of intermediate level command and control organizations, driven by budget reductions required to fund USAF operations in Southeast Asia. 20th AD - Map - 1969-1983

The 20th Air Division was activated for a third time in November 1969 under Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM). The division provided air defense for virtually all of the southeastern United States, except for most of Louisiana from the SAGE DC-4 blockhouse at Fort Lee Air Force Station, Virginia. The division also controlled a

CIM-10 Bomarc The Boeing CIM-10 BOMARC (Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center) (IM-99 Weapon System prior to September 1962) was a supersonic ramjet powered long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) used during the Cold War for the air defense of Nort ...

surface-to-air anti-aircraft missile squadron near

Langley Air Force Base Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1 ...

until the squadron's inactivation in October 1972.Cornett & Johnson, p. 150 ADCOM was inactivated on 1 October 1979. The atmospheric defense resources (interceptors and warning radars) of ADCOM were reassigned to

, which formed Air Defense, Tactical Air Command as the headquarters to control them. After 1981, the division controlled units equipped with

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...

aircraft. Its subordinate units continued to participate in intensive academic training, numerous multi-region simulated (non-flying) exercises, and flying exercises. The division moved to

, Florida in March 1983 where it was inactivated and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the Southeast Air Defense Sector.

Lineage

* Established as the 20 Air Division (Defense) on 8 June 1955 : Activated on 8 October 1955 : Inactivated on 1 January 1960 * Activated on 20 January 1966 (not organized) : Organized on 1 April 1966 : Discontinued and inactivated, on 31 December 1967 * Activated on 19 November 1969 : Inactivated on 1 March 1983Lineage, Including assignment, components, stations and aircraft in AFHRA Factsheet. except as noted

Assignments

* Central Air Defense Force, 8 October 1955 – 1 January 1960 * Air Defense Command, 20 January 1966 * Tenth Air Force, 1 April 1966 – 31 December 1967 *

Aerospace Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly ina ...

, 19 November 1969 * Air Defense, Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979 – 1 March 1983

Stations

* Grandview Air Force Base (later, Richards Gebaur Air Force Base0, Missouri, 8 October 1955 – 1 January 1960 * Truax Field, Wisconsin, 1 April 1966 – 31 December 1967 * Fort Lee Air Force Station, Virginia, 19 November 1969 * Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 1 March 1983

Components

Sector

* Sioux City Air Defense Sector: 1 October 1959 – 1 January 1960

Groups

* 53d Fighter Group: 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 : Sioux Gateway Airport, Iowa *

327th Fighter Group 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

: 1 April 19–25 April June 1966 : Truax Field, Wisconsin * 328th Fighter Group: 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 : Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri *

678th Air Defense Group The 678th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 20th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The group was formed in 1970 when ADC expanded ...

: 1 March 1970 – 1 March 1983 : Tyndall Air Force Base, FloridaMueller, pp. 564–565 * 701st Air Defense Group: 1 March 1970 – 17 January 1974 : Fort Fisher Air Force Station, North Carolina

Squadrons

=Fighter-Interceptor

= *

48th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 48th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-1 Jayhawk aircraft conducting flight training. The squadron is one of the oldest in the Air Force, being for ...

: 19 November 1969 – 1 March 1983 : Langley Air Force Base, Virginia *

85th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron is part of the 53d Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts testing and evaluation for the F-15 Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-16 Fighting Falcon airframes. Mission The 85th Test and Evaluation ...

: 1 March 1956 – 1 July 1959 :

Scott Air Force Base Scott Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville and O'Fallon, east-southeast of downtown St. Louis. Scott Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

95th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 95th Fighter Squadron (95 FS) is a disbanded F-22 Raptor squadron of the United States Air Force. Last activated on 11 October 2013 and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, the squadron's aircraft and personnel were distributed ac ...

: 19 November 1969 – 31 January 1973 : Dover Air Force Base, Delaware

=Missile

= * 22d Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC): 19 November 1969 – 31 October 1972 : Langley Air Force Base, Virginia

=Radar

= * 20th Air Defense Squadron (SAGE), 1 January 1975 – 1 October 1979Cornett & Johnson, p. 105 *

630th Radar Squadron 63 may refer to: * 63 (number) * one of the years 63 BC, AD 63, 1963, 2063 * +63, telephone country code in the Philippines * Flight 63 (disambiguation) * ''63'' (album), by Tree63 * ''63'' (mixtape), by Kool A.D. * "Sixty Three", a song by Ka ...

, 1 August 1972 – 31 December 1977Cornett & Johnson, p. 154 :

Houston Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport is an international airport in Houston, Texas, United States, serving the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Located about north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59 ...

, Texas * 632d Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 September 1978 : Roanoke Rapids Air Force Station, North Carolina * 634th Radar Squadron, 1 January 1973 – 1 July 1974 : Lake Charles Air Force Station, Louisiana * 635th Radar Squadron, 1 January 1973 – 1 June 1974Cornett & Johnson, p. 155 :

Dauphin Island Air Force Station Dauphin Island Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east of Dauphin Island, Alabama, near historic Fort Gaines (Alabama). It was closed in 1980. Beginning in September 1982, ...

, Alabama * 644th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 1 April 1978 :

Homestead Air Force Base Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...

, Florida * 645th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 1 April 1976Cornett & Johnson, p. 156 :

Patrick Air Force Base Patrick may refer to: * Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name * Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People *Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint * Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...

, Florida * 649th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 June 1975 : Bedford Air Force Station, Virginia *

650th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron 65 may refer to: * 65 (number) * ''65'' (film), an upcoming American science fiction thriller film * One of the years 65 BC, AD 65, 1965, 2065 In contemporary history, the third millennium of the anno Domini or Common Era in the Gregorian ca ...

, 1 March 1956 – 8 October 1957 : Dallas Center Air Force Station, Iowa * 657th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 September 1970Cornett & Johnson, p. 157 : Bedford Air Force Station, Virginia *

660th Radar Squadron The 660th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th NORAD Region ( ADTAC), Tactical Air Command, stationed at MacDill AFB, Florida. It was inactivated on 15 November 1980. The unit was a General ...

, 19 November 1969 – 15 November 1980 :

MacDill Air Force Base MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...

, Florida * 671st Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 September 1979Cornett & Johnson, p. 159 :

NAS Key West Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 NAS Key West is an air ...

, Florida * 676th Radar Squadron, 1 April 1966 – 1 December 1967 : Antigo Air Force Station, Wisconsin *

678th Radar Squadron The 678th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 20th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The group was formed in 1970 when ADC expanded ...

, 19 November 1969 – 1 March 1970 : Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida * 679th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 1 February 1974Cornett & Johnson, p. 160 :

NAS Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 Location NAS Jack ...

, Florida * 680th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 May 1970 :

Palermo Air Force Station Palermo Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-54, NORAD ID: Z-54) is a closed United States Air Force (USAF) General Surveillance Radar station. It was located in Palermo, New Jersey, north of Sea Isle City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States ...

, New Jersey * 691st Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 September 1970Cornett & Johnson, p. 161 : Cross City Air Force Station, Florida *

693d Radar Squadron The 693d Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Dauphin Island Air Force Station, Alabama. It was inactivated on 30 September 1970. The u ...

, 19 November 1969 – 30 September 1970 :

, Florida *

701st Radar Squadron 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, ...

, 1 April 1966 – 1 March 1970Cornett & Johnson, p. 162 : Fort Fisher Air Force Station, North Carolina * 702d Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 9 June 1979 :

Savannah Air Force Station Hunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart located in Hinesville, Georgia. Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet (3,468 m) long and an aircr ...

, Georgia *

725th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron Walnut Ridge Air Force Station (ADC ID: SM-143) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northeast of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. It was closed in 1963. History Walnut Ridge Air Force Station ...

, 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 : Walnut Ridge Air Force Station, Arkansas * 738th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 : Olathe Air Force Station, Kansas * 755th Radar Squadron, 1 April 1966 – 1 December 1967 :

Williams Bay Air Force Station Williams Bay Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-31) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north of Williams Bay, Wisconsin, in the Town of Geneva, Wisconsin. It was closed in 1960. History In late ...

, Wisconsin *

770th Radar Squadron 77 may refer to: * 77 (number) * one of the years 77 BC, AD 77, 1977, 2077 Music * 77 (band), a Spanish hard rock band * ''77'' (Matt Kennon album) * '' Talking Heads: 77'', debut album by Talking Heads * ''77'' (Nude Beach album), an album by t ...

, 19 November 1969 – 1 February 1974Cornett & Johnson, p. 166 :

Fort George G. Meade Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation located in Maryland, that includes the Defense Information School, the Defense Media Activity, the United States military bands#Army Field Band, United States Army Field Band, and the head ...

, Maryland * 771st Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 1 February 1974 : Cape Charles Air Force Station, Virginia * 782d Radar Squadron, 1 April-25 June 1966 : Rockville Air Force Station, Indiana * 787th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 January 1959 – 1 January 1960Cornett & Johnson, p. 169 :

Chandler Air Force Station Chandler Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is south of Chandler, Minnesota, on the Buffalo Ridge in section 13 of Moulton Township, Murray County. It was closed in 1969. History I ...

, Minnesota * 788th Aircraft Control and Warning (later Radar) Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 15 October 1958; 1 April 1966 – 1 December 1967 : Waverly Air Force Station, Iowa * 789th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 : Omaha Air Force Station, Nebraska * 790th Aircraft Control and Warning (later Radar) Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 1 April 1959; 1 April 1966 – 1 December 1967 : Kirksville Air Force Station, Missouri * 791st Aircraft Control and Warning (later Radar) Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 15 October 1958; 1 April 1966 – 1 December 1967Cornett & Johnson, p. 170 : Hanna City Air Force Station, Illinois * 792d Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 8 December 1978 : North Charleston Air Force Station, South Carolina *

793d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 793d Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 30th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Hutchinson Air Force Station, Kansas. It was inactivated on 8 September 1968. The unit wa ...

, 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 :

Hutchinson Air Force Station Hutchinson Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-47, NORAD ID: Z-47) is a closed United States Air Force station. It is located west-southwest of Yoder, Kansas. It was closed for all military use in 1968. It was operated alongside Hutchinson Air Nat ...

, Kansas * 796th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 1 June 1961 : Bartlesville Air Force Station, Oklahoma * 797th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 1 June 1961 : Fordland Air Force Station, Missouri * 798th Aircraft Control and Warning (later Radar) Squadron, 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1960 : Belleville Air Force Station, Illinois * 810th Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 31 July 1978 : Winston-Salem Air Force Station, North Carolina * 861st Radar Squadron, 19 November 1969 – 30 June 1975Cornett & Johnson, p. 172 :

Aiken Air Force Station Aiken Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northeast of Aiken, South Carolina. It was closed in 1975. During World War II, the site was originally constructed by the Un ...

, South Carolina * 4638th Air Defense Squadron (SAGE), 1 January 1972 – 1 January 1975

Aircraft and Missiles

* North American F-86 Sabre, 1956–1959 *

Northrop F-89 Scorpion The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...

, 1956–1957 *

, 1959–1960 *

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpo ...

, 1957–1960 * Convair F-106 Delta Dart, 1969–1981 * CIM-10 BOMARC, 1969–1972; F-15, 1981–1983

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * Further reading * * * * "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". ''The Interceptor'' (January 1979) Aerospace Defense Command, (Volume 21, Number 1) {{Aerospace Defense Command, state=collapsed 020 020 Military units and formations established in 1955 Military units and formations disestablished in 1983 1955 establishments in Missouri 1983 disestablishments in Florida