The 533d Air Defense Group is a disbanded

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...

organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division at Oxnard Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The

group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...

was originally activated as a support unit for the

483d Bombardment Group 483rd or 483d may refer to: *483d Bombardment Squadron or 303d Air Refueling Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit *483d Tactical Airlift Wing, tactical airlift and composite wing assigned to Pacific Air Forces during the Vietnam War See ...

at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

in Italy. The group was activated once again in 1953, when ADC established it as the headquarters for a dispersed fighter-interceptor squadron and the medical, maintenance, and administrative squadrons supporting it. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the

414th Fighter Group The 414th Fighter Group is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 944th Fighter Wing of Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Th ...

in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.

History

World War II

The

was activated at Sterparone Airfield, Italy as the 533d Air Service Group shortly after

VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...

in 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. It was designed to support a single combat group.Coleman, p. 208 Its 959th Air Engineering Squadron provided maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 783rd Air Materiel Squadron handled all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron provided other support. The 533d supported

in Italy in 1945 until it was inactivated in the fall. The group was disbanded in 1948.

Cold War

The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 533d Air Defense Group, and activated at Oxnard Air Force Base, California in 1953Cornett & Johnson, p. 83 with responsibility for air defense of Southern California. Assigned the

354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 354th Fighter Squadron (354 FS) is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions. The squadron conducts Close Air Support, Air Int ...

(FIS), which was already stationed at Oxnard, and flying

era

F-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...

sCornett & Johnson, p.127 as its operational component.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 440 The 354th FIS had been assigned directly to the 27th Air Division. The 354th FIS upgraded to

F-94 Starfire The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached ope ...

s in July 1953. The group also replaced the 90th Air Base Squadron as USAF host organization at Oxnard. The group was assigned three

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

s to perform its support responsibilities.Cornett & Johnson. p.147''See'' The 533d was inactivated and replaced by the

(Air Defense) in 1955 as part of Air Defense Command'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. the group was disbanded once again in 1984.

Lineage

* Activated as 533rd Air Service Group on 28 May 1945 : Inactivated on 25 September 1945 : Disbanded on 8 October 1948 * Reconstituted and redesignated as 533d Air Defense Group on 21 January 1953 : Activated on 16 February 1953 : Inactivated on 18 August 1955 : Disbanded on 27 September 1984

Assignments

* Unknown, 28 May 1945 – 25 September 1945 (probably XV Air Force Service Command) * 27th Air Division, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

Stations

* Sterperone Airfield, Italy, 28 May 1945 – May 1945 * Pisa, Italy, May 1945 – 25 September 1945 * Oxnard Air Force Base, California, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955

Components

Operational Squadron * 354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 Support Units * 533rd Air Base Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 * 533rd Materiel Squadron, 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 * 533rd Medical Squadron (later 533rd USAF Dispensary), 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 * 783rd Air Materiel Squadron, 28 May 1945 – 25 September 1945 * 959th Air Engineering Squadron, 28 May 1945 – 25 September 1945

Aircraft

* North American F-51D Mustang, 1953 * Lockheed F-94C Starfighter, 1953–1955

References

Bibliography

* 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) * * * * Further reading * Grant, C.L., (1961
The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126
* {{USAAF 15th Air Force World War II 0533 Aerospace Defense Command units Military units and formations disestablished in 1984 Military units and formations established in 1953