The 9th Space Division (9th SD) 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

Air Force Space Command The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

, being stationed at

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. It was inactivated on 1 October 1991.

History

Tactical Air Command

The organization has had several periods of activation over its lifetime. Initially established in April 1949 as the 9th Air Division (Tactical) under

Fourteenth Air Force The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The command was responsible for the organiza ...

Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary augm ...

Pope Air Force Base Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012 ...

, North Carolina, the command had no units assigned but was to act as a headquarters over tactical units. It was inactivated in August 1950.

Air defense

323d FIS F-86D-60-NA Sabre 53-4032 1954 Larson AFB WA

It was redesignated 9th Air Division (Defense) and reactivated in October 1954 by

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 ...

(ADC) and assigned to

Western Air Defense Force 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. History WADF ...

(WADF) at

Geiger Field Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately west-southwest of downtown Spokane, Washington, United States. It is the primary airport serving the Inland Northwest, which consists of 30 counties and includes are ...

, Washington, taking over control of air defense units in eastern Washington, Oregon and Idaho from the

25th Air Division The 25th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force intermediate echelon command and control organization. It was last assigned to First Air Force, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). It was inactivated on 30 September 1990 at McChord A ...

(AD), after the 25th AD was realigned over the Washington and Oregon coastal area west of the

Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, a ...

. It participated in the United States Air Force collateral mission of antisubmarine warfare and administered, equipped, and trained for combat. It was inactivated in 1958 when the Spokane Air Defense Sector was established by ADC to take over its responsibilities.

Aerospace and missile defense

The third incarnation of the organization began in 1961 with its reactivation as the 9th Aerospace Defense Division was associated with the

North American Aerospace Defense Command North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...

by ADC, assuming responsibility for the

Ballistic Missile Early Warning System The RCA 474L Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS, "474L System", Project 474L) was a United States Air Force Cold War early warning radar, computer, and communications system, for ballistic missile detection. The network of twelve ra ...

, the

Missile Defense Alarm System The Missile Defense Alarm System, or MIDAS, was a United States Air Force Air Defense Command system of 12 early-warning satellites that provided limited notice of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile launches between 1960 and 1966. Original ...

, the

Space Detection and Tracking System Space Detection and Tracking System, or SPADATS, was built in 1960 to integrate defense systems built by different branches of the United States Armed Forces and was placed under North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The Air Force had a ...

(SPADATS), the NORAD combat operations Center, the

Bomb Alarm System The Bomb Alarm System (also known as the Bomb Alarm Display System) was a US and UK network of optical bhangmeter sensors intended to confirm the detonation of an enemy nuclear weapon near cities or military installations within the US or at US op ...

, and the Nuclear Detonation System. During the

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...

, the 9th implemented an improvised missile warning system directed toward the Cuban missile threat called Falling Leaves. In October 1962, the SPADATS

AN/FPS-49 The RCA 474L Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS, "474L System", Project 474L) was a United States Air Force Cold War early warning radar, computer, and communications system, for ballistic missile detection. The network of twelve r ...

radar at Moorestown Air Force Station, New Jersey was reoriented south and directed toward Cuba. A communication network was established with Moorestown, the AN/FPS-78 radar at

Laredo Air Force Base Laredo Air Force Base, is a since-deactivated Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) installation of the Air Training Command (ATC) in Laredo, Texas. The facility was originally established as Laredo Army Air Field, a World War II U.S. Army Air For ...

, Texas and the

AN/FPS-35 The AN/FPS-35 frequency diversity radar was a long range search radar used in the early 1960s. It was one of the largest air defense radars ever produced, with its antenna and supporting structure mounted on one of the largest rolling-element beari ...

radar site at

Thomasville Air Force Station Thomasville Air Force Station (ADC ID: TM-197, NORAD ID: Z-197) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northwest of Thomasville, Alabama. It was closed in 1969. History Thomasville Air Fo ...

, Alabama. All three stations were in turn tied into the command centers at NORAD and at

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

. This missile detection network remained in operation until 28 November and the Moorestown and Laredo sites were returned to their normal SPADATS mission when Soviet missiles were withdrawn from Cuba. The Thomasville station, retained coverage until late December as a precaution.''NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis'', Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO , 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996) The division was inactivated in 1968 when its mission was elevated to a Numbered Air Force level, and transferred along with its personnel and equipment to the Fourteenth Aerospace Force on 1 July. The most recent incarnation the 9th Space Division began in 1990 when

(AFSPACECOM) reactivated the organization to provide an action mechanism to "operationalize" the space launch capabilities of Eastern Space and Missile Center (ESMC) and Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC) units transferred from

Air Force Systems Command The Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command. The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems. Ov ...

to AFSPACECOM during 1990–1991. ESMC and WSMC became respectively the 45th Space Wing and

30th Space Wing 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 soci ...

within two months of the Division's inactivation in 1991.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 9th Air Division (Tactical) on 7 April 1949 : Activated on 1 May 1949 : Inactivated on 1 August 1950 * Redesignated 9th Air Division (Defense) on 21 June 1954 : Activated on 8 October 1954 : Inactivated on 15 August 1958 * Redesignated 9th Aerospace Defense Division and activated on 14 July 1961 (not organized) : Organized on 15 July 1961 : Discontinued and inactivated on 1 July 1968 * Redesignated 9th Space Division on 11 September 1990 : Activated on 1 October 1990 : Inactivated on 1 October 1991

Assignments

* Fourteenth Air Force, 1 May 1949 – 1 August 1950 * Western Air Defense Force, 8 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 * Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command, 14 July 1961 – 1 July 1968 * Air Force Space Command, 1 October 1990 – 1 October 1991

Stations

* Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, 1 May 1949 – 1 August 1950 * Geiger Field, Washington, 8 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 *

Ent Air Force Base Ent Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located in the Knob Hill neighborhood of Colorado Springs, Colorado. A tent city, established in 1943 during construction of the base, was initially commanded by Major General Uzal Girar ...

, Colorado, 15 July 1961 – 1 July 1968 *

, Florida, 1 October 1990 – 1 October 1991.

Components

Centers *

Eastern Space and Missile Center The Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45) is a unit of the United States Space Force. The Space Launch Delta 45 is assigned to Space Systems Command and headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. The wing also controls Cape Canaveral Space Fo ...

: 1 October 1990 – 1 October 1991 : Patrick Air Force Base, Florida *

Western Space and Missile Center Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) is a United States Space Force space launch delta assigned to Space Systems Command and headquartered at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The Space Launch Delta 30 is responsible for all space launch opera ...

: 1 October 1990 – 1 October 1991 :

Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg may refer to: * Vandenberg (surname), including a list of people with the name * USNS ''General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'' (T-AGM-10), transport ship in the United States Navy, sank as an artificial reef in Key West, Florida * Vandenberg Sp ...

, California Wings * 71st Surveillance Wing (later 71 Missile Warning Wing): January 1962 – 1 July 1968 : Ent Air Force Base, Colorado *

73d Aerospace Surveillance Wing Space Delta 3 (DEL 3) is a United States Space Force unit responsible for presenting operational combat-ready space electromagnetic warfare forces in support of assigned missions. It is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base. Activated ...

: 1 January 1967 – 1 July 1968. : Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Groups *

10th Aerospace Defense Group The 10th Aerospace Defense Group was inactivated on 31 December 1970 by the United States Air Force (USAF). Its last assignment was with Fourteenth Aerospace Force at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The 10th Aerospace Defense Group and ...

: 1 January 1967 – 1 July 1968 : Vandenburg Air Force Base, California *

84th Fighter Group Area codes 084 and 086 are Nigerian telephone area codes serving the cities of Port Harcourt and Ahoada in Rivers State. They fall under the Southeast Zone in the National Numbering Plan (NNP) restructured in 2003. When in Port Harcourt or Ahoad ...

(Air Defense), 18 August 1955 – 15 August 1958 : Geiger Field, Washington *

530th Air Defense Group The 530th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 9th Air Division at Geiger Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as a suppor ...

: 18 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 : Geiger Field, Washington * 4721st Air Defense Group: 1 December 1956 – 15 August 1958. :

Larson Air Force Base Larson Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located five miles (8 km) northwest of the central business district (CBD) of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington. After its closure in 1966, the airport facility became ...

, Washington Squadrons *

1st Aerospace Surveillance and Control Squadron First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number 1 (number), one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, D ...

(later, l Aerospace Control Squadron): 1 October 1961 – 1 July 1968 : Ent Air Force Base, Colorado * 2d Surveillance Squadron: 1 February 1962 – 1 January 1967 : Ent Air Force Base, Colorado * 10 Aerospace Defense Squadron: 1 August 1964 – 1 January 1967 : Vandenberg Air Force Base, California *

31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 31 (thirty-one) is the natural number following 30 and preceding 32. It is a prime number. In mathematics 31 is the 11th prime number. It is a superprime and a self prime (after 3, 5, and 7), as no integer added up to its base 10 digits ...

: 8 October 1954 – 18 August 1955 : Larson Air Force Base, Washington *

322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 408th Fighter Group at Kingsley Field, Oregon, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1968. The squadron was first activated durin ...

: 18 August 1955 – 1 December 1956 : Larson Air Force Base, Washington *

323d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 323d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1960. The squadron was first a ...

: 8 October 1954 – 18 August 1955 : Larson Air Force Base, Washington * 538th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 18 August 1955 – 1 December 1956 : Larson Air Force Base, Washington * 4755th Ground Observer Squadron: 1 January 1955 – 25 March 1959 : Geiger Field, Washington * 634th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron: 20 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 :

McChord Air Force Base McChord Field is a United States Air Force base in the northwest United States, in Pierce County, Washington. South of Tacoma, McChord Field is the home of the 62d Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, the field's primary mission being worldw ...

, Washington *

636th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron Condon Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west of Condon, Oregon. It was closed in 1970. History Condon AFS was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second seg ...

: 8 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 :

Condon Air Force Station Condon Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west of Condon, Oregon. It was closed in 1970. History Condon AFS was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second seg ...

, Oregon *

637th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 637th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 25th Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Othello Air Force Station, Washington. History The squadron was originally activated at L ...

: 8 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 :

Othello Air Force Station Othello Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-40, NORAD ID: Z-40) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located south of Othello, Washington. It was the home station of the 637th Aircraft Control and Warning Sq ...

, Washington * 638th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron: 8 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 : Curlew Air Force Station, Washington * 760th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron: 8 October 1954 – 15 August 1958 : Colville Air Force Station, Washington * 821st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron: 8 September 1957 – 15 August 1958 : Baker Air Force Station, Oregon *

822d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...

: 8 September 1956 – 15 August 1958 :

Cottonwood Air Force Station Cottonwood may refer to: Plants * ''Celtis conferta'' subsp. ''amblyphylla'', a tree in the hemp and hackberry family * ''Hibiscus tiliaceus'', a flowering shrub or tree in the mallow family * In the genus '' Populus'', a number of difficult-to ...

, Idaho * 823d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron: 8 April 1955 – 15 August 1958 : Mica Peak Air Force Station, Washington

References

Notes

Bibliography

* ''NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis'', Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996

External links

Air Force Historical Research Agency: 9th Space Division
{{Aerospace Defense Command, state=collapsed Air 0009 Divisions of the United States Air Force Military units and formations established in 1990 Military units and formations disestablished in 1991