The 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

unit. It was last was assigned to Air Force Special Weapons Center, stationed at

Kirtland AFB Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base. It is located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator C ...

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. It was inactivated on 16 August 1961. The mission of the unit was to serve as a permanent United States Air Force Air Task Group for atmospheric testing. With the phase-down of atmospheric testing activities as a result of the 1958 moratorium between the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

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, in August 1961 the unit was disestablished.

History

On 1 September 1956, Air Force Special Weapons Command organized the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) to serve as a permanent USAF Air Task Group for atmospheric nuclear testing. Throughout the remainder of the 1950s, the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear)—as the representative of the USAF—supported the various Nevada and Pacific test series. Nuclear tests supported by the group were: * 1957

Operation Plumbob Operation Plumbbob was a series of nuclear tests that were conducted between May 28 and October 7, 1957, at the Nevada Test Site, following ''Project 57'', and preceding '' Project 58/58A''. Background The operation consisted of 29 explosions, ...

* 1957-1958 Project 58, Project 58A * 1958

Operation Hardtack I Operation Hardtack I was a series of 35 nuclear tests conducted by the United States from April 28 to August 18 in 1958 at the Pacific Proving Grounds. At the time of testing, the Operation Hardtack I test series included more nuclear detonation ...

* 1958

Operation Argus Operation Argus was a series of United States low-yield, high-altitude nuclear weapons tests and missile tests secretly conducted from 27 August to 9 September 1958 over the South Atlantic Ocean. The tests were performed by the Defense Nucle ...

* 1958

Operation Hardtack II Operation Hardtack II was a series of 37 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1958 at the Nevada Test Site. These tests followed the ''Operation Argus'' series and preceded the ''Operation Nougat'' series. With test moratoriums on ...

In 1958 a voluntary nuclear test moratorium was being considered, spurred by worldwide concern about the fallout of radionuclides from clouds blown around the Earth after atmospheric tests. In January, the ARDC began a study to determine the effects of a test moratorium on the USAF nuclear capabilities. In August, President

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

proposed that an international conference be called to discuss permanent suspension of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons testing. He also announced that on 31 October the U.S. would suspend nuclear testing for a period of one year. The Hardtack II test series ended on 30 October and the test ban went into effect on 31 October. The

also suspended testing, though both nations reserved the right to resume testing. At first, no dramatic changes occurred. There were no changes in units, facilities, or responsibilities. The 4950th Test Group continued with AFSWC activities in the interim. However, in August 1959, phase down of the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) at Eniwetok was approved and the facility moved into maintenance standby status. In October, the AFSWC proposed further reorganizations of the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear), but these proposals were not carried out. The 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) was given responsibility for Eniwetok buildup in the event that testing was resumed. In 1960, the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) moved from the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) and consolidated with other organizations into the 4925th Test Group (Atomic). The 4951st Support Squadron (Test) was discontinued at Eniwetok, and base supplies and personnel transferred to Kirtland AFB. The USAF also directed the transfer of Indian Springs AFB from the ARDC to Tactical Air Command, which occurred 1 April 1961, and AFSWC recommended discontinuation of the 4950th Test Group. As the phase-down of testing activities continued during the moratorium, in August 1961 the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) was inactivated on 16 August 1961.

Units

* 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) * 4951st Support Squadron (Test) * 4930th Test Support Group for operations at

Eniwetok Atoll Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; , , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with its 296 people (as of 2021) forms a leg ...

, Pacific Test Range * 4935th Air Base Squadron, GSU at

Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

, Nevada : To support USAF activities at the Atomic Energy Commission

Nevada Test Site The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2 or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010, is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion of Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of ...

during atmospheric nuclear testing.

References

* Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES HISTORIC CONTEXT AND EVALUATION FOR KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE Albuquerque, New Mexico

External links

{{Air Force Historical Research Agency Test groups of the United States Air Force Four digit groups of the United States Air Force Nuclear weapons program of the United States Military units and formations established in 1956 1956 establishments in the United States 1961 disestablishments in Washington (state) Military units and formations disestablished in 1961