The 4734th Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 64th Air Division (AD) at Thule Air Base, Greenland, where it was discontinued in 1958. The group was formed in 1957 when ADC assumed responsibility for air defense of Greenland from Northeast Air Command. It controlled a fighter-interceptor squadron at Thule and a squadron operating a radar at nearby Pingarsuak Mountain. It was discontinued in 1958 and its mission transferred to the 64th AD in Newfoundland.
History
The group was organized in 1957 as a command and control organization at Thule Air Base by Air Defense Command (ADC) when ADC took over the atmospheric defense assets of the inactivating Northeast Air Command (NEAC) at the base in 1957. It was assigned to the 64th AD to manage ADC fighter and radar units at Thule. Its squadrons had both been assigned to the 64th AD when the division was a NEAC unit. Its 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) flew Northrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft. The group was a tenant organization at Thule AB, a Strategic Air Command base, whose 4083d Air Base Group was the host organization for the base. The 4734th was discontinued due to funding cutbacks in 1958, and its assets were assumed directly by the 64th AD, with the establishment of Detachment 1, 64th AD at Thule.
Lineage
- Organized as 4734th Air Defense Group on 1 April 1957
- Discontinued on 1 May 1958
Assignments
- 64th Air Division, 1 April 1957 – 1 May 1958
Components
- 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
- Thule AB, Greenland, 1 April 1957 – 1 May 1958
- 931st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
- Thule AB, Greenland, 1 April 1957 – 1 May 1958 (located on Pingarsuak Mountain)
Stations
- Thule AB, Greenland, 1 April 1957 – 1 May 1958
Aircraft
- F-89C, 1957–1958
Commander
- Col James T. Jarman, 1 April 1957 – 1 May 1958
See also
- United States general surveillance radar stations
- List of United States Air Force Aerospace Defense Command Interceptor Squadrons
- List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons
References
Notes
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense (PDF). Vol. II, 1955–1972. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN 978-1-4379-2131-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- Winkler, David F; Webster, Julie L (1997). Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (PDF). Champaign, IL: US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. LCCN 97020912. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013.
