4756th Air Defense Wing

Loading an AIR-2 Genie on an F-101 at Tyndall AFB during a William Tell weapons meet

The first wing was organized in 1957, when Tyndall Air Force Base was transferred from Air Training Command to Air Defense Command (ADC). It assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of ATC's 3625th Combat Crew Training Wing, which was discontinued.[3] The primary mission of the wing was to conduct air defense weapons employment and testing. It also provided combat crew training on the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter[4] until ADC released all its F-104s to the ANG in 1960 because the F-104A fire control system was not sophisticated enough to make it an all weather interceptor.[5] From 1957 until 1959, the wing also controlled the 678th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, which performed the radar aircraft detection, warning, and control mission.[6] In addition to the mission units listed below, the wing was assigned various support and maintenance units to carry out its mission as host unit for Tyndall,[7] Between 1960 when the wing was discontinued and 1962, most of the wing's units were reassigned directly to the 73d Air Division (Weapons).

A major responsibility of wing was to evaluate the readiness and effectiveness of Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor squadrons which were required to spend one month each year undergoing evaluation exercises at Tyndall. As part of this mission the 4756th also conducted the annual worldwide interceptor weapons meet called "William Tell."[8] The wing participated, along with Air Proving Ground Command, in developing the initial operational testing and development of tactics for the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft.[9]

TF-102A Delta Dagger 56-2317 at Tyndall AFB in 1968

The second wing provided interceptor combat crew training for McDonnell F-101 Voodoo and Convair F-106 Delta Dart aircrews, interceptor aircraft weapons training, and conducted operational testing and evaluation of manned interceptors, fire-control systems, and armament.[4] The wing was ADC's only unit conducting live firing and operating target control systems after the 4750th Air Defense Wing at Vincent Air Force Base, Arizona was discontinued.[4]

Following the Cuban Revolution, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) developed a plan for reinforcing air defenses in southern Florida, named Operation Southern Tip. On 7 April 1961 the JCS tested Operation Southern Tip in which the 4756th wing deployed six F-102s to Homestead Air Force Base, where they stood five minute alert. The same month the Bay of Pigs Invasion occurred and the JCS decided not to terminate the exercise, but to retain the aircraft at Homestead. In July, the number of aircraft was reduced to four and the 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron assumed the alert mission from the wing.[10]

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, elements of the wing assumed an air defense alert mission.[11] Initially, a total of 60 F-101, F-102 and F-106 aircraft at Tyndall were placed on alert. On 19 November, however, these airplanes were released to resume training and testing except for eight F-102s and TF-102s that remained on strip alert[12]

After the crisis, the wing established a Detachment at Key West Naval Air Station to perform the air defense alert mission.[13] The second wing was discontinued at the start of 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center.[14]

• 73d Air Division, 1 July 1957 - 1 July 1960[1]
• 73d Air Division, 1 September 1962

Fourteenth Air Force, 1 April 1966 - 1 January 1968[1]

• Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 1 July 1957 - 1 July 1960[1]
• Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 1 September 1962 - 1 January 1968[1]

• USAF Interceptor Weapons School, 1 July 1957 - 1 July 1960
• 4756th Air Defense Group (Weapons),[15] 1 July 1957 - 1 July 1960
• 678th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 April 1957 - 1 November 1959

• 4756th Air Defense Group (Weapons),[15] 1 September 1962 - 1 January 1963
• 4756th Drone Squadron,[16] 1 January 1963 - 1 January 1968
• 4756th Flying Training Squadron,[13] 11 March 1967 - 1 January 1968
• 4756th Operations Squadron,[13] 11 March 1967 - 1 January 1968
• 4757th Air Defense Squadron,[17] 1 January 1963 - 1 January 1968

• Col. Dean Davenport, 1 July 1957 - after December 1958[6][9]
• Col. Klem F. Kalberer, 1 September 1962 - after January 1963[4]
• Col. William D. Harris, unknown - 1966[18]
• Col. Thomas D. DeJarnette, 1966 - after January 1967[18]

 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 2016-02-13. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
• McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962-1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 Mar 2000)
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• 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)

Further Reading

• 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 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2013-02-06.