Central Air Defense Force

The Central Air Defense Force (CADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was inactivated on 1 Jul 1960

History

Lineage

• Established as Central Air Defense Force and organized 5 Feb 1951.

Organized 1 Mar 1951

Inactivated 1 July 1960

Assignments

• Air Defense Command, 1 Feb 1951 - 1 Jul 1960

Stations

• Kansas City, Missouri, 5 Feb 1951
• Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, 24 Feb 1954 - 1 Jul 1960

Components

Divisions

• 20th Air Division, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri

8 Oct 1955 - 1 Jan 1960

• 29th Air Division, Malmstrom AFB, Montana

16 Feb 1953 - 1 Jan 1960

• 31st Air Division

20 May 1951 - 1 Feb 1952, Selfridge AFB, Michigan

1 Feb 1952 - 1 Jan 1960, Snelling AFS, Minnesota

• 33d Air Division

20 May 1951-8 May 1956, Tinker AFB, Oklaholma

8 May 1956-1 Jan 1960, Oklaholma City, AFS, Oklaholma

• 34th Air Division, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

16 Feb 1953 - 1 Jan 1960

• 35th Air Division, Dobbins AFB, Georgia

Attached: 1 Jul 1951 - 1 Feb 1952

Assigned: 1 Feb 1952 - 10 Apr 1955

Transferred to Eastern Air Defense Force

Groups

• 32d Fighter Group (Air Defense), Minot AFB, North Dakota

8 Feb 1957 - 1 Jul 1960

5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 53d Fighter Group (Air Defense), Sioux City Mun Aprt, Iowa

18 Aug 1955 - 1 Jul 1960

13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 56th Fighter Group (Air Defense), O'Hare International Airport, Illinois

18 Aug 1955 - 1 Jul 1960

(Detached from 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, Selfridge AFB, Michigan)

62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense), Youngstown MAP, Ohio

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 122d Fighter-Interceptor Group, Baer Field, Indiana

Indiana Air National Guard

Active duty: 1 Feb 1951 - 7 Feb 1952

113th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 128th Fighter-Interceptor Group, Truax Field, Wisconsin

Wisconson Air National Guard

Active duty: 1 Mar 1951 - 6 Feb 1952

126th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

172d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

176th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 133d Fighter-Interceptor Group, Ft Snelling, Minnesota

Minnesota Air National Guard

Active duty: 1 Mar 1951 - 6 Feb 1952

166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 142d Fighter-Interceptor Group, O'Hare International Airport, Illinois

Oregon Air National Guard

Active duty: 1 Mar 1951 - 6 Feb 1952

OTU - No permanent units assigned

• 327th Fighter Group (Air Defense), Truax Field, Wisconsin

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

321st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 328th Fighter Group (Air Defense), Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

326th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 343d Fighter Group (Air Defense), Duluth MAP, Minnesota

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 355th Fighter Group (Air Defense), McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 412th Fighter Group (Air Defense), Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

445th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 467th Fighter Group, Glasgow AFB, Montana

1959 - 1 Jul 1960

13th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

• 475th Fighter Group (Air Defense), Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

432d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

• 507th Fighter Group (Air Defense), Kinross AFB, Michigan

18 Aug 1955- 1 Jul 1960

438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Active-Duty bases hosting CADF units

• Colorado

Ent AFB

• Iowa

Sioux City AP

• Illinois

O'Hare AP

Scott AFB

• Indiana

Bunker Hill AFB

• Kansas

Fairfax AFLD

• Louisiana

England AFB

• Michigan

K.I. Sawyer AFB

Kinross/Kincheloe AFB

Selfridge AFB

Oscoda/Wurtsmith AFB

• Minnesota

Duluth IAP

Minneapolis-St. Paul AP

• Missouri

Richards-Gebaur AFB

• Montana

Glasgow AFB

Malmstrom AFB (1953-1960)

• North Dakota

Grand Forks AFB

Minot AFB

• New Mexico

Kirtland AFB (1953-1960)

Walker AFB

• Ohio

Lockbourne AFB

Wright-Patterson AFB

Youngstown AP

• South Dakota

Rapid City/Ellsworth AFB

• Tennessee

McGhee Tyson AP

• Texas

Bergstrom AFB

Webb AFB

• Wisconsin

Truax AFLD

Regions of ADC Air Defense Forces and known Air Force Bases with ADC units, 1949 - 1960 Note: States containing ADC bases of Western & Central ADF and Eastern & Central ADF identified as Central/Western and Central/Eastern reference

Operational History

Was responsible for the air defense of the Central and Southcentral United States (1951-1960). CADF's area was essentially the area east of the Rocky Mountains to the west of the Appalachian Mountains, from the Canadian border south to the Gulf of Mexico.

In August 1957, Canadian and United States officials announced the establishment of an integrated command in Colorado Springs, Colorado which would centralize operational control of continental air defense. On 12 September 1957, NORAD Headquarters operations commenced at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado. On 12 May 1958, the Canadian and US governments formally exchanged diplomatic notes which constituted the NORAD Agreement. The Central Air Defense Force was inactivated on 1 July 1960 when the NORAD Air Defense Sectors were established.

See also

• Eastern Air Defense Force
• Western Air Defense Force

References

External links