The
wing was organized as the
4704th Defense Wing at the beginning of February 1952, in a major reorganization of ADC responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing
wing base organizational structure in deploying fighter
squadrons to best advantage. Five days later, the
325th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (FIW) was inactivated and its operational elements, including the
123rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS),
317th FIS and
318th FIS, transferred to the 4704th Defense Wing. The support elements of the 325th FIW were transferred from that wing's 325th Air Base Group (ABG) and 325th Maintenance & Supply Group to the 4704th Wing's
567th ABG, which assumed host responsibility for USAF units at McChord. The 317th and 318th FIS at McChord flew
Lockheed F-94 Starfire fighter
interceptor aircraft, while the 123rd FIS, a Federalized Oregon Air National Guard (ANG) unit, at
Portland AFB, flew
World War II era
F-51 Mustang aircraft. By June, the 123rd had converted to
F-86 Sabre aircraft. It also oversaw the transfer of Air Force facilities at Portland AFB from
Tactical Air Command (TAC) to ADC in March 1952. It managed supporting units at McChord AFB for the 25th Air Division, and controlled host support squadrons at dispersed
fighter bases. Additional fighter squadrons were assigned to the wing during 1952. In March, the
82nd FIS, flying F-94s at
Larson AFB, Washington was transferred from the
4703rd Defense Wing in preparation for the transfer of Larson from ADC to TAC. In August, the
83rd FIS, flying
F-89 Scorpion aircraft At the beginning of November, the 123rd FIS was released back to the ANG and its personnel, mission and equipment were absorbed by the newly activating
357th FIS. A final fighter squadron, the
323d FIS at Larson AFB, which was assigned to the 25th Air Division, was briefly attached to the wing at the end of 1952. At the beginning of 1953, the wing added the aircraft detection, warning and control mission, when six
radar squadrons were assigned to it. ADC again made major organizational changes in February 1953 that affected the wing. The 567th ABG redesignated as the 567th Air Defense Group and assumed responsibility for command of the 317th and 318th FIS. and the 357th FIS was assigned to it, while the
529th Air Defense Group activated at Paine AFB and the 83rd FIS was assigned to it. The wing was discontinued in 1954 and its equipment and personnel were transferred to other ADC units at McChord. Its subordinate air defense groups were then assigned directly to the 25th Air Division. : Larson AFB, WA, 13 March 1952 – 16 February 1953 • 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Paine AFB, WA, 1 August 1952 – 16 February 1953 • 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron : Portland AFB, OR, 6 February 1952 – 1 November 52 • 317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 6 February 1952 – 16 February 1953 • 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 6 February 1952 – 16 February 1953 • 323d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (attached) : Larson AFB, WA, 26 November 1952 – 19 January 1953 • 357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron : Portland AFB, OR, 1 November 1952 – 16 February 1953
Support Squadrons • 86th Air Base Squadron : Paine AFB, WA, 1 February 1952 – 16 February 1953 • 89th Air Base Squadron : Portland AFB, WA,
ca. 1 April 1952 – 16 February 1953
Radar Squadrons • 136th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron : Portland AFB, OR, 16 February 1953 – 1 October 1953 •
635th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 1 January 1953 – 8 October 1954 • 689th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron : Portland International Airport, OR, 1 October 1953 – 8 October 1954 •
757th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Birch Bay (renamed
Blaine AFS), WA, 1 January 1953 – 8 October 1954 •
758th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :
Neah Bay, OR, 1 January 1953 – 8 October 1954 •
759th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :
Naselle AFS, OR, 1 January 1953 – 8 October 1954 •
761st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Reedsport (renamed
North Bend AFS), OR, 1 January 1953 – 8 October 1954
Stations • McChord AFB, Washington, 1 February 1952 – 8 October 1954
Commanders • Col. Alan T. Bennett, 1 February 1952 –
ca. 1 January 1953 • Col. Loring F. Stetson, Jr.,
ca. 1 January 1953 – unknown
Aircraft • F-84G, 1953 • F-86D, 1953–1954 • F-86F, 1952–1953 • F-89B, 1952–1953 • F-94A, 1952–1954 • F-94B, 1952–1953 ==See also==