Established in December 1957 assuming control of former ADC
Central Air Defense Force units with a mission to provide air defense of most of
North Dakota along with western
Minnesota and northern
South Dakota. The organization provided command and control over several aircraft and
radar squadrons. On 15 November 1959, the new
Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center (DC-11) became operational. DC-11 was equipped with dual
AN/FSQ-7 Computers. The day-to-day operations of the command was to train and maintain tactical flying units flying jet interceptor aircraft (
F-94 Starfire;
F-102 Delta Dagger;
F-106 Delta Dart) in a state of readiness with training missions and series of exercises with SAC and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft. Consolidated on 1 May 1963 with
Minot Air Defense Sector. Inactivated on 1 December 1963 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation, most units being reassigned to the
29th Air Division.
Lineage • Established as
Grand Forks Air Defense Sector on 8 December 1957 : Inactivated on 1 December 1963
Assignments •
31st Air Division, 8 December 1957 •
29th Air Division, 1 January 1959 – 1 December 1963
Stations •
Grand Forks AFB,
North Dakota, 8 December 1957 – 1 December 1963
Components Wing •
478th Fighter Wing (Air Defense) :
Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, 1 February 1961 – 1 July 1963
Wing •
478th Fighter Group (Air Defense) :
Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, 1 April 1959 – 1 February 1961
Interceptor Squadrons •
18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron :
Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, 1 July-4 September 1963
Radar Squadrons •
721st Radar Squadron :
Willmar AFS, Minnesota, 1 April 1959 – 1 June 1961 •
739th Radar Squadron :
Wadena AFS, Minnesota, 1 April 1959 – 4 September 1963 •
785th Radar Squadron :
Finley AFS, Minnesota, 1 April 1959 – 4 September 1963 •
787th Radar Squadron :
Chandler AFS, Minnesota, 1 March 1961 – 4 September 1963 •
903d Radar Squadron :
Gettysburg AFS, South Dakota, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966 •
916th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :
Beausejour AS, Manitoba, 1 April 1959 – 1 October 1961 ==See also==