The 29th Air Division (29th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, being stationed at Duluth International Airport, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 15 November 1969.
| 29th Air Division | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1951–1969 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Command of air defense forces |
| Part of | Air Defense Command |
| Insignia | |
| 29th Air Division emblem (Approved 27 November 1961)[2] |  |
History edit
Assigned to Air Defense Command (ADC) for most of its existence, the division's mission was the air defense of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and parts of Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. By 1953, the area changed to include North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. The 29th supervised the training of its units, and participated in numerous training exercises.[2]
The division moved from Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri, to Duluth International Airport, Minnesota, on 1 April 1966 as part of an ADC reorganization, the division's area changed to include Minnesota, parts of Wisconsin, and North Dakota, and later expanded to cover most of Iowa.[2] Assumed additional designation of 29th NORAD Region after activation of the NORAD Combat Operations Center at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado and reporting was transferred to NORAD from ADC at Ent Air Force Base in April 1966 as the : Organized as 29th NORAD Region/Air Division on 1 April 1966, replacing the Duluth Air Defense Sector.
Inactivated in November 1969 as ADC phased down its interceptor mission as the chances of a Soviet bomber attack on the United States seemed remote, its mission being consolidated into North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)'s, 23d and 24th NORAD Regions/Air Divisions.
Lineage edit
- Established as the 29 Air Division (Defense) on 29 January 1951
- Activated on 1 March 1951
- Inactivated on 1 February 1952
- Organized on 1 February 1952
- Redesignated 29 Air Division (SAGE) on 1 January 1960
- Inactivated on 19 November 1969[2]
Assignments edit
- Western Air Defense Force, 1 March 1951
- Central Air Defense Force, 16 February 1953
- Air Defense Command, 1 January 1960
- Tenth Air Force, 1 April 1966
- First Air Force, 15 September – 19 November 1969[2]
Stations edit
- Great Falls Air Force Base, Montana, 1 March 1951 – 1 February 1952
- Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri, 1 July 1961
- Duluth International Airport, Minnesota, 1 April 1966 – 19 November 1969[2]
Components edit
Sectors edit
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Wing edit
- 507th Fighter Wing (Air Defense): 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1968[2]
Groups edit
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Interceptor squadrons edit
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Missile squadrons edit
- 37th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC)
- Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan, 1 April 1966 – 19 November 1969[2]
- 74th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC)
- Duluth AF Missile Site, Minnesota, 1 April 1966 – 19 November 1969
Radar squadrons edit
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Radar evaluation squadron edit
- Hill Air Force Base, Utah, 1 January 1960 – 1 July 1961
See also edit
References edit
Notes edit
Bibliography edit
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 23 March 2012.
- Winkler, David F.; Webster, Julie L (1997). Searching the skies: The legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program. Champaign, IL: US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. LCCN 97020912.[dead link]
- "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. 21 (1). Aerospace Defense Command: 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.