The Detroit Air Defense Sector (DEADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command (ADC) 26th Air Division at Custer Air Force Station (AFS), Michigan. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.

History DEADS was originally designated as the 4627th Air Defense Wing but was redesignated before being organized in January 1957 at Custer AFS.See It became operational in September 1958, and in 1959 it assumed control of former ADC Central Air Defense Force units with a mission to provide air defense of lower Michigan, northeast Indiana, and most of Ohio.Cornett & Johnson, p. 37 (Map) The organization provided command and control over several aircraft, missile and radar squadrons.

On 1 September 1959 the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center (DC-06) and Combat Center (CC-01) became operational. DC-06 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. The day-to-day operations of the command were to train and maintain tactical units flying jet interceptor aircraft (F-86 Sabre, F-89 Scorpion, F-101 Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-104 Starfighter, F-106 Delta Dart) and operating interceptor missiles (CIM-10 Bomarc) and radar squadrons in a state of readiness with training missions and series of exercises with Strategic Air Command and other units simulating interceptions of incoming enemy aircraft.

The sector was inactivated 1 April 1966 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation and replaced at Custer AFS by the 34th Air Division.Abstract, History of 34th Air Div, Apr-Dec 1966 (accessed 7 Feb 2012) Most of its units were reassigned to 34th or the 29th Air Division.

Lineage Designated as 4627th Air Defense Wing, SAGE Redesignated as Detroit Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957 and organized Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1966.

Assignments 30th Air Division, 8 January 1957 26th Air Division, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966

Stations Custer AFS, Michigan, 8 January 1957 – 1 April 1966

Components

Wing 1st Fighter Wing (Air Defense) Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966

Group 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense)Cornett & Johnson, p. 73 Youngstown Airport, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 March 1960

Interceptor Squadrons

56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 March 1960 87th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronMaurer, p. 299Cornett & Johnson, P. 120 Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966

319th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronMaurer, p. 391 Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana, 1 April 1959 – 1 March 1960 445th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronCornett & Johnson, p. 128 Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, 15 July 1963 – 1 April 1966

Missile Squadron 35th Air Defense Missile Squadron (BOMARC)Cornett & Johnson, p. 150 Niagara Falls Air Force Missile Site, New York, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966

Radar Squadrons

661st Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 661st Radar Squadron (SAGE))Cornett & Johnson, p. 158 Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966 662nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 662d Radar Squadron (SAGE)) Oakdale Army Installation, Pennsylvania, 1 November 1959 – 15 June 1960; 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966 664th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 664th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) Bellefontaine AFS, Ohio, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966 752d Radar Squadron (SAGE)Cornett & Johnson, pp. 163-165 Empire AFS, Michigan, 15 July 1963 – 1 April 1966 754th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 754th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) Port Austin AFS, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 1 April 1966

763d Radar Squadron (SAGE) Lockport AFS, New York, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966 781st Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 781st Radar Squadron (SAGE))Cornett & Johnson, p. 168 Custer AFS, Michigan, 1 April 1959 – 25 June 1965 783rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 783d Radar Squadron (SAGE)) Guthrie AFS, West Virginia, 1 July 1961 – 1 April 1966 784th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (later 784th Radar Squadron (SAGE)) Snow Mountain AFS, Kentucky, 1 August 1961 – 25 May 1962

Weapons Systems F-86D, 1959-1960 F-86L, 1959-1960 F-89J, 1959-1960 F-101B, 1960-1966 F-102A, 1959-1960 F-104A, 1959-1960 F-106A, 1960-1966 CIM-10 Bomarc, 1963-1966

See also List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

References

Radomes.org Detroit Air Defense Sector