24th Air Division

24th Air Division
Emblem of the 24th Air Division
Active	1969-1990
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Command and Control
Part of	Tactical Air Command (ADTAC)

The 24th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force intermediate echelon command and control organization. It was last assigned to First Air Force, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). It was inactivated on 30 September 1990 at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York.

History

The Division was activated at Malmstrom AFB, Montana in November 1969, replacing the 28th Air Division in an Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM) realignment and re-organization of assets. The 24th AD was responsible for the air defense of a large area of the upper Great Plains from the 115th meridian west eastward to the 97th meridian west; from the 49th parallel north south to the 41st parallel north. This area encompassed most of Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota and most of Nebraska. It was also the command organization for the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Data Center (DC-20) at Malmstrom AFB.

Tactical units assigned to the 24th participated in numerous training exercises such as Feudal Indian, Vigilant Overview, and Feudal Keynote. The scope of responsibility for the 24th AD was expanded in 1973 with further ADCOM unit inactivations and consolidations to include the area south along the 104th meridian west to the 33rd parallel north, east to the 97th meridian west. This included most of Kansas, Oklahoma and the panhandle region of Texas.

In 1979 it was incorporated into Tactical Air Command with the inactivation of ADCOM as a major command. Under Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC) it continued its mission until 15 April 1982 when it was reassigned to Griffiss AFB, New York and assumed responsibility for most of New England, the northern Mid-Atlantic States and the upper Midwest.

In 1985 most active-duty units were inactivated or reassigned to other missions, and the air defense mission came under Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units under First Air Force. The Division stood down on 30 September 1990, its command, mission, components, and assets were immediately transferred to the newly organized ADTAC Northeast Air Defense Sector.

Lineage

• Established as 24th Air Division on 18 November 1969

Activated on 19 November 1969

Inactivated on 30 September 1990

Assignments

• Air Defense Command

Tenth Air Force, 19 November 1969

• Aerospace Defense Command, 1 December 1969
• Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979

First Air Force, 6 December 1985 – 30 September 1990.

Stations

• Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 19 November 1969
• Griffiss AFB, New York, 1 December 1983 – 30 September 1990.

Components

Sectors

• Northeast Air Defense: 1 July 1987 – 30 September 1990
• Southeast Air Defense: 1 July 1987 – 30 September 1990

Groups

• 778th Air Defense: 1 March 1970 – 17 January 1974

Redesignated: 778th Radar Squadron, 17 January 1974-31 March 1974

• 779th Air Defense: 1 March 1970 – 17 January 1974.

Squadrons

• 17th Defense Systems Evaluation: 1 July 1974 – 13 July 1979 (detached 1 July 1974 – 13 July 1979)
• 4677th Defense Systems Evaluation: 2 October 1972 – 1 July 1974 (detached 2 October 1972 – 1 July 1974)
• 5th Fighter Interceptor: 19 November 1969 – 1 June 1983

Minot AFB, North Dakota (F-106A)

• 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 19 November 1969 – 15 April 1971

Grand Forks AFB North Dakota (F – 101B)

• 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 23 September 1983 – 7 July 1987

Griffiss AFB, New York (F-106A)

• 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 19 November 1969 – 1 July 1971

Malmstrom AFB, Montana (F-106A)

• 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 23 September 1983 – 1 October 1985

K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan (F-106A)

• 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 1 July 1971 – 30 April 1972

Malmstrom AFB, Montana (F-106A)

• 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 16 April 1971 – 30 June 1974

Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota (F-106A)

Emblem

"Per quarter fimbriated or, first quarter chequy alternating sable and argent, second and third quarter azure, on the second quarter a head in armor couped at the neck with visor open gray and of the second, on the third quarter thirteen mullets of five points argent, fourth quarter gray bearing two flight symbols bend sinisterwise sable, overall in pale a sword, point to chief blade gray and sable, base gray, hilt and guard or, all within a diminished bordure of the last."

Significance

"The emblem is symbolic of the unit and the Air Force colors, untramarine blue and golden yellow are used. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations and yellow to the sun and the excellence required of personnel in their assigned tasks. The black and white checked design is representative of the unit's day and night commitment to the air defense mission. The knight's head in armor is symbolic of the personnel of the unit who stand alert, ever ready and maintain constant watch. The blue field not only symbolizes the sky, but space and the challenge of detecting and defending against threats from space. The stars on the field of blue represent the 13 original colonies. The sword symbolizes the armed might of the unit and ability to detect, intercept and deter any armed opposition. Interceptor forces are symbolized by the interceptor MACH symbols being directed skyward. Radar control and direction of defense forces are symbolized by lightning impulses radiating from the sword."

See also

• List of United States Air Force air divisions
• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
• Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).
• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 24th Air Division