The 31st Air Division (31st AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...

, assigned to Tenth Air Force, being stationed at

Sioux City Municipal Airport Sioux Gateway Airport , also known as Colonel Bud Day Field, is a public and military use airport in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is located six nautical miles (7 mi, 11 km) south of the central business district of Sioux ...

, Iowa. It was inactivated on 31 December 1969.

History

Assigned to

(ADC) for most of its existence, the division equipped, administered, trained, and provided combat ready forces within an area covering North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and other parts of the Midwest. The division participated in numerous live and simulated exercises such as Creek Chief, Pawnee Knife, and Mandan Hunt. 31stAD - Map - 1966-1969

Later, beginning in 1966, the 31st assumed responsibility for the former Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector and covered an area including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Assumed additional designation of 31st NORAD Region after activation of the NORAD Combat Operations Center at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado and reporting was transferred to

NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...

from ADC at Ent Air Force Base in April 1966. Inactivated in December 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).

Lineage

* Established as the 31st Air Division (Defense) on 7 September 1950 : Activated on 8 October 1950 : Inactivated on 1 February 1952 * Organized on 1 February 1952The simultaneous inactivation and activation on 1 February 1952 reflects a change between a Table of Organization unit and a Table of Distribution unit. : Inactivated on 1 January 1960 * Redesignated 31st Air Division and activated on 20 January 1966 (not organized) : Organized on 1 April 1966 : Inactivated on 31 December 1969

Assignments

* Air Defense Command : Eastern Air Defense Force, 8 October 1950 (attached

30th Air Division The 30th Air Division (30th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to Tenth Air Force, being stationed at Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa. It was inactivated on ...

, 27 November 1950 – 1 February 1951 : Central Air Defense Force, 20 May 1951 – 1 January 1960 * Air Defense Command, 20 January 1966 (not organized) :

Fourteenth Air Force The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The command was responsible for the organizatio ...

, 1 April 1966 – 1 July 1968 (

ConAC Conac or CONAC may refer to: * Konak (Sečanj), known in Romanian as ''Conac'', a village in Serbia * Continental Air Command, or ConAC, in the United States See also

* Gilbert-Amable Faure-Conac, French army officer * Connac, a commune in F ...

) : Tenth Air Force, 1 July 1968 – 31 December 1969

Stations

* Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, 8 October 1950 – 1 February 1952 *

Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint Anth ...

(later Snelling Air Force Station), Minnesota, 1 February 1952 – 1 January 1960 * Oklahoma City Air Force Station, Oklahoma, 1 April 1966 – 31 December 1969

Components

Sectors

* Duluth Air Defense Sector: 20 December 1957 – 1 January 1959 :

Duluth Municipal Airport : ''For the United States Air Force use of this facility, see Duluth Air National Guard Base.'' Duluth International Airport is a city-owned public-use joint civil-military airport located five nautical miles (9 km) northwest of the centra ...

, Minnesota * Grand Forks Air Defense Sector: 8 December 1957 – 1 January 1959 : Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota

Groups

: 53d Fighter Group: 18 August 1955 – 1 March 1956 :

, Iowa : 343d Fighter Group: 18 August 1955 – 1 January 1959 : Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota :

475th Fighter Group 475th may refer to: *475th Air Base Wing, inactive United States Air Force unit * 475th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit * 475th Fighter Group, World War II predecessor of 53d Weapons Evaluation Group * 475th Test Squadro ...

: 18 August 1955 – 2 January 1958 : Minneapolis-Saint Paul Municipal Airport, Minnesota *

478th Fighter Group 478th may refer to: *478th Aeronautical Systems Wing The 478th Aeronautical Systems Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force which was last based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where it was inactivated in 2009. The wing ...

: 8 February 1957 – 1 January 1959 : Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota *

514th Air Defense Group The 514th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group ...

: 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 : Minneapolis-Saint Paul Municipal Airport, Minnesota *

515th Air Defense Group The 515th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division, stationed at Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was origina ...

: 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 : Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota *

521st Air Defense Group The 521st Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division at Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa, where it was inactivated in 1955. The group was originally activated as a ...

: 16 February 1953 – 18 August 1955. : Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa

Interceptor squadrons

11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 343d Fighter Group at Duluth Airport, Minnesota, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1968. History World War II The squadron ...

: 1 December 1952 – 16 February 1953 : Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota *

18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 18th Aggressor Squadron (18 AGRS) is a subordinate unit of the 354th Fighter Wing based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, and flies the Block 30 General Dynamics F-16C/D aircraft. Mission The 18th Aggressor Squadron prepares combat Air ...

: 1 December 1952 – 16 February 1953 : Minneapolis-Saint Paul Municipal Airport, Minnesota * 54th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 1 December 1952 – 16 February 1953 :

Ellsworth Air Force Base Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located about northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, just north of the town of Box Elder, South Dakota, Box Elder. The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW). Assi ...

, South Dakota * 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 1 November 1952 – 16 February 1953 : Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa *

331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Webb Air Force Base, Texas, where it was inactivated on 1 March 1967. During World War II the squadron was a ...

: 1 April 1966 – 1 March 1967 :

Webb Air Force Base Webb Air Force Base , previously named Big Spring Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force facility of the Air Training Command that operated from 1951 to 1977 in West Texas within the current city limits of Big Spring. Webb AFB was a maj ...

, Texas *

432d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 432d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 475th Fighter Group at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota, where it was inactivated on 2 January 1958. H ...

: 1 December 1952 – 16 February 1953 : Truax Field, Wisconsin *

433d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 433rd Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The unit was first activated in May 1943 and flew the P-38 Lightning in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 433rd distin ...

: 1 November 1952 – 16 February 1953 : Truax Field, Wisconsin

Radar squadrons

* 650th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Dallas Center Air Force Station Dallas Center Air Force Station (ADC ID: M-122) is a United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station northeast of Dallas Center, Iowa, that was closed in 1957. History Dallas Center Air Force Station was established as part of the ...

, Iowa, 1 July 1955 – 1 March 1956 * 676th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Antigo Air Force Station Antigo Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located south-southwest of Antigo, Wisconsin. It was closed in 1977 and is currently classified as a high risk toxic waste site involving ...

, Wisconsin, 6 February 1952 – 16 February 1953 * 683d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Sweetwater Air Force Station, Texas, 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1969 * 687th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

West Mesa Air Force Station West Mesa Air Force Station (ADC ID: M-94, NORAD ID: Z-94) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was closed by the Air Force in 1968 and turned over to the ...

, New Mexico, 1 April 1966 – 8 September 1968 * 688th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Amarillo Air Force Base Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. ...

, Texas, 1 April 1966 – 8 September 1968 * 692d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Baudette Air Force Station Baudette Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located south-southwest of Baudette, Minnesota. It was closed in 1979. History Baudette Air Force Station was initially part of Phase ...

, Minnesota, 1 October 1958 – 1 January 1959 * 703d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Texarkana Air Force Station, Arkansas, 1 April 1966 – 8 September 1968 * 707th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Grand Rapids Air Force Station Grand Rapids Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east-northeast of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It was closed in 1963. History Grand Rapids Air Force Station was initially par ...

, Minnesota, 1 July 1956 – 1 January 1959 * 739th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Wadena Air Force Station Wadena Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-17, NORAD ID: Z-17) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northeast of Wadena, Minnesota. It was closed in 1970. History In late 1951 Air Defense Comm ...

, Minnesota, 1 February 1953 – 1 January 1959 *

740th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 740th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron AKA 740th AC&W Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the, Air Defense Command, 29th Air Division, Great Falls Montana, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, ...

: Rapid City Air Force Base, South Dakota, 1–16 February 1953 * 741st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, 1 April 1966 – 31 December 1969 * 745th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Perrin Air Force Station Perrin Air Force Station (ADC ID: RP-78, NORAD ID: Z-78) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located southeast of North Texas Regional Airport, Texas. It was closed in 1969. History Perrin Air Force ...

, Texas, 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1969 *

746th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 746th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 31st Air Division, Aerospace Defense Command, stationed at Oklahoma City Air Force Station, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on 8 ...

: Oklahoma City Air Force Station, Oklahoma, 1 April 1966 – 8 September 1968 * 756th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Finland Air Force Station, Minnesota, 6 February 1952 – 1 July 1959 * 785th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Finley Air Force Station, North Dakota, 6 February 1952 – 16 February 1953 * 786th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Minot Air Force Station, North Dakota, 6 February 1952 – 16 February 1953 * 787th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Chandler Air Force Station, Minnesota, 6 February 1952 – 1 January 1959 * 788th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Waverly Air Force Station Waverly may refer to: Education ;United States * Waverly Community Schools, a school district located in Lansing, Michigan * Waverly School District 145, Nebraska * Waverly Central School District, New York * Waverly High School (disambiguation ...

, Iowa, 6 February 1952 – 1 March 1956 * 789th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Omaha Air Force Station, Nebraska, 6 February 1952 – 1 March 1956 * 791st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron :

Hanna City Air Force Station Hanna City Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-63, NORAD ID: Z-63) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located west-northwest of Hanna City, Illinois. It was closed in 1968. It is still in use by the Feder ...

, Illinois, 6 February 1952 – 1 March 1956 * 808th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron : Rochester Air Force Station, Minnesota, 1 September 1955 – 9 September 1957 * 903d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron] : Gettysburg Air Force Station, South Dakota, 1 March 1956 – 1 January 1959 *

915th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 915th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Duluth Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Sioux Lookout Air Station, Ontario, Canada. It was inactivated on ...

Sioux Lookout Air Station The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...

, Ontario, 16 December 1952 – 1 January 1959 *

916th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 916th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Grand Forks Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Beausejour Air Station, Manitoba, Canada. It was inactivated ...

Beausejour Air Station Canadian Forces Station Beausejour (ADC ID: C-17) is a closed General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east-northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was closed in 1986. It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line network controlled by ...

, Manitoba, 1 December 1952 – 1 January 1959

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". ''The Interceptor'' (January 1979) Aerospace Defense Command, (Volume 21, Number 1) {{Aerospace Defense Command, state=collapsed Aerospace Defense Command units 031 1950 establishments in Michigan 1969 disestablishments in Oklahoma