Central Air Defense Force
Encyclopedia
The Central Air Defense Force (CADF) is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base
, Missouri
. It was deactivated on July 1, 1960.
(ConAC) reorganized Air Defense Command when it became an operating agency. Air defense units within the Continental United States (CONUS) were given to the Eastern and Western Air Defense Liaison Groups, with Western and Eastern Air Defense Forces activated on 1 September 1949.
Central Air Defense Force (CADF) was activated as a third subordinate region under the re-established Air Defense Command in February 1951 to better organize ADC units in the Central and Southeast United States, its initial region being defined in the west as the area east of the 102nd degree of longitude, from the Canadian border in the north to the Rio Grande river border between the United States and Mexico in the south. The eastern boundary of the CADF was the area west of the 90th degree of longitude from the Michigan shoreline of Lake Superior south to the point of the Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee state boundaries, and eastward to the Atlantic Ocean coastline along the Tennessee–Kentucky and Virginia–North Carolina border, with all areas south and west of those boundaries.
The delineation was again adjusted in March 1956 to the region generally to the east of the 114th degree of longitude, roughly along the eastern borders of Idaho, Nevada and California from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the south. The southeast region east of the Mississippi River
to the Gulf of Mexico
was reassigned to EADF.
Central Air Defense Force was inactivated on 1 July 1960, with its assigned units reassigned either to 29th, 30th or 33rd Air Divisions, or to the new Air Defense Sectors created with the advent of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base
Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base
Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located south of Kansas City, Missouri. It was closed in 1994....
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. It was deactivated on July 1, 1960.
History
CADF was an intermediate-level command and control organization of Air Defense Command. Its origins date to 1 March 1949 when Continental Air CommandContinental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
(ConAC) reorganized Air Defense Command when it became an operating agency. Air defense units within the Continental United States (CONUS) were given to the Eastern and Western Air Defense Liaison Groups, with Western and Eastern Air Defense Forces activated on 1 September 1949.
Central Air Defense Force (CADF) was activated as a third subordinate region under the re-established Air Defense Command in February 1951 to better organize ADC units in the Central and Southeast United States, its initial region being defined in the west as the area east of the 102nd degree of longitude, from the Canadian border in the north to the Rio Grande river border between the United States and Mexico in the south. The eastern boundary of the CADF was the area west of the 90th degree of longitude from the Michigan shoreline of Lake Superior south to the point of the Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee state boundaries, and eastward to the Atlantic Ocean coastline along the Tennessee–Kentucky and Virginia–North Carolina border, with all areas south and west of those boundaries.
The delineation was again adjusted in March 1956 to the region generally to the east of the 114th degree of longitude, roughly along the eastern borders of Idaho, Nevada and California from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the south. The southeast region east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
was reassigned to EADF.
Central Air Defense Force was inactivated on 1 July 1960, with its assigned units reassigned either to 29th, 30th or 33rd Air Divisions, or to the new Air Defense Sectors created with the advent of the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) system.
Lineage
- Established as Central Air Defense Force (CADF) and organized 5 February 1951
- Organized 1 March 1951
- Inactivated 1 July 1960
Stations
- Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri, 5 February 1951 - Grandview AFB, Missouri, 24 February 1954
- Site re-designated: Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, 27 April 1957 – July 1, 1960
Air Divisions
- 20th Air Division
- Activated at: Grandview AFB, Missouri on 8 October 1955
- Assigned to Central Air Defense Force
- Site re-designated: Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, 27 April 1957
- Inactivate on 1 July 1960
- 29th Air Division
- Stationed at: Great Falls AFB, Montana
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 16 February 1953 from Western Air Defense ForceWestern Air Defense ForceThe Western Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.- History :...
(WADF) - Site re-designated: Malmstrom AFB, 15 June 1956
- Re-designated 29th Air Division (SAGE) and reassigned to Air Defense Command, 1 January 1960
- 31st Air Division
- Stationed at: Fort Snelling, Minnesota on 20 May 1951
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 16 February 1953 from Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF) - Inactivated 1 January 1960
- 33d Air Division
- Stationed at: Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 20 May 1951
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 16 February 1953 from Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF) - Moved to Oklahoma City AFS, 1 July 1956
- Re-designated 33d Air Division (SAGE) and reassigned to Air Defense Command, 1 January 1960
- 34th Air Division (Defense)
- Stationed at: Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 16 February 1953
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 16 February 1953 from Western Air Defense ForceWestern Air Defense ForceThe Western Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.- History :...
(WADF) - Inactivated 1 January 1960
- 35th Air Division
- Activated at: Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
on 1 July 1951 - Assigned to Central Air Defense Force
- Moved to Dobbins AFB, Georgia on 1 September 1951
- Re-assigned to Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF), 10 April 1955
Wings
- 122d Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Federalized Indiana Air National GuardIndiana Air National GuardThe Indiana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is, along with the Indiana Army National Guard, an element of the Indiana National Guard.-Mission:...
, 10 February 1951 - Stationed at Baer Field, Indiana
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 1 December 1951 from Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF) - Inactivated and returned to state control, 7 February 1952
- 128th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Federalized Wisconsin Air National GuardWisconsin Air National GuardThe Wisconsin Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is, along with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, an element of the Wisconsin National Guard...
, 10 February 1951 - Stationed at Truax Field, Wisconsin
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 20 May 1951 from Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF) - Inactivated and returned to state control, 6 February 1952
- 133d Fighter-Interceptor Wing
- Federalized Minnesota Air National GuardMinnesota Air National GuardThe Minnesota Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is, along with the Minnesota Army National Guard, an element of the Minnesota National Guard.-Mission:...
, 10 February 1951 - Stationed at Holman Field, Minnesota
- Re-assigned to Central Air Defense Force 20 May 1951 from Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF) - Moved to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMinneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
, 28 June 1951 - Inactivated and returned to state control, 6 February 1952
Groups
- 153d Aircraft Control and Warning Group
- Federalized Pennsylvania Air National GuardPennsylvania Air National GuardThe Pennsylvania Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state.-Overview:The...
, 16 January 1952 - Stationed at New Cumberland, PennsylvaniaNew Cumberland, PennsylvaniaNew Cumberland is a municipality at the eastern tip of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. New Cumberland was incorporated as a borough on March 21, 1831. The population was 7,349 at the 2000 census...
, assigned to Central Air Defense Force - Personnel used to fill vacancies in the 35th Air Division; inactivated 6 February 1952
- 159th Aircraft Control and Warning Group
- Federalized Oklahoma Air National GuardOklahoma Air National GuardThe Oklahoma Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is, along with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, an element of the Oklahoma National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state...
, 1 June 1951 - Stationed at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
- Attached to 33d Air Division, 19 June 1951
- Inactivated and returned to state control, 6 February 1952
- 161st Aircraft Control and Warning Group
- Federalized California Air National GuardCalifornia Air National GuardThe California Air National Guard is the air component of the California National Guard. The California Air National Guard is headquartered at Sacramento, California.One of the duties of the California Air National Guard is defense of the United States...
, 28 January 1952 - Stationed at Berkley, California, assigned to Central Air Defense Force
- Personnel used to fill vacancies in numerous CADF units; inactivated 6 February 1952
- 543d Aircraft Control and Warning Group543d Aircraft Control and Warning GroupThe 543d Aircraft Control and Warning Group is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 31st Air Division, Air Defense Command, stationed at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. It was inactivated on 10 February 1952.-History:...
- Assigned to Central Air Defense Force
- Stationed at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on 1 January 1951
- Re-assigned to 31st Air Division (Defense), 10 July 1951
- 4676th Air Defense Group4676th Air Defense GroupThe 4676th Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 33d Air Division, being stationed at Grandview AFB Missouri. It was discontinued on 18 Aug 1955.-History:...
- Assigned to Central Air Defense Force
- Stationed at Grandview AFB, Missouri
- Re-assigned to 33d Air Division, 2 March 1954
See also
- Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense ForceThe Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
- Western Air Defense ForceWestern Air Defense ForceThe Western Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.- History :...