4721st Air Defense Group facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 4721st Air Defense Group
538th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F-104A-25-LO Starfighter 56-841 Larson Air Force Base, Washington, 1958
Active	1956–1959
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter Interceptor
Role	Air Defense
Part of	Aerospace Defense Command

The 4721st Air Defense Group was a special unit of the United States Air Force. It was like a team that helped protect the skies. This group was active from 1956 to 1959.

Its main job was to manage and support two fighter squadrons. These squadrons flew fast interceptor aircraft to guard against enemy planes. The group was based at Larson Air Force Base in Washington state. It was part of the Air Defense Command, which was in charge of protecting the country's airspace.

Protecting the Skies: The 4721st Group

The 4721st Air Defense Group started in December 1956. It was created at Larson Air Force Base, Washington. Its main goal was to bring together and support two important fighter squadrons. These were the 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) and the 538th FIS.

Both squadrons were already at Larson Air Force Base. They flew North American F-86D Sabre planes. These planes were special because they had radar and carried rockets called Mighty Mouse rockets. Their job was to intercept, or stop, any unknown aircraft.

How the Group Operated

The 4721st Group was a "tenant" unit at Larson Air Force Base. This means another group, the 62d Air Base Group, was the main host. In July 1957, the base changed its main purpose. But the 62d Air Base Group still managed the base.

During the summer of 1957, both fighter squadrons got upgraded planes. They started flying newer models of the Sabre jet. These planes had a special data link system. This system connected them directly to a big computer system called Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE). SAGE helped control and guide the interceptor planes.

Around June 1958, the 538th FIS got even newer planes. They switched to Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. These jets were very fast and carried a powerful 20mm cannon and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

The Group's Final Days

In April 1959, one of the squadrons, the 322nd FIS, moved to Kingsley Field in Oregon. This was part of a plan to reduce the number of units at Larson Air Force Base.

The next month, in May 1959, the 4721st Air Defense Group was officially closed down. The remaining squadron, the 538th FIS, then reported directly to another unit, the 4700th Air Defense Wing.

Aircraft Flown by the Group

The squadrons under the 4721st Air Defense Group flew different types of fighter jets during its short history:

• F-86D (1956–1957)
• F-86L (1957–1959)
• F-104A (1958–1959)