Boston Air Defense Sector
Unit nameBoston Air Defense Sector
Dates1956–1966
RoleAir defense
Identification symbol labelBoston Air Defense Sector emblem[a]

The Boston Air Defense Sector (BADS) is an inactive United States Air Force Air Defense Command (ADC) organization. Its last assignment was with the 26th Air Division at Hancock Field, New York.

History

BADS was established in 1956 at Stewart Air Force Base (AFB), New York as the 4622nd Air Defense Wing[1] pending completion of the new Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center (DC-02) and Combat Center (CC-04) which became operational 15 September 1958. DC-02 was equipped with dual AN/FSQ-7 Computers. Early in 1957, the wing was redesignated as the Boston Air Defense Sector.[1]

The mission of the BADS was to provide air defense over New England initially in an area covering southern Maine, southern New Hampshire, southern Vermont, Massachusetts, northern Rhode Island and Connecticut and part of New York.[2] The day-to-day operations of the command were to train and maintain tactical units flying jet interceptor aircraft (North American F-86 Sabre, Northrop F-89 Scorpion, Lockheed F-94 Starfire, Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, Lockheed F-104 Starfighter) and operating radars and interceptor missiles (Boeing CIM-10 Bomarc) 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. From 1960 to 1962, BADS was also responsible for a squadron in Nova Scotia that controlled interceptors "manually" (by voice instructions rather than by data link).[3]

The Otis Bomarc SAMs (26th ADMS) were directed from the Air Defense Direction Center (CC-01/DC-03) at Hancock Air Force Base, Syracuse, New York. Continental Air Defense Command, in setting up the air defence command and control system in the area, had designated the Boston Air Defense Sector as 1 of 4 sectors in the 26th Air Division "effective April 1, 1958"[4][5] DC-03 was operational on 1 December 1958;[6] and the division was the 1st operational in the SAGE Air Defense Network — 1 January 1959 (CC-01 was the "first SAGE regional battle post", beginning operations "in early 1959".)[7]

The radar network supporting BADS required near-total coverage, with radar beams overlapping and sites no more than 25 miles apart. Early gap-filling radars included two SCR-584 units at Scituate and Rockport, Massachusetts—these were World War II-era radars developed by the MIT Radiation Laboratory. Their initial performance was disappointing, requiring significant improvements before they could be used effectively. The SAGE system, which BADS relied on, was the direct impetus for the founding of MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The lab’s early work included not only radar netting but also the development of advanced radar data filtering and digital relay systems, which were first tested at Cape Cod and then implemented in the BADS region.[8]

The Sector was moved on paper to Hancock Field, New York and was eliminated on 1 April 1966[9] due to a general reorganization of ADC. Most of its assigned units were reassigned to the 34th or 35th Air Divisions.

Lineage

  • Designated as the 4622d Air Defense Wing, SAGE on 1 April 1956 and organized
Redesignated as Boston Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957
Discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1966

Assignments

Stations

  • Stewart AFB, New York, 1 April 1956 – 1 April 1966
  • Hancock Field, New York, 1 April 1966 – 1 April 1966

Components

Wings

Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 8 January - 18 August 1957

Groups

Stewart AFB, New York, 18 October 1956 – 1 August 1959
Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1 July 1957 – 30 April 1958
Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 18 August 1957 – 1 September 1959

Interceptor squadrons

Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, 1 August 1958 – 1 July 1959; 4 September 1963-1 April 1966
Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 1 August 1959 – 1 April 1966
Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1 February 1961 – 1 July 1963
Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 8 October 1956 – 8 July 1957
Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 18 October 1956 – 8 July 1957, 25 June 1958-8 July 1960
Laurence B. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, 1 July 1959 – 15 March 1960

Missile squadron

Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 1 March 1959 – 1 April 1966

Radar squadrons

Rye Air Force Station (AFS), New Hampshire, 18 October 1956 – 30 October 1957
Benton AFS, Pennsylvania, 18 October 1956 – 15 August 1958; 4 September 1963 - 1 April 1966
Brunswick AFS, Maine, 1 August 1962 – 25 June 1965
Watertown AFS, New York, 4 September 1963 – 1 April 1966
Saratoga Springs AFS, New York, 18 October 1956 – 1 April 1966
Barrington AS, Nova Scotia, 1 July 1960 – 1 June 1962
North Truro AFS, Massachusetts, 18 October 1956 – 1 April 1966
Saint Albans AFS, Vermont, 1 August 1962 – 1 April 1966
Fort Heath, Massachusetts, 18 October 1959 – 1 December 1962
Lyndonville AFS, Vermont, 1 August 1962 – 1 August 1963

Weapons Systems

  • F-86D, 1957-1957
  • F-86L, 1957-1960
  • F-89H, 1957-1960
  • F-89J, 1957-1961
  • F-94C, 1957-1959
  • F-101B, 1959-1966
  • F-102A, 1961-1963
  • F-104A, 1958-1960
  • IM-99 (later CIM-10), 1959-1966

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Approved 24 April 1957. Description: On a shield Argent, a stylized delta shaped projectile, flying bendwise, per bend to dexter chief, variegated, Azure, sky blue, and white, marked with an atomic symbol of two orbits Gules and Or, entwined around a center nuclei Sable; in chief a tri-corned cocked hat proper (black, highlighted white); superimposed over all in base, a ribbon fesswise Gules with forked ends and lining Argent, piped Gules, the shield edged Azure. Significance: The stylized delta shape projectile is poised skyward which is symbolic of air power. The different shades of blue in the delta projectile depict the voids of space and our battleground. The atomic symbol represents the power and strength of our command. The red ribbon, an honorable heraldic marking debruising the lower area of the delta projectile, symbolizes the noble virtues inherent in the men of our sector -- hardiness, valor, loyalty to country, and devotion to duty, in readiness always to defend our country. The tri-cornered cocked hat is placed in the chief area of our shield and relates the modern airmen of the Air Defense Command to the original “Minutemen.” The silver field of our shield represents steel which depicts our ability and strength to meet the air defense requirements for the present and in the future.
Citations
  1. ^ Cornett, Lloyd H & Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946-1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 65. Archived from the original on 2006-11-23. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  2. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 31(Map)
  3. ^ Abstract, History of 672nd AC&W Sq, Jan 1961-Dec 1961 (accessed 4 February 2012)
  4. ^
  5. ^
  6. ^ Condit, Kenneth W. (1992 [1971]). "Chapter 15: Continental Defense". The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy: 1955-1956. Vol. VI of History of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Washington, DC: Historical Office, Joint Staff.
  7. ^ Schaffel, Kenneth (1991). "Emerging Shield: The Air Force and the Evolution of Continental Air Defense 1945-1960" (45MB pdf). General Histories. Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-60-9. Retrieved 2011-09-26.
  8. ^ "SAGE: Semi-Automatic Ground Environment Air Defense System | MIT Lincoln Laboratory". www.ll.mit.edu. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  9. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 57
  10. ^ Ravenstein, Charles A (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 58. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
  11. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 79
  12. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 89
  13. ^ Maurer, Maurer (ed.) (1982 [1969]). Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. reprint ed. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 213. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023.
  14. ^ Cornett & Johnson, pp. 116-19
  15. ^ Maurer, p. 235
  16. ^ Maurer, p. 275
  17. ^ Maurer, p. 399
  18. ^ Maurer, p. 417
  19. ^ "Factsheet 337th Flight Test Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 7 April 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  20. ^ Maurer, p. 572
  21. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 150
  22. ^ Cornett & Johnson, pp. 155-57
  23. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 98
  24. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 165-66
  25. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 102
  26. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 173

Bibliography

Further Reading