73rd Space Group

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73d Space Group

Emblem of the 73d Space Group[note 1]

Active| 1966–1971; 1989–1995
Country|  United States
Branch| United States Air Force
Role| Space Surveillance

Military unit

The 73d Space Group is an inactive United States Air Force space surveillance organization. Its last assignment was with Fourteenth Air Force, being stationed at Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 26 April 1995.

The Group performed space surveillance. In April 1995 the 73d Space Surveillance Group merged with the 21st Space Wing. From that point the 21st became the largest wing in the United States Air Force with units deployed throughout the world.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Lineage
* 2.1 Assignments
* 2.2 Stations
* 2.3 Components
* 2.4 Detachments
* 3 References
* 3.1 Notes
* 3.2 Bibliography

## History[edit]

The group was first organized at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado on 1 January 1967 as the 73d Aerospace Surveillance Wing, joining the 71st Surveillance Wing as one of the two wings in Air Defense Command's 9th Aerospace Defense Division, which was responsible for the Air Force's contribution to the defense of North America to space oriented attack. The 71st Wing, which was soon renamed the 71st Missile Warning Wing,[1] was responsible for the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, while the 73rd focused on space based systems. The wing's operational elements were the 16th Surveillance Squadron at Shemya Air Force Station, Alaska,[2] the 17th Surveillance Squadron at Moorestown Air Force Station, New Jersey,[3] the 18th Surveillance Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, California. the 19th Surveillance Squadron at Pirinclik Air Station, Turkey[4] and the 20th Surveillance Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, all organized the same day as the wing.[note 2] Sensor operations included the Spacetrack System.[3] The wing was inactivated in April 1971.

The 73rd was reactivated on 1 March 1989 as the 73d Space Surveillance Group. On 1 October 1992, Detachment 3 at Misawa Air Base, Japan (which had been added on 1 January 1991) was expanded to form the 3rd Space Surveillance Squadron.[5] It was inactivated in April 1995.

## Lineage[edit]

* Established as the 73d Aerospace Surveillance Wing and activated on 1 November 1966

Organized on 1 January 1967[6]
Inactivated on 30 April 1971[6]

* Redesignated 73d Space Surveillance Group on 10 February 1989

Activated on 1 March 1989
Redesignated 73d Space Wing on 1 June 1991
Redesignated 73d Space Group on 1 May 1992
Inactivated on 26 April 1995

### Assignments[edit]

* Air Defense Command, 1 November 1966 (not organized)
* 9th Aerospace Defense Division, 1 January 1967[6]
* Fourteenth Aerospace Force, 1 July 1968 – 30 April 1971[6]
* Air Force Space Command, 1 March 1989[7]
* 1st Space Wing, 1 June 1991
* Fourteenth Air Force, 20 September 1993 – 26 April 1995

### Stations[edit]

* Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, 1 January 1967[6]
* Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 17 July 1967 – 30 April 1971[8]
* Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado, 1 March 1989 – 26 April 1995

### Components[edit]

* 1st Command and Control Squadron: 28 February 1992 – 24 June 1994[9]
* 1st Deep Surveillance Squadron (later, 1st Surveillance Squadron, 1st Space Surveillance Squadron: 1 April 1989 – 26 April 1995
* 3rd Space Surveillance Squadron: 1 October 1992 – 26 April 1995[5]
* 4th Surveillance Squadron (later 4th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 October 1990 – 26 April 1995
* 5th Surveillance Squadron (later 5th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 October 1990 – 26 April 1995
* 16th Surveillance Squadron (later 16th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 January 1967 – 30 April 1971, 1 September 1991 – 1 October 1994[2]
* 17th Surveillance Squadron (later 17th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 January 1967 – 31 December 1969, 15 November 1993 – 26 April 1995[3]
* 18th Surveillance Squadron (later 18th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 January 1967 – 30 April 1971, 1 July 1991 – 26 April 1995
* 19th Surveillance Squadron (later 19th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 January 1967 – 30 April 1971, 1 October 1991 – 26 April 1995[4]
* 20th Surveillance Squadron (later 20th Space Surveillance Squadron): 1 January 1967 – 30 April 1971, 1 August 1991 – 26 April 1995
* 73d Operations Support Squadron: 15 May 1992 – 26 April 1995
* 73d Support Squadron (later 73d Mission Support Squadron): 15 May 1992 – 26 April 1995

### Detachments[edit]

* Detachment 1 – San Vito dei Normanni Air Station, Italy (1 October 1989 – 1 October 1990)[10]
* Detachment 2 – RAF Feltwell, United Kingdom (1 October 1989 – 1 October 1990)
* Detachment 3: Misawa Air Base, Japan (1 January 1991 – 1 October 1992)

## References[edit]

### Notes[edit]

Explanatory notes

1. ^ Per chevron reversed celeste and azure a plate bearing a torteau radiating seven fillets throughout argent and over-all a fillet forming a nuclear rose of the last seeded of seven electrons gules and leaved of seven flight symbols or, all within a diminished bordure of the like.
2. ^ Like the wing, the component squadrons were to be activated as "aerospace" surveillance squadrons. However, on 3 January 1967, the decision was made to retroactively drop the "aerospace" from the squadron names. Cornett & Johnson, pp. 149-150.

Citations

1. ^ Ravenstein, p. 111
2. ^ a b Robertson, Patsy (13 July 2009). "Factsheet 16 Space Control Squadron (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
3. ^ a b c Robertson, Patsy (8 February 2010). "Factsheet 17 Expeditionary Space Control Squadron (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
4. ^ a b Haulman, Daniel L. (28 December 2010). "Factsheet 19 Space Operations Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
5. ^ a b Butler, William M. (17 December 2015). "Factsheet 3 Space Experimentation Squadron (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
6. ^ a b c d e Cornett & Johnson, p. 62.
7. ^ Bailey, Carl E. (24 July 2008). "Factsheet Air Force Space Command (USAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
8. ^ Mueller, p. 565
9. ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (15 April 2008). "Factsheet 1 Space Control Squadron (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
10. ^ Air Force Historical Research Agency: Supplement to 73d Space Group Lineage and Honors, 1 November 2009

### Bibliography[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website https://www.afhra.af.mil/.

* Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W. (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
* Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
* Information compiled by Daniel L. Haulman, Phd; Chief, Organizational Histories Branch; Air Force Historical Research Agency

* v
* t
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Air Force Space Command

Air Forces|

* Fourteenth (Strategic)

Centers|

* Space and Missile Systems
* Space Innovation and Development
* 614th Air and Space Operations

Bases|

* Buckley
* Los Angeles
* Patrick
* Peterson
* Schriever
* Thule
* Vandenberg

Stations|

* Cape Canaveral
* Cape Cod
* Cavalier
* Cheyenne Mountain
* Clear
* Eldorado (closed)
* Kaena Point
* New Boston
* Onizuka (closed)

Space wings|

* 21st
* 30th
* 45th
* 50th
* 310th
* 460th

Air Base groups|

* 61st
* 821st

Squadrons|

| Command and Control|

* 1st
* 2d
* 3d
* 4th
* 55th Mobile
* 119th
* 153d
* 222d
* 721st Mobile

|

Space Control|

* 1st
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* 16th
* 20th
* 25th
* 76th
* 380th

Space Launch|

* 1st
* 2d
* 3d
* 4th
* 5th

Space Operations|

* 1st
* 2d
* 3d
* 4th
* 5th
* 6th
* 7th
* 8th
* 9th
* 19th
* 21st
* 22d
* 23d
* 111th
* 148th
* AFSPC

Space Warning|

* 2d
* 4th
* 5th
* 6th
* 7th
* 8th
* 9th
* 10th
* 11th
* 12th
* 13th
* 137th
* 213th

Others|

* 26th Space Aggressor (AFRC)
* 527th Space Aggressor (ACC)
* 3d Space Communications
* 50th Space Communications
* 850th Space Communications
* 1st Space Development
* 2d Space Development
* 3d Space Development
* 3d Space Experimentation
* 1st Space Surveillance
* 3d Space Surveillance
* 5th Space Surveillance
* 1st Air and Space Test
* 2d Test Operations
* 3d Space Test
* 4th Space Test
* 55th Space Weather

* v
* t
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Aerospace Defense Command (ADC)

Bases|

| CONUS|

* Amarillo
* Beale
* Charleston
* Davis-Monthan
* Dobbins
* Dover
* Dow
* Duluth
* Eglin
* Edwards
* Ellington
* Ellsworth
* England
* Ent
* Ethan Allen
* Fairfax
* Fallon
* Fort Heath
* Fort Lee
* Geiger
* George
* Glasgow
* Grand Forks
* Grenier
* Griffiss
* Gunter
* Hamilton
* Hancock
* Homestead
* Hurlburt
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* Imeson
* Key West
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* Kirtland
* Lackland
* Laredo
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* Robins
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* Selfridge
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* Sioux City
* Stead
* Stewart
* Suffolk County
* Tinker
* Travis
* Truax
* Tyndall
* Vandenberg
* Vincent
* Walker
* Webb
* Westover
* Wright-Patterson
* Wurtsmith
* Youngstown

|

Overseas|

* Ernest Harmon
* Frobisher Bay
* Goose Bay
* Keflavik
* McAndrew
* Pepperrell
* Thule

Stations|

| CONUS|

* Adair
* Aiken
* Almaden
* Alpena
* Antigo
* Arlington Heights
* Baker
* Bedford
* Bellefontaine
* Belleville
* Benton
* Blaine
* Brookfield
* Brunswick
* Bucks Harbor
* Burns
* Calumet
* Cambria
* Cape Charles
* Cape Cod
* Carmi
* Caswell
* Chandler
* Charleston
* Cheyenne Mountain
* Claysburg
* Clear
* Colville
* Condon
* Continental Divide
* Cottonwood
* Cross City
* Crystal Springs
* Curlew
* Custer
* Cut Bank
* Dallas Center
* Dauphin Island
* Dickinson
* Duncanville
* Eldorado
* Empire
* Finland
* Finley
* Flintstone
* Fordland
* Fort Fisher
* Fort Lee
* Fortuna
* Gettysburg
* Grand Marais
* Grand Rapids
* Guthrie
* Hanna City
* Havre
* Highlands
* Houma
* Hutchinson
* Joelton
* Keno
* Killeen
* Kingman
* Kirksville
* Klamath
* Lake Charles
* Lake City
* Las Cruces
* Las Vegas
* Lewistown
* Lockport
* Lufkin
* Lyndonville
* Madera
* Makah
* Mica Peak
* Miles City
* Mill Valley
* Minot
* Montauk
* Moriarty
* Mount Hebo
* Mount Laguna
* Mount Lemmon
* Naselle
* North Bend
* North Charleston
* North Truro
* Oklahoma City
* Olathe
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* Opheim
* Osceola
* Othello
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* Roslyn
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* Tierra Amarilla
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* Topsham
* Two Creeks
* Wadena
* Walnut Ridge
* Watertown
* Waverly
* West Mesa
* Willow Run
* Winnemucca
* Winslow
* Winston-Salem
* Woomera
* Yaak
* Zapata

|

Overseas|

* Armstrong
* Baldy Hughes
* Beausejour
* Cape Makkovik
* Cartwright
* Cut Throat Island
* Elliston Ridge
* Fox Harbour
* Hofn
* Hopedale
* Kamloops
* La Scie
* Langanes
* Latrar
* Melville
* Puntzi Mountain
* Ramore
* Red Cliff
* Rockville
* Saglek
* St. Anthony
* Saskatoon Mountain
* Sioux Lookout
* Spotted Island
* Stephenville

Air
Defense
units|

| Forces|

* Central Air Defense
* Eastern Air Defense
* Iceland
* Western Air Defense
* First
* Fourth
* Tenth
* Fourteenth

|

Air
Divisions|

* 8th
* 9th
* 20th
* 21st
* 23d
* 24th
* 25th
* 26th
* 27th
* 28th
* 29th
* 30th
* 31st
* 32d
* 33d
* 34th
* 35th
* 36th
* 37th
* 58th
* 64th
* 73d
* 85th

Sectors|

* Albuquerque
* Bangor
* Boston
* Chicago
* Detroit
* Duluth
* Goose
* Grand Forks
* Great Falls
* Kansas City
* Los Angeles
* Minot
* Montgomery
* New York
* Oklahoma City
* Phoenix
* Portland
* Reno
* Sault Sainte Marie
* San Francisco
* Seattle
* Sioux City
* Spokane
* Stewart
* Syracuse
* Washington

Wings|

* Fighter 1st
* 4th
* 23d
* 32d
* 33d
* 50th
* 52d
* 56th
* 78th
* 81st
* 325th
* 328th
* 507th

* Detection and Control 71st
* 73d
* 551st
* 552d

* Air Defense 46th
* 4620th
* 4621st
* 4622d
* 4624th
* 4625th
* 4627th
* 4628th
* 4683d
* 4700th
* 4702d
* 4703d
* 4704th
* 4705th
* 4706th
* 4707th
* 4708th
* 4709th
* 4710th
* 4711th
* 4750th
* 4751st
* 4752d
* 4756th
* 4780th

Groups|

* Fighter 1st
* 4th
* 14th
* 15th
* 23d
* 32d
* 33d
* 50th
* 52d
* 53d
* 54th
* 56th
* 57th
* 78th
* 79th
* 81st
* 82d
* 84th
* 325th
* 326th
* 327th
* 328th
* 329th
* 337th
* 343d
* 355th
* 408th
* 412th
* 414th
* 473d
* 475th
* 476th
* 478th
* 507th

* Air Defense 10th
* 500th
* 501st
* 502d
* 503d
* 514th
* 515th
* 516th
* 517th
* 518th
* 519th
* 520th
* 521st
* 525th
* 527th
* 528th
* 529th
* 530th
* 533d
* 534th
* 564th
* 566th
* 567th
* 568th
* 575th
* 637th
* 665th
* 678th
* 692d
* 701st
* 751st
* 762d
* 765th
* 778th
* 780th
* 827th
* 858th
* 4606th
* 4620th
* 4676th
* 4700th
* 4721st
* 4722d
* 4727th
* 4728th
* 4729th
* 4730th
* 4731st
* 4732d
* 4733d
* 4734th
* 4735th
* 4750th
* 4756th

* Aircraft Control & Warning 503d
* 505th
* 540th
* 541st
* 542d
* 543d
* 544th
* 545th
* 546th
* 563d
* 564th
* 565th
* 566th

Squadrons|

* Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
* Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons

Major
weapon
systems|

| Electronic|

* TB-29
* EB-57
* EC-121

|

Fighters|

* Propeller:
* F-47
* F-51
* P-61
* F-82

* Subsonic Jet:
* P-80
* F-84
* F-86
* F-89
* F-94

* Supersonic Jet:
* F-101
* F-102
* F-104
* F-106

Missiles|

* AIM-4
* AIM-26
* AIR-2
* CIM-10

Ships|

* Guardian
* Interceptor
* Interdictor
* Interpreter
* Investigator
* Locator
* Lookout
* Outpost
* Pickett
* Protector
* Scanner
* Searcher
* Skywatcher
* Tracer
* Watchman
* Vigil

Texas Towers|

* Texas Tower 2
* Texas Tower 3
* Texas Tower 4

Miscellaneous|

* Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons)
* General Surveillance Radar Stations

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