4730th Air Defense Group
The 4730th Air Defense Group was a United States Air Force organization active from 1957 to 1959. Based at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and under the New York Air Defense Sector, its job was to provide a single command and support structure for two Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor squadrons stationed at McGuire, which was a Military Air Transport Service base. The group also included a maintenance squadron to support the fighters.
The assigned squadrons were the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and the 539th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. They flew radar-equipped North American F-86D Sabres (some F-86Ls with data link for Semi-Automatic Ground Environment interception). The group’s mission was to defend the Mid-Atlantic United States.
The 332d FIS converted to the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger in July 1957, while the 539th FIS kept its F-86s until spring 1959, then converted to the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. The group was discontinued shortly after the 332d FIS departed McGuire for England AFB, Louisiana, leaving only one operational ADC squadron at McGuire. The 601st Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was inactivated with the group, and the 539th FIS was reassigned directly to the New York Air Defense Sector.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:26 (CET).