00425727
5-1597-29A
SECRET
2436570
01-01-1959
2436750
06-30-1959
DIVISION/0007/AIR
HISTORY
K-DIV-7-HI V.1
VOL I OF V
11147
P0400
1833
2178
37
2448472
08-03-1991
7 AIR DIVISION (7 AD) AIR BASE GROUPS AND SQUADRONS WERE REORGANIZED AND REDESIGNATED AS COMBAT SUPPORT GROUPS AS OF 1 JAN 59. FIRST SUCCESSFUL FUNCTIONAL DEMONSTRATION IN ENGLAND WAS CONDUCTED ON FIRST LAUNCH PAD OF FIRST THOR (MISSILE) SQUADRON AT ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAF) STATION, FELTWELL, ENGLAND ON 26 JAN 59. FIRST THOR POSITION (RAF STATION, FELTWELL, ENGLAND) WAS FORMALLY TRANSFERRED TO CONTROL OF RAF ON 4 MAR 59. TRANSFER OF CONTROL OVER ENTIRE FIRST THOR (MISSILE) SQUADRON TO RAF CONTROL WAS COMPLETED ON 22 JUN 59 (WHICH SIGNIFIED FULL DEPLOYMENT OF FIRST THOR SQUADRON TO ENGLAND). 7 AD PERSONNEL PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AND EXERCISES (SUCH AS: CARD GAME, TOP WEIGHT, AND LADY GODIVA) DURING PERIOD FROM JAN THROUGH JUN 59. (CARD GAME WAS STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND/WIDE COMMUNICATIONS EXERCISE, WHILE TOP WEIGHT WAS NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION OPERATION.)
NOFORN RD
INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPH OF DIVISION COMMANDER (MAJ GEN W. H. BLANCHARD).