DEADS was originally designated as the 4627th Air Defense Wing, but was redesignated before being organized in January 1957 at Custer AFS, Michigan.[1] It became operational in September 1958, but did not assume control of former ADC Central Air Defense Force units with a mission to provide air defense of lower Michigan, northeast Indiana, and most of Ohio until 1959.[2] The organization provided command and control over several aircraft, missile and radar squadrons.
The Sector was inactivated 1 April 1966 as part of ADC reorganization and consolidation and replaced at Custer AFS by the 34th Air Division.[3] Most of its units were reassigned to 34th or the 29th Air Division.
Lineage
Designated as 4627th Air Defense Wing, SAGE
Redesignated as Detroit Air Defense Sector on 8 January 1957 and organized
↑Approved 3 August 1960. Description: Per bend light blue and Or, between four mullets two in sinisterchief and two in dexter basepalewiseAzure, a lightning flash bendwise Argent, outlined of the third [color mentioned], over all in pale throughout an aircraft-missile symbol of the last [color mentioned] highlighted of the first [color mentioned] and all within a diminished border of the fourth [color mentioned]. Significance: The emblem is symbolic of the sector and its mission. The field of light blue to represent the sky from which an aggressor would come, and golden yellow to represent the portion of the United States protected by this organization, is divided by a lightning bolt which is indicative of the speed with which the sector must react in case of attack. The aircraft-missile symbol is displayed in ready position to indicate the combat-ready status of the sector, and it is flanked by four stars, two on either side to indicate the four basic air defense functions [of] detection, identification, interception, and destruction. The emblem bears the Air Force colors, ultramarine blue and golden yellow.
Redmond, Kent C.; Smith, Thomas M. (2000). From Whirlwind to MITRE: The R&D Story of The SAGE Air Defense Computer. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. ISBN978-0-262-18201-0.
