623rd Air Control Squadron
The 623rd Air Control Squadron is an operational unit of the United States Air Force assigned to the 18th Wing. The 623d is based out of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. The 623d is tasked to provide Command & Control within a sector of the Japanese Air Defense System. The 623d conducts operations out of Japanese Air Self Defense Force facilities located at Naha Air Base, Kasuga Air Base and Iruma Air Base. The 623d operates the Southwest Sector Interface Control Cell, conducting joint and bilateral tactical datalink operations.
Mission
Primary mission is two-fold is to provide rapidly deployable Theater Control Operations Teams in order to coordinate and direct US air and air defense artillery employment within a sector of the Japan Air Defense Ground Environment system. When activated as a TCOT the unit is directly subordinate to 613th Air Operations Center Chief of Combat Operations. Operate Japan's Joint/Bilateral Southwest Sector Interface Control Cell, to fuse joint and multinational data provided by regional C2 units, track producers, and tactical data link participants to execute Integrated Air & Missile Defense and Ballistic Missile Defense operations in support of the Defense of Japan.History
World War II
The 623D Air Control Squadron, traces its origins to the 305th Fighter Control Squadron, United States Army Air Forces. The 305th FCS was originally organized on 31 March 1943, then activated 1 April 1943 at Bradley Field, Connecticut, but not manned until 7 April. Permanent personnel began arriving on 10 April, and on 21 April the squadron's commander arrived. All temporary personnel were released about this same time. By late August 1943 the 305th FCS was adequately manned to start operational training. While at Bradley Field, the 305th FCS served as the operational training unit for First Air Force's I Fighter Command. The 305th FCS provided fighter control training for single-engine P-47 Thunderbolt fighter groups, which obtained their new aircraft from the Republic Aviation production plant on Long Island prior to their deployment to overseas combat theaters. The 305th FCS accomplished the controlling of aircraft and furnishing homing facilities by means of semi-mobile VHF radio control net with stations located at various sites in Connecticut.The 305th FCS then moved to Blackstone Army Airfield, Virginia on 1 September 1943, where it again served as an operational training unit, this time for Third Air Force's III Fighter Command. The 305th FCS again provided fighter control training for newly arriving P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs as they became available. While controlling fighters in the Blackstone area, the 305th FCS conducted training with a signal air warning company and AAA battalions. The 305th FCS was alerted for an overseas move in October, but was subsequently removed from the list.
After a short stint at Blackstone Army Airfield, the 305th FCS moved to Galveston Army Airfield, Texas on 20 December 1943. Here in Galveston the 305th FCS joined the 72nd Fighter Wing. This time the 305th FCS controllers were training the 2nd Air Force pilots on how to work with fighter control. With its primary mission in Galveston, the 305th FCS sent detachments throughout the Second Air Force's area to train fighter control missions. Four detachments went to Nebraska, another to Louisiana, and a sixth to another location in Texas. The squadron was alerted on 24 March 1944 for an overseas move, and in April all of the outlying detachments were pulled back to Galveston Army Airfield. The 305th FCS left Galveston Army Airfield on 3 May 1944 en route to Fort Lawton, Seattle, Washington.
After being moved to Fort Lawton, Washington, on 3 May 1944, the 305th FCS began preparations for embarkation to the Pacific Theater. The 305th FCS departed Fort Lawton on 25 May 1944 in transit to the Territory of Hawaii aboard the Cape Newenham. The squadron reached Stanley Army Air Field, Territory of Hawaii on 2 June 1944. There the 305th was assigned to Seventh Air Force's VII Fighter Command. A training program commenced on 16 June, with the 305th FCS being assisted initially by the 318th Fighter Control Squadron and, from 1 July, by the 302nd Fighter Control Squadron. On 15 August 1944 the squadron was relieved from assignment to the VII Fighter Command and joined the 7th Fighter Wing of Army Air Forces Pacific Ocean Area. The 305th FCS was attached on 1 September 1944 to the 7th Provisional Control Group, of the 7th Wing. On 5 October the squadron moved to Bellows Field and was subsequently called upon to furnish cadre for a number of new fighter control squadrons.
On 20 January 1945, the 305th FCS was attached to the new 7th Fighter Wing Aircraft Warning Control Group. Detachment 1 305th FCS, was formed at Bellows Field on 15 February 1945 and on 19 March moved to a combat zone initially attached to the 318th Fighter Group. Detachment 1, 305th FCS came to Japan as part of the Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army Ryuku Islands invasion force. This force served as the joint US Army Air Forces and US Marine Corps airpower arm for Tenth Army during Operation ICEBERG. By the end of April 1945, Detachment 1 305th FCS had moved to Ie Shima to provide fighter control for the three runways and various fighter units located on the island. Detachment 2 305th FCS, was organized at Bellows Field on 5 March 1945 and moved to a combat zone by April 1945. Detachment 2 was located at Guam when discontinued on 14 July 1945. The squadron itself was moved to Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii, on 4 April 1945 in order to prepare for movement to a forward zone. All local operations came to a standstill late in June as the squadron prepared for its movement. On 27 June the 305th FCS was reassigned back to Seventh Air Force.
Detachment 1 305th FCS earned the Ryukus campaign streamer, but the 305th Squadron itself earned only the Asiatic-Pacific Service Streamer for its World War II duty.
After the initial invasion operations of Okinawa, the Headquarters 305th FCS moved from Fort Shafter, T.H., 15 July 1945, to Kadena, Okinawa. Although arriving initially to Kadena in early September 1945 the squadron as eventually headquartered at Camp Bishigawa, Okinawa by the end of September 1945. The 305th FCS established the Okinawa Air Control Center at Camp Bishigawa, call sign "Okinawa Control" with its principle radar station at Yontan Mountain Radar, call sign "Walter Control". The 305th FCS provided invasion force protection and fighter/bomber control until the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945. Following the surrender of Japan the 305th FCS was reassigned to 301st Fighter Wing, Eighth Air Force and remained at Camp Bishigawa, Okinawa. Detachment 1 305th FCS was discontinued about January 1946 and relocated to Camp Bishigawa, when Ie Shima was closed before the end of 1945. A new Detachment 1 was located at Hedo Misake, Okinawa and a smaller radar was set up to cover a narrow blind stop caused by mountains to the north. By June 1946, this site called "Point Tare", callsign "Moonshine Radar", was operational. The Point Tare site gave the squadron two operational radar sites.
Post-war
Re-designated the 623rd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron on 2 July 1946, the squadron assumed air direction and control duties of the entire Ryuku Island chain of Japan. It remained in charge of the Okinawa Air Control Center and kept its detachment at Hedo Misake, Okinawa. On 12 October 1946, the 623rd AC&W Sq sent unit personnel to establish Detachment 2, a Direction Finding Station on Aguni Shima. By April 1947, the 623rd AC&W Sq had lost its flight control mission and was concentrating entirely upon air defense of the Ryuku Islands. Detachment 2 at Aguni Shima remained operational for only a short time, and was closed in 30 June 1947. As the United States Army Air Force transitioned to become the United States Air Force on 18 September 1947, so did the 623rd AC&W Sq, with no change in its Air Defense mission. On 1 November, the 623rd AC&W Sq was attached to the 3rd Operational Group, subordinate to the 301st Fighter Wing.The new 529th Aircraft Control and Warning Group joined the 301st Fighter Wing officially on 15 April 1948, but without personnel or equipment. During May 1948, resources of the 623rd AC&W Sq were used to begin manning this group and the newly organized 624th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, which also had no personnel or equipment of its own. On 16 July 1948, the 623rd AC&W Sq had been formally assigned to the newly formed 529th Aircraft Control & Warning Group. Until about 12 August 1948, the 529th Group and the 624th AC&W Sq were little more than paper units, while the 623rd AC&W Sq was still fully manned. On 18 August 1948 the 529th AC&W Gp, with the 623rd AC&W Sq and the newly created 624th AC&W Sq was absorbed by the 51st Fighter Wing, when the 301st Fighter Wing was inactivated. Yontan Radar was designated as a Tactical Control Center during August 1948, and luckily so, on 3–4 October 1948, Okinawa was pounded by Typhoon Libby. Typhoon Libby severely damaged Detachment 1 623rd AC&W Sq, Point Tare, so much so that the early warning site was never re-opened. Detachment 1, 623rd AC&W Sq was placed in caretaker status and the men and equipment were relocated back to Camp Bishigawa. The same typhoon also badly damaged the Okinawan Air Control Center at Camp Bishigawa and Yontan Radar remained inoperable for the remainder of October 1948. Due to this damage, the 623rd AC&W Sq initiated planning for a new Air Defense Control Center at Kadena Air Base, a second Tactical Control Center and two new early warning sites. The Yontan Tactical Control Center functioned as the Air Defense Control Center during this transition. In January 1949, the Point Tare station was finally closed and the site abandoned, the land was returned to the Okinawan people. On 1 April 1949, the 529th AC&W Gp was reassigned from the 51st Fighter Wing directly to Thirteenth Air Force, taking with it the 623rd and 624th AC&W Squadrons. This reassignment was short lived though, as 13th Air Force was returned to Clark AB, Philippines in May 1949. On 16 May 1949, the 529th AC&W Gp with the 623rd and 624th AC&W Squadrons were reassigned directly to Twentieth Air Force, who assume the mission of the defense of the Ryukyu Islands and was reassigned to Kadena AB, Okinawa. The new Yaetake and Miyako Jima early warnings sites became operational on 15 Mar 1950 and were assigned to the 624th AC&W Sq, who reported to the 623rd AC&W Sq Air Defense Control Center at Yontan Mountain. The new Okinawa Air Defense Control Center at Stillwell Park, Kadena AB opened in June 1950, and was manned by the 623rd AC&W Sq. The 623rd AC&W Sq's Yontan Mountain site reverted to a Tactical Control Center.