not equip as an operational squadron, but served as an administrative unit that processed fighter pilots before they were assigned to RTUs. This squadron was detached from the group in January 1944. However, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving poorly adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit, while the groups and squadrons acting as RTUs were disbanded or inactivated. The 478th was disbanded at the end of the month in this reorganization. The group's squadrons at Redmond and at Madras Army Air Field moved to Portland Army Air Base, where they were replaced by the 432d AAF Base Unit (Fighter Replacement Training Unit, Single Engine). The personnel and equipment of the 454th squadron at Salinas Army Air Base became part of the 451st AAF Base Unit (Night Fighter Replacement Training Unit) and those of the squadron at Paine Field were absorbed by the 465th AAF Base Unit. The 478th headquarters provided the cadre for the 317th Wing (P-39) which managed all P-39 training for Fourth Air Force. Cold War Air Defense The unit was reconstituted at the end of 1956 and redesignated the 478th Fighter Group (Air Defense). It was activated at Grand Forks Air Force Base in February 1957, but had no tactical units assigned. The group mission was to build up Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was initially assigned an air base squadron and a materiel squadron to carry out this mission. The Air Force had announced plans to build a base in eastern North Dakota for the air defense of the United States, and Grand Forks had been selected by the Department of Defense. By the end of 1957 the group had managed the completion of the first runway, fighter base facilities, fuel storage and refueling facilities, a control tower and operations facility. The group's first tenant, the Grand Forks Air Defense Sector was activated in December, and its Semi-Automatic Ground Environment Direction Center (DC-11) was accepted for operation in March 1958. The Air Force had announced the additional expansion of Grand Forks to support Strategic Air Command (SAC) bombers and tankers and in September 1958 SAC activated the 4133d Strategic Wing to serve as the headquarters for this future expansion. In May 1960 the 18th