714 ac&w, Vandenberg, Watertown AFS

The 714th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (714 AC&W) was activated in the early 1950s as part of the United States Air Force's expanding radar and air defense network during the Cold War. Originally stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, the squadron was tasked with providing early warning and control for air defense operations along the West Coast. In 1952, the unit was relocated to Watertown Air Force Station, South Dakota, where it continued its mission of radar surveillance and aircraft identification to protect U.S. airspace. The 714th played a vital role in continental air defense until it was inactivated in the 1960s as technology and strategies evolved.