739th AC&W

The 739th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (AC&W) was activated in 1950 as part of the United States Air Force’s expanding air defense network during the early Cold War era. Stationed at Wadena Air Force Station, Minnesota, the unit’s primary mission was to operate radar systems to detect and track potential airborne threats entering North American airspace. The squadron played a critical role in the Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) system, guiding interceptor aircraft toward unidentified targets. The 739th AC&W Squadron was inactivated in 1963 as advances in radar technology and shifts in defense priorities led to the consolidation of air defense assets.