865th Radar Squadron

The 865th Radar Squadron was an Air Defense Command unit of the United States Air Force, activated in 1955 during the height of the Cold War. Stationed at Lompoc Air Force Station in California, its primary mission was to operate radar systems for the detection, tracking, and identification of potential airborne threats approaching the U.S. west coast. The squadron played a key role in the continental air defense network, contributing to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system that coordinated responses to possible Soviet bomber incursions. The 865th Radar Squadron was inactivated in 1968 as advancements in technology and shifts in defense priorities led to a reorganization of America's air defense infrastructure.