26th Air Division The 26th Air Division ( 26th AD ) is an inactive United States Air Force organization . Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command , ( ADTAC ) assigned to First Air Force , being stationed at March Air Force Base , California . It was inactivated on 30 September 1990 . History . Was established in October 1948 by Air Defense Command ( ADC ) as intermediate level of command . Initially responsible for atmospheric air defense of middle Atlantic region from North Carolina to greater New York City area east of the Appalachian mountains . Commanded Manual Direction Center ( MDC ) at Roslyn AFS , New York ( P - 3 ) 1948 - 1958 directing interceptor units to aircraft identified by Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons at radar stations in AOR . It employed off shore naval picket ships , fixed " Texas Tower " radar sites , airborne early warning units , and a civilian Ground Observer Corps program . The latter phased down when the SAGE program was implemented . Improved radar and communications equipment and fighter interceptors , and better techniques and methods , eventually led to the 26th Air Division becoming the first operational Semi Automatic Ground Environment SAGE Direction Center ( DC - 1 ) within Air Defense Command at McGuire AFB , New Jersey . Moved to Syracuse AFS New York and commanded SAGE DC - 3 Direction Center and first SAGE Command Center ( CC - 01 ) beginning in 1958 and assumed operational control of the MDC at Topsham AFS , Maine in August 1958 and the SAGE DC - 4 at Fort Lee AFS , Virginia in September 1958 . . In 1961 the division assumed air defense training responsibility for Air National Guard ( ANG ) units within the area . During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 , the division deployed fighter aircraft and part of its airborne early warning and control force to Florida . The 26th ' s area of control expanded until by 1963 its boundaries extended from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico and well toward the center of the United States . Expanded responsibilities in 1963 assuming command of SAGE DC - 9 at Gunter AFB , Alabama in July and DC - 6 at Custer AFS , Michigan in September and GCI stations in Newfoundland and Labrador formerly under the 64th Air Division . In April 1966 , the division was replaced by the First Air Force , and moved without personnel or equipment to Adair AFS , Oregon , where it assumed responsibility for the defense of Oregon , part of California and Nevada by the inactivation of the Portland and Reno Air Defense Sectors . Assumed additional designation of 26th NORAD Region after activation of the NORAD Combat Operations Center at Cheyenne Mountain , Colorado and reporting was transferred to NORAD from ADC at Ent AFB in April 1966 . The division was gradually phasing down until it replaced the 27th Air Division at Luke Air Force Base , Arizona in November 1969 , when in an ADCOM reorganization of atmospheric defense forces , the command became responsible for the air defense of a large area of the southwest . In October 1979 , it transferred to Tactical Air Command ( ADTAC ) and continued to supervise atmospheric defense forces of its assigned AOR . Began phase - down of operations with activation of new Southwest Air Defense Sector ( SWADS ) in July 1987 . Engaged chiefly in transfer of mission to SWADS 1987 - 1990 . Inactivated on 1 October 1990 .