Air Defense Command
The first full-scale test of the air defenses of a vital urban area of the United States was carried out by the Air Defense Command in January 1941. The warning service, easily the most elaborate yet attempted in America, was organized in a sector reaching along the east coast from New York to Boston, with more than 10,000 volunteer observers at 700 posts and with seaward warning provided by radar.
Twenty-eight test raids were completed in the period 21-24 January. The results convinced the Air Corps that control of interception from regional centers was practical, provided better radio equipment could be secured. Although the work of the ground observers was disappointing, the volunteers at the information centers gave excellent performances.
