[10] During the Cold War The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 503d Air Defense Group, and activated at Portland International Airport on 18 February 1953,[11] with the mission to train and maintain interceptor squadrons in state of readiness in order to defend Northwest United States.

[citation needed] The 357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was already stationed at Portland and Flying North American F-86 Sabres[12] was assigned as the operational component of the group.

[13] The group replaced the 89th Air Base Squadron as host organization for active duty USAF units at Portland.

[15] The group was inactivated[11] and replaced by the 337th Fighter Group (Defense) in 1955[17] as part of ADC's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Further reading