The 105th Attack Squadron (105 ATKS) is a unit of the
Tennessee Air National Guard
The Tennessee Air National Guard (TN ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Tennessee, United States of America. It is, along with the Tennessee Army National Guard, an element of the Tennessee National Guard.
As state militia units, the units ...
118th Wing (118 WG). It is assigned to
Berry Field Air National Guard Base
Nashville International Airport is a public/military airport in the southeastern section of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1937, its original name was Berry Field, from which its ICAO and IATA identifiers are derived. The ...
, Nashville, Tennessee and was previously equipped with the
C-130H Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
aircraft. It has since transitioned to the
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
, with its parent organization, the former
118th Airlift Wing (118 AW), having recently been redesignated as the
118th Wing. The 105th has been redesignated as the 105th Attack Squadron (105 ATKS).
The squadron is a descendant organization of the
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
105th Aero Squadron, established on 27 August 1917. It was reformed on 4 December 1921, as the 105th Observation Squadron, and is one of the
29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the
United States Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army Na ...
formed before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
History
World War I
The 105th Airlift Squadron traces its origins to 27 August 1917 with the organization of the 105th Aero Squadron at
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting.
In ...
, Texas. There, the squadron was assigned to indoctrination training, with the men taken up by drills, hikes, physical training and other exercises. Also the men attended various lectures about military courtesies and customs. In late October, the 105th received orders for overseas duty, and was transferred to the Aviation Concentration Center,
Garden City, Long Island. It arrived at
Mineola Field
Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was a training field (Hazel ...
on 4 November 1917 where it was prepared and equipped for overseas duty. On 22 November the squadron was transferred to the
New York Port of Embarkation
The New York Port of Embarkation (NYPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. The command had facilities in New York and New Jersey, roughly covering the ...
,
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...
, where it boarded the former
White Star Line
The White Star Line was a British shipping company. Founded out of the remains of a defunct packet company, it gradually rose up to become one of the most prominent shipping lines in the world, providing passenger and cargo services between t ...
r
RMS Baltic
RMS ''Baltic ''was an ocean liner of the White Star Line that sailed between 1904 and 1932. At 23,876 Gross register tonnage, she was the world's largest ship until May 1906. She was the third of a quartet of ships, all measuring over 20,000 g ...
for the trans-Atlantic crossing. After an uneventful voyage, the squadron arrived in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, England on 8 December.
[Series "E", Volume 17, History of the 104th-117th Aero Squadrons. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]
Upon arrival in England, the squadron was transferred to a Rest Camp near
Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
, where three weeks were spent waiting for movement orders. Finally, on 23 December, orders were received to proceed to France, arriving in
Le Havre
Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, very cl ...
on Christmas Day. From Le Havre, the squadron was ordered to proceed to Air Service Supply Depot #1, Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, near Paris. The depot grew to be the largest supply and equipment depot in the AEF.
![105th Aero Squadron - Formation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/105th_Aero_Squadron_-_Formation.jpg)
It was there that the squadron experienced its first exposure to combat, when the Germans attacked with an air raid on 30 January 1918. A memorable date was on 15 March when the very earth itself trembled with a shock. News came that the largest munitions factory in France had blown up. This factory was at nearby
La Courneuve
La Courneuve () is a Communes of France, commune in Seine-Saint-Denis, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero, center of Paris.
History
Inhabited since pre-Roman times, the area is thought to have been a small village up through the Midd ...
. Personnel from the squadron marched to the town to help, and upon arrival the town was still filled with a cloud of smoke. Also the town was nothing but a ruined mass of buildings. Unexploded shells were numerous and the ground was also covered completely by unexploded hand grenades. The men of the squadron did their best to find the injured bodies and also to keep an eager crowd of people back from the still exploding shells, while others assisted in loading a large bunch of airplane engines that were to be taken to the Depot for storage. Not long afterwards, the reports of the German "Big Bertha" long range artillery gun shelling Paris began, and during the day the squadron could hear the sounds of artillery at the front. Also the squadron saw the night air raids by German bombers over Paris.
However, despite the danger, Clichy was much less dangerous than serving at the front lines. Regular work proceeded as usual, broken from time to time with leaves to Paris. The squadron remained at the Depot until after the Armistice with Germany in November 1918. It returned to the United States in late April 1918. Arrived at
Mitchel Field
Mitchell may refer to:
People
*Mitchell (surname)
*Mitchell (given name)
Places Australia
* Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate
* Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst
* Mitchell, Northern Territory ...
, New York, where the squadron members were demobilized and returned to civilian life.
Tennessee National Guard
On 1 October 1920, Adjutant General Baxter Sweeney gave formal recognition to the First Squadron, Air Service, Tennessee National Guard. Tennessee's unit was the first in the entire South. Only two similar units existed in the country at the time, one in California and one in New York.
Veterans began recruiting efforts and conducting drills (without pay). They raised funds ($3,000) and H.O. Blackwood donated a farm adjacent to
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage. The farm was converted to a 100-acre flying site complete with a World War I hangar moved from
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
and was known as Blackwood Field. On 4 December 1921, the unit received federal recognition and was designated the 136th Air Observation Squadron, flying four new
Curtiss JN-6
The Curtiss JN "Jenny" was a series of biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for ...
HG "Jennys" and one
DH-4B DeHavilland aircraft.
On 20 July 1923, the 136th Observation Squadron was redesignated as the 105th Observation Squadron. In the next fifteen years the Squadron developed strength and stature. It received O-2 observation airplanes in 1926.
Beginning 29 November 1927, it occupied McConnell Field, west of downtown Nashville, named after Lt. Brewer McConnell who was killed in a training accident. The old McConnell field is the current home of Nashville's McCabe Municipal Golf Course. The years 1928 - 1938 were characterized by frequent changes in assigned aircraft. The 0-11 Falcon and 0-17 aircraft were received in 1928, 0-38 aircraft in 1931, 0-25 aircraft in 1935 and 0-47 aircraft in 1938.
On 25 November 1930, the 105th Observation Squadron was disbanded and the aircraft and equipment were moved to
Memphis Municipal Airport
Memphis Municipal Airport is a city-owned public use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) northeast of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Hall County, Texas, United States.
Facilities and aircraft
Memphis Municipal Ai ...
, Memphis, TN. This was necessary in order to comply with the requirement by the
Militia Bureau
The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was crea ...
for National Guard air units to operate from an A-1 airport. At the time there were only two such airports in the state, Sky Harbor, near Murfreesboro, and Memphis Municipal. The squadron had been using Sky Harbor on a temporary basis for some months, but its distance from Nashville made it a less desirable National Guard port. Memphis did not have facilities at the time of the squadron's transfer and the program for supplying them faltered.
On 23 March 1931 the squadron transferred back to Nashville, at Sky Harbor, where it could share hangar space with American Airways (now
American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
). After relocation to Sky Harbor, the Militia Bureau accepted the recommendations of the inspecting officers and again extended federal recognition to the squadron 10 April 1931.
Finally, on 1 January 1938, the squadron completed its move to its present home on a tract of land purchased by the City of Nashville. With financial assistance from the state and the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
(WPA), a modern airport was constructed and named Berry Field after WPA Administrator Colonel Harry S. Berry, who directed the airport construction. Today this site is known as the
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a public/military airport in the southeastern section of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1937, its original name was Berry Field, from which its ICAO and IATA identifiers are derived. The ...
.
World War II
![North American O-47 - 105th Observation Squadron hangar at Berry Field](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/North_American_O-47_-_105th_Observation_Squadron_hangar_at_Berry_Field.jpg)
In September 1940, after summer maneuvers in Louisiana, the squadron was called to active duty. It was sent to
Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, and assigned to the newly organized
65th Observation Group which was equipped with O-52 aircraft. Members of the 105th became a ready source of trained personnel and seasoned pilots as our nation entered World War II. The 105th was inactivated 18 October 1942, but its personnel and aircraft were absorbed into the
521st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). Then on 29 November 1942, this organization was redesignated the
16th Antisubmarine Squadron. On 9 April 1943, the 105th Observation Squadron (Inactive) was redesignated the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment). The 16th Antisubmarine Squadron was redesignated the
820th Bombardment Squadron
The 820th Bombardment Squadron is a former Army Air Forces unit, inactivated on 4 January 1946. The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 521st Bombardment Squadron. The squadron was soon engaged in the antisubmarine campaig ...
(Medium) on 24 September 1943.
Members of the 105th flew a variety of missions - observation, antisubmarine patrol, reconnaissance and bombardment. They found themselves switching organizations frequently and flying different aircraft as follows; the twin engine
Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It was also the first mass-produced bomber whose performance was superior to ...
Bomber, the Vega
B-34 Ventura, the
B-25G Mitchell Bomber, and the four engine
B-24J Liberator Bomber.
Postwar formation of the Tennessee Air National Guard
![105th Fighter Squadron P-47N 45-49253](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/105th_Fighter_Squadron_P-47N_45-49253.jpg)
In June 1945, the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) was reconstituted on the inactive list. 24 May 1946, the squadron was reorganized at Berry Field and assigned to the 54th Fighter Wing,
Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
. 26 November 1946, the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron (B) was redesignated the 105th Fighter Squadron. 3 February 1947, the
118th Fighter Group and the 105th Fighter Squadron were federally recognized with the 105th Fighter Squadron assigned to the 118th Fighter Group flying the
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
aircraft.
On 1 September 1950, the 118th Composite Wing was constituted and on 1 November 1950, it was federally recognized. It was assigned to
Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
,
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary au ...
, with Wing Headquarters at Berry Field. The 118th Fighter Group was redesignated the 118th Composite Group and along with the 105th Fighter Squadron was absorbed by the 118th Composite Wing. 1 February 1951, the 118th Composite Wing, 118th Composite Group and 105th Fighter Squadron were redesignated the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Group and Squadron respectively.
Korean War
The 105th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was activated for federal service 1 February 1951. The 105th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron stayed at Berry Field. It was redesignated as the 105th Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 1 March 1951 and assigned to
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
. While on active duty, it operated two geographically separated units; Detachment 1 flying
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
aircraft, from
McGhee-Tyson Airport
McGhee Tyson Airport is a public/military airport 12 miles south of Knoxville,. Federal Aviation Administration. effective November 15, 2012. in Alcoa, Blount County, Tennessee, United States. It is named for United States Navy pilot Charles Mc ...
at Knoxville, Tennessee, provided air defense for the
Atomic Energy Commission at Oak Ridge, and Detachment 2 was the 4674th Ground Observer Squadron,
Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Smyrna's population was 53,070 at the 2020 census. In 2007, '' U.S. News & World Report'' listed Smyrna as one of the best places in the United States to retire. Smyrna is part of the Nashville ...
.
Cold War
On 1 January 1953 the squadron was released from Federal Service and returned to the control of the State of Tennessee. Again assigned to the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Berry Field, The unit was equipped with the
RF-51 Mustang from 1953 - 1954, the Lockheed
RF-80C Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
from 1954 - 1956, and the Republic
RF-84F Thunderflash
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing Republic F-84 Thunderjet, F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a Aer ...
from 1956 to early 1961.
In April 1961 the Wing converted to an airlift mission gained by the
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy's Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) and the United States Air Force's ...
. It was equipped with the
C-97G Stratofreighter
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the B-29 and B-50 bombers. Design work began in 1942, the first of three prototype XC-97s flew on 9 November 1944 (none saw combat), and the first of s ...
. The 118th MAW converted to the C-124C "Globemaster" transport and received the first of eight of these aircraft 6 April 1967.
Operating from Nashville during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the squadron supported global airlift requirements of U.S. military forces. A well-trained group of officers and airmen at Berry Field operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, coordinated the airlift of equipment and personnel by 18 Military Airlift Groups in 15 states. Beginning in December 1965, the 105th MAS flew more than 100 missions to
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
in a period of approximately a year and a half.
In March 1971, the Wing converted to the C-130A Hercules aircraft, and on 9 February 1975, the 118th Tactical Airlift Group was inactivated, and the 105th was assigned directly to the 118th TAW. In June 1978 the Wing was recognized for its achievements and was awarded the
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
. In 1979, the squadron was enlarged from eight to sixteen C-130A Aircraft.
Since acquiring the C-130 airframe, the unit has supported a worldwide tactical airlift mission. Participation in exercises such as Brave Shield, Brim Frost and Red Flag were accomplished with some of the oldest aircraft in the inventory (1954-1957 A models). Rotations to Panama in support of Volant Oak beginning in 1977 became routine.
Modern era
![C-130H Tennessee ANG at Antigua 2002](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/C-130H_Tennessee_ANG_at_Antigua_2002.JPEG)
1990 was the start of another conversion process. The 105th received a total of sixteen new C-130H2 Hercules aircraft from Lockheed at Marietta, Georgia. The
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was an operation conducted by Iraq on 2 August 1990, whereby it invaded the neighboring State of Kuwait, consequently resulting in a seven-month-long Iraqi military occupation of the country. The invasion and Ira ...
in August 1990, placed the largest demand upon 105th personnel in almost 40 years. The Wing mobilized 462 personnel during 21 deployments for Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in southwest Asia and flew a record 7,500 flying hours.
On 1 January 1993, the 118th Tactical Airlift Wing became the 118th Airlift Wing as a result of the Wing implementing an internal reorganization to the new Air Force directed objective wing structure. With the objective wing structure, the 105th Airlift Squadron, was assigned to the new 118th Operations Group.
The 105th Airlift Squadron deployed three aircraft, six air crews and 65 maintenance and support personnel to
Rhein-Main Air Base
Rhein-Main Air Base (located at ) was a United States Air Force air base near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was a Military Airlift Command (MAC) and United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) installation, occupying the south side o ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
from 27 December 1993 to 7 May 1994 in support of
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history.
By the end of the operation, ...
in
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...
. The 118 AW was deployed in support of this operation for seven of thirteen consecutive months. This commitment was in addition to six two-week CORONET OAK rotations to Panama and a normal schedule of local training, Guardlift and AMC week-long floater missions.
Lineage
* Organized as the 105th Aero Squadron (Service) on 27 August 1917
: Demobilized on 8 May 1919
* Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 136th Squadron which, having been allotted to the Tennessee National Guard, was organized on 4 December 1921
: Re-designated as: 136th Observation Squadron on 25 January 1923
: Re-designated as: 105th Observation Squadron in 1923
: Re-designated as: 105th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942
: Re-designated as: 105th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
: Inactivated on 18 October 1942
* Activated on 1 March 1943
: Re-designated as: the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) on 2 April 1943
: Disbanded on: August 1943
* Reconstituted as: 105th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) on 1 June 1945 (Remained inactive)
: Re-designated as: 105th Fighter Squadron and allotted to Tennessee ANG, on 24 May 1946
: Re-designated as: 105th Fighter Squadron, 26 November 1946
* Extended federal recognition and activated on 3 February 1947
: Re-designated as: 105th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 1 February 1951
: Federalized and placed on active duty, 2 March 1951
: Re-designated as: 105th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine), 2 March 1951
: Released from active duty and returned to Tennessee state control, 1 December 1952
: Returned to 105th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron designation, 1 December 1952
: Re-designated as: 105th Air Transport Squadron , 1 July 1961
: Re-designated as: 105th Military Airlift Squadron , 8 January 1966
: Re-designated as: 105th Tactical Airlift Squadron , 1 March 1971
: Re-designated as: 105th Airlift Squadron, 10 March 1992
: Re-designated as: 105th Attack Squadron, 2015
Assignments
* Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 27 August – 4 November 1917
* Aviation Concentration Center, 4–23 November 1917
* Air Service Supply Depot No. 1, AEF, 27 December 1917
* Air Service Production Center No. 2, AEF, 21 November 1918
* Air Service Spares Depot, AEF, c. January-c. March 1919
* Unknown, c. March-27 April 1919
* Post Headquarters, Michel Field, 27 April – 8 May 1919
*
Tennessee National Guard
The Tennessee Military Department is a department within the Executive Branch of Tennessee State Government with four major components. The Tennessee Army National Guard and the Tennessee Air National Guard constitute the National Guard in Tenne ...
, 4 December 1921
: Originally intended as corps air service, served as divisional aviation,
30th Division
* Fourth Corps Area, 16 September 1940
*
First Army, 3 October 1940
*
I Army Corps, c. November 1940
*
65th Observation Group, 1 September 1941 – 18 October 1942
*
65th Observation (later Reconnaissance) Group, 1 March – 15 August 1943
*
54th Fighter Wing
54 may refer to:
* 54 (number)
* one of the years 54 BC, AD 54, 1954, 2054
* ''54'' (novel), a 2002 novel by Wu Ming
* Studio 54, a New York City nightclub from 1977 until 1981
* ''54'' (film), a 1998 American drama film about the club
* ''54'' ...
, 24 May 1946
*
118th Fighter Group, 3 February 1947
*
118th Composite Group, 1 September 1950
*
52d Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 2 March 1951
*
4709th Defense Wing
The 4709th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 26th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, where it was discontinued in 1956. It was ...
, 1 February 1952
*
35th Air Division, 5 August 1952
*
118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 1 December 1952
*
118th Air Transport Group, 1 April 1961
*
118th Military Airlift Group, 8 January 1966
*
118th Tactical Airlift Group, 1 March 1971
*
118th Tactical Airlift Wing, 9 February 1975
* 118th Operations Group, 1 January 1993
Aircraft
* Included
Curtiss JN-4
The Curtiss JN "Jenny" was a series of biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for th ...
,
Consolidated TW-3
The Consolidated PT-1 Trusty (company designation Model 1) was a biplane primary trainer used by the United States Army Air Service (USAAS).
Design and development
In 1921, Colonel Virginius Clark, chief designer of the Dayton-Wright Compan ...
,
Consolidated PT-1
The Consolidated PT-1 Trusty (company designation Model 1) was a biplane primary trainer used by the United States Army Air Service (USAAS).
Design and development
In 1921, Colonel Virginius Clark, chief designer of the Dayton-Wright Company ...
, BT-1,
0-2, 0-11, and
O-17 Courier
The Consolidated O-17 Courier (company designation Model 2) was an observation and training aircraft used by the United States National Guard.
Development
A parallel development to the Consolidated PT-3 series, the XO-17 was a converted PT-3 wit ...
during period 1921-1933
*
Douglas O-38
The Douglas O-38 was an observation airplane used by the United States Army Air Corps.
Between 1931 and 1934, Douglas built 156 O-38s for the Air Corps, eight of which were O-38Fs. Some were still in service at the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack ...
, C. 1932-1935
*
Douglas O-25, C. 1935-1938
* Douglas O-38, C. 1938-1941
*
North American O-47
The North American O-47 is an American observation fixed-wing aircraft monoplane designed in the mid-1930s and used by the United States Army Air Corps during the Second World War. It has a low-wing configuration, retractable landing gear, and a t ...
, C. 1939-1942
*
O-52 Owl
The Curtiss O-52 Owl was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II.
Design and development
Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last "heavy" observation aircraft developed for the US ...
, 1941–1942
*
Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It was also the first mass-produced bomber whose performance was superior to ...
, 1942
*
Douglas O-46
The Douglas O-46 was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps and the Philippine Army Air Corps. , 1942
* Included
O-49 Vigilant
The Stinson L-1 Vigilant (company designation Model 74) is an American liaison aircraft designed by the Stinson Aircraft Company of Wayne, Michigan and manufactured at the Vultee-Stinson factory in Nashville, Tennessee (in August 1940 Stinson bec ...
and
L-2 Grasshopper
The Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper is an American observation and liaison aircraft built by Taylorcraft for the United States Army Air Forces in World War II.
Design and development
In 1941 the United States Army Air Forces ordered four Taylorcr ...
during period 1941-1942
*
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
, 1943
*
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
(1947–1954)
*
F-51D Mustang
Over twenty variants of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after World War II, some of which were employed also in the Korean War and in several other conflicts.
Allison-engined Mustangs
NA ...
(1953–1955)
*
RF-84F Thunderflash
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing Republic F-84 Thunderjet, F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a Aer ...
(1956–1961)
*
RF-80A Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
(1954–1956)
*
C-97G Stratofreighter
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the B-29 and B-50 bombers. Design work began in 1942, the first of three prototype XC-97s flew on 9 November 1944 (none saw combat), and the first of s ...
(1961–1967)
*
C-124C Globemaster II
The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is an American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California.
The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Force (USAF ...
(1967–1971)
*
C-130A
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
Hercules (1971–1990)
*
C-130H
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desi ...
Hercules (1990–2012)
*
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the Unit ...
(2015–Present)
[World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ]
Stations
*
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting.
In ...
, Texas, 27 August 1917
*
Aviation Concentration Center
Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September ...
, Garden City, New York, 4–23 November 1917
*
Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
, England, 8–23 December 1917
*
Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine
Clichy ( , ; sometimes unofficially Clichy-la-Garenne ) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located on the Seine, from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 61,070.
Located in Clichy are the headqua ...
, Paris, France, 27 December 1917
*
Romorantin Aerodrome
Romorantin - Pruniers Air Detachment (DA 273) is a French Air Force military facility, located southwest of Romorantin-Lanthenay, in the Loir-et-Cher Departments of France, department of central France.
Pruniers airfield was part of a huge depot ...
, France, 21 November 1918
*
Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine
Clichy ( , ; sometimes unofficially Clichy-la-Garenne ) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located on the Seine, from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 61,070.
Located in Clichy are the headqua ...
, Paris, France, c. January-c. March 1919
*
Mitchel Field
Mitchell may refer to:
People
*Mitchell (surname)
*Mitchell (given name)
Places Australia
* Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate
* Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst
* Mitchell, Northern Territory ...
, New York, c. 27 April – 8 May 1919
* Blackwood Field,
Old Hickory, Tennessee, 4 December 1921
* McConnell Field,
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, Tennessee, 1927
*
Memphis Municipal Airport
Memphis Municipal Airport is a city-owned public use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) northeast of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Hall County, Texas, United States.
Facilities and aircraft
Memphis Municipal Ai ...
,
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, Tennessee, November 1930
* McConnell Field,
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, Tennessee, April 1931
*
Sky Harbor Airport,
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro is a city in and county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the 2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropol ...
, Tennessee, 1932
*
Berry Field,
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, Tennessee, c. March 1937
*
Lexington County Airport,
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, 24 September 1940
*
Langley Field Langley may refer to:
People
* Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name
* Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer
* Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perform ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, 26 December 1941
: Operated from
Cherry Point Marine Corps Airfield,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, 28 April – 12 May 1942
*
Georgetown Marine Corps Airfield (OLF),
Georgetown, South Carolina, 24 May 1942
*
Charleston AAF, South Carolina, 29 August 1942
*
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Borou ...
,
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
, 18 October 1942
*
Columbia AAB, South Carolina, 1 March 1943
*
Florence AAF, South Carolina, 12 April – 15 August 1943.
*
Berry Field Air National Guard Base
Nashville International Airport is a public/military airport in the southeastern section of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1937, its original name was Berry Field, from which its ICAO and IATA identifiers are derived. The ...
(1947–present)
: Operated from
McGhee Tyson Air Force Base
McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base is a joint military facility located at McGhee Tyson Airport. It is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of the central business district of Knoxville, near Alcoa, in Blount County, Tennessee, ...
, Tennessee, 1 July – 1 December 1952 (Federalized Service)
See also
*
List of American Aero Squadrons
This is a partial list of original Air Service, United States Army "Aero Squadrons" before and during World War I. Units formed after 1 January 1919, are not listed.
Aero Squadrons were the designation of the first United States Army aviatio ...
*
References
*
* A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
History of the 118th Airlift Wing
External links
{{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II
Squadrons of the United States Air National Guard
105
Military units and formations in Tennessee
Military units and formations established in 1917