The 121st Air Refueling Wing (121 ARW) is a unit of the
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard (OH ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an element of the Ohio National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Ohio Air ...
, stationed at
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
.
Overview
The 121st Air Refueling Wing's KC-135 Stratotanker mission is to provide the core aerial refueling capability for the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard. This unique aircraft enhances the Air Force's capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied nation aircraft. The KC-135 is capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.
Units
The 121st Air Refueling Wing consists of the following units:
* 121st Operations Group
**
166th Air Refueling Squadron
The 166th Air Refueling Squadron (166 ARS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 121st Air Refueling Wing located at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 166th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker.
History World Wa ...
* 121st Maintenance Group
* 121st Mission Support Group
* 121st Medical Group
History
World War II
: ''See
357th Fighter Group
The 357th Fighter Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. The 357th operated P-51 Mustang aircraft as part of the U.S. Eighth Air Force and its members were known unofficially as the Yoxfor ...
for extended
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''
Used
P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
s in preparing for duty overseas. Moved to England in November 1943 and became part of
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit of command above the wings and below the numbered air force. Its primary mission was command of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Thea ...
. Trained with
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
s and began combat operations on 11 February 1944 by making a fighter sweep over Rouen. Served primarily as a bomber escort organization, providing penetration (target) and withdrawal support for bombers that attacked strategic objectives on the Continent. Participated in the assault against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during
Big Week
Big Week or Operation Argument was a sequence of raids by the United States Army Air Forces and RAF Bomber Command from 20 to 25 February 1944, as part of the Strategic bombing during World War II#US bombing in Europe, European strategic bombin ...
, 20–25 February 1944.
Received a
Distinguished Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
for two escort missions in which heavy opposition was encountered from enemy fighters: on 6 March 1944 provided target and withdrawal support during the first attack that heavy bombers of
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
made on Berlin; on 29 June 1944 protected bombers that struck targets at Leipzig. Received second DUC for operations on 14 January 1945 when the group, covering bombers on a raid to Derben, broke up an attack by a large force of interceptors and in the ensuing aerial battle destroyed a number of the enemy planes. In addition to escort the group conducted counter-air patrols, made fighter sweeps, and flew strafing and dive-bombing missions in which it attacked airdromes, marshalling yards, locomotives, bridges, barges, tugboats, highways, vehicles, fuel dumps, and other targets. Participated in the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944; the breakthrough at St Lo in July; the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944 – Jan 1945; and the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Flew its last mission, an escort operation, on 25 April 1945.
Moved to Germany in Jul and assigned to
United States Air Forces in Europe
United may refer to:
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* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
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* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
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for duty with the army of occupation. Inactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946.
Ohio Air National Guard
![164th Fighter Squadron - North American F-51H-10-NA Mustang 44- 64502](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/164th_Fighter_Squadron_-_North_American_F-51H-10-NA_Mustang_44-_64502.jpg)
The wartime 357th Fighter Group was re-designated as the 121st Fighter Group, and was allotted to the Ohio Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Lockbourne Army Airfield, Columbus, Ohio, and was extended federal recognition on 20 June 1948 by the National Guard Bureau. The 121st Fighter Group was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 357th Fighter Group.
Assigned to the Ohio ANG
55th Fighter Wing
The 55th Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was withdrawn from the Ohio Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950 when the Guard adopted the Wing Ba ...
, the 121st Fighter Group consisted of the following operational squadrons:
*
162d Fighter Squadron
The 162nd Attack Squadron (162 ATKS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard (OH ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an ele ...
, Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport
*
164th Fighter Squadron
The 164th Airlift Squadron (164 AS) is a squadron of the Ohio Air National Guard 179th Airlift Wing located at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Mansfield, Ohio. The 164th is equipped with the C-130 Hercules.
History World War II
The 363d ...
, Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport
*
166th Fighter Squadron
The 166th Air Refueling Squadron (166 ARS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 121st Air Refueling Wing located at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 166th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker.
History World War ...
, Lockbourne Army Airfield
The squadrons was equipped with F-51D Mustangs with a mission of air defense of the State of Ohio. On 31 October 1950 the 121st Fighter Wing was established, and the 55th Fighter Wing was disbanded, its personnel and mission assumed by the new 121st Fighter Wing. The 121st Fighter Groups and its assigned squadrons were assigned to the new 121st FW.
With the assumption of the 55th Fighter Wing, the
112th Bombardment Squadron
Eleven or 11 may refer to:
*11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12
* one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11
Literature
* ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn
*''El ...
(Light) at
Cleveland Municipal Airport was transferred from the 55th Fighter Wing to the 121st Fighter Wing, the squadron being assigned directly to the wing. The 112th flew the
RB-26C Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major ...
.
Korean War federalization
With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular military's complete lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized placed on active duty.
* The 112th Bombardment Squadron was federalized on 10 October 1950. It was re-designated as the 112th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and assigned to the federalized Alabama ANG
117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group
The 117th Operations Group is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard, stationed at Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base, Alabama. If activated into federal service, it is gained by Air Mobility Command.
Overview
The group flies the Boeing K ...
. It deployed to West Germany and later France to reinforce the
United States Air Forces in Europe
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
. It was released from active duty on 9 July 1952 and returned to Ohio without aircraft or equipment, which was transferred to USAFE.
* The 162d Fighter Squadron was not federalized and remained at Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport and continued its air defense mission.
* The 164th Fighter Squadron was federalized on 10 February 1951. The 164th however was selected to remain at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport and continue the air defense mission, being operationally gained by the
Eastern Air Defense Force
The Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.
History
EADF was ...
,
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 ...
. The squadron was released from federal service and returned to Ohio State control.
* The 166th Fighter Squadron was federalized on 10 February 1951 and assigned to the federalized Indiana ANG
122d Fighter-Interceptor Group
The 122nd Fighter Wing (122 FW sometimes 122nd) is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard, stationed at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Fort Wayne, Indiana. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air F ...
with an
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 ...
commitment. The squadron initially remained at Lockbourne and flew air defense training missions. On 20 September, the 166th was reassigned to the federalized Oregon ANG
142d Fighter-Interceptor Group
The 142nd Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon.
As a state militia unit, the 142nd Wing is not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. It is under the jurisdiction ...
which was headquartered at Chicago
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , sometimes referred to as, Chicago O'Hare, or simply O'Hare, is the main international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Chicago Loop, ...
with no change of mission. However,
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(SAC) had taken over Lockbourne AFB on 1 April 1951 it was decided to move the 166th FIS to
Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio, which was accomplished on 31 October 1952. The squadron was released from federal service and returned to Ohio State control on 1 November, remaining in Youngstown.
Early Cold War era
![F-84E 162nd FS Ohio ANG c1956](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/F-84E_162nd_FS_Ohio_ANG_c1956.jpg)
The 112th was reformed at Akron-Canton Airport and re-designated as the 112th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. It was re-equipped with F-51H Mustangs, and were one of the last two Air National Guard squadrons to fly this version of the Mustang. It was assigned to the 121st Fighter-Bomber Group.
At its new base at Youngstown, the 166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was re-equipped with F-51H Mustangs which the squadron flew until 1954 when the 166th received refurbished
F-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 ...
s that had been modified and upgraded to F-80C standards. With the F-80s, the squadron began standing daytime air defense alert at Youngstown, placing two aircraft at the end of the runway with pilots in the cockpit from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. The squadron only operated the Shooting Star until January 1955 when the 166th received
F-84E Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thu ...
s that had returned from wartime duty in Korea.
In September 1953 the 164th, now designated as a Fighter-Bomber Squadron, received its first jet aircraft, refurbished
F-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 ...
s that had been modified and upgraded to F-80C standards. The squadron only operated the Shooting Star for a year when in October 1954 the equipment was changed to
F-84E Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thu ...
s that had returned from wartime duty in Korea. In August 1954, the 164th began standing daytime air defense alert at Mansfield, placing two aircraft at the end of the runway with pilots in the cockpit from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. This ADC alert lasted each and every day until 30 June 1956.
In September 1955 Air Defense Command wanted to re-equip the 162d Fighter Interceptor Squadron from F-51H Mustangs to jet-powered
F-84E Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thu ...
s in accordance with the USAF directive to phase out propeller-driven fighter-interceptor aircraft from the inventory. However, because the runways at the Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport were too short at that time to support jet fighter operations, the National Guard Bureau approved the relocation request by the Ohio ANG to move the squadron to
Springfield Municipal Airport, just east of Dayton.
With new facilities under construction at Springfield, the 162d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron conducted their transition training from temporary facilities at
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wri ...
. The F-84E Thunderjets were Korean War veteran aircraft and the squadron received training in the equipment from the Ohio ANG 164th and 166th Tactical Fighter Squadrons.
![164th Tactical Fighter Squadron - Two F-84F Thunderstreaks](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/164th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_Two_F-84F_Thunderstreaks.jpg)
In October 1955, the 112th FBS were informed that they were to receive F-84E Thunderjets, but since the runways at Akron-Canton Municipal Airport were deemed inadequate for jet operations, it was decided to construct an entirely new facility for them at the new Toledo Express Airport at Toledo. The 112th FBS left Akron-Canton for the Toledo Municipal Airport on 1 April 1956 and retired their F-51H Mustangs for T-28A Trojans, and operated F-84Es until the summer of 1958. In January 1959, the 112th's facility at the Toledo Express Airport and moved to the new facility. The T-28s were replaced with new F-84F Thunderstreaks the squadron was designated as a Tactical Fighter Squadron.
In early 1956, a fifth squadron was gained by the 121st. The 145th Air Transport Squadron was allotted to the
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard (OH ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an element of the Ohio National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Ohio Air ...
by the
National Guard 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 cre ...
to replace the
112th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at
Akron-Canton Airport. The 145th ATS, 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 ...
(MATS) received federal recognition on 17 March 1956. Initially assigned
C-46D Commando
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
twin-engine propeller transports, the squadron was upgraded in 1958 to
C-119J Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, Litter (rescue basket), litte ...
transports, fitted for aeromedical transport of personnel to medical facilities.
In early 1957, the 164th FBS sent their war-weary F-84C Thunderjets to storage at
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona and received new
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. ...
swept-wing interceptors. Later in 1957, the 164th Fighter-Bomber Squadron received the 1st Air Force Flying Safety Award for three consecutive years of accident-free flying, an impressive accomplishment as in the previous three years the squadron had flown three different types of aircraft.
The 166th was upgraded with new
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. ...
s in November 1957, the gaining command of the squadron became
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
(TAC), however, it remained attached to Air Defense Command in a secondary role. In 1959, the need for active duty Air Defense Command bases and regular Air Force fighter-interceptor operations were diminishing and the intent to scale back operations at Youngstown AFB was announced on 28 October 1959. The Ohio Air National Guard moved the 121st FBG back to Lockbourne Air Force Base on 1 March 1960.
1961 Berlin Crisis
The 121st Tactical Fighter Wing were called to active duty for a period of twelve months on 1 October. When activated, the federalized wing consisted of three operational units, the 162d TFS at Springfield, the 164th TFS at Mansfield, and the 166th at Lockbourne. The 112th TFS at Toledo and the 145th ATS at Akron were temporally attached directly to Ohio ANG Headquarters at Columbus for the period of federalization. The mission of the activated 121st TFW was to reinforce the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), and deploy to
Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France, a standby USAFE base. However, due to funding shortages, only 26 F-84F Thunderstreaks of 166th TFS were deployed to France, although several ground support units from the 162nd and 164th were also deployed.
On 4 November the first ANG T-33 aircraft arrived at Etain, with the F-84s arriving on 16 November. In July 1962 the deployed Air National Guardsmen were no longer needed in Europe and the 7121st began to redeploy its personnel to Ohio. All the aircraft and support equipment, however, remained at Etain to equip a new wing being formed there, the
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
("Fortune Favors the Bold")
, colors=
, colors_label=
, march=
, mascot=
, battles= World War IIVietnam WarDesert StormOperation Enduring FreedomOperation Iraqi Freedom
, anniversaries=
, decorations= DUC PUC AFOUA w/ V Device RVGC w/ ...
. The last of the ANG personnel departed on 9 August 1962.
1962 reorganization
With the wing's return from France in 1962, the Ohio Air National Guard received authorization from the National Guard Bureau to expand its squadrons to groups.
* This expansion had commenced in July 1961 when the
145th Air Transport Squadron was moved to
Clinton County Air Force Base
Wilmington Air Park, effective 2009-08-27. is a public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southeast of the central business district of Wilmington, a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. While DHL had privately owned ...
. The 145th ATS was realigned to Tactical Air Command and became a C-97 Stratotanker air refueling squadron. The runways at Akron could not support the large C-97 operation which forced a move to Clinton County AFB. The
160th Air Refueling Group
The 160th Air Refueling Group (160 ARG) is an inactive unit of the Ohio Air National Guard. It was last stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 160th ARW was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
History
On 8 July 1961 ...
received federal recognition on 8 July 1961.
* The
178th Tactical Fighter Group received federal recognition on 15 October 1962 at Springfield. The
162d Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 162nd Attack Squadron (162 ATKS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 178th Wing located at Springfield Air National Guard Base, Springfield, Ohio. The 162nd is equipped with the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper UAV.
History
World War II ...
was transferred from the 121st TFG to become its operational squadron.
* The
179th Tactical Fighter Group received federal recognition on 15 October 1962 at Mansfield. The
164th Tactical Fighter Squadron was transferred from the 121st TFG to become its operational squadron.
* The
180th Tactical Fighter Group received federal recognition on 15 October 1962 at Toledo. The
112th Tactical Fighter Squadron was transferred from the 121st TFG to become its operational squadron.
The 121st Tactical Fighter Group retained its 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Lockbourne AFB.
Vietnam War and late Cold War era
![162d Tactical Fighter Squadron - North American F-100F-10-NA Super Sabre 56-3859](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/162d_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_North_American_F-100F-10-NA_Super_Sabre_56-3859.jpg)
In 1962, having left their Thunderstreaks in France, the 166th TFS at Lockbourne was re-equipped with
F-100C Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
fighter-bombers, which greatly enhanced its mission capabilities.
In 1964, the 160th ARG participated in Operation Ready Go, the first all
United States Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
(ANG) non-stop deployment of fighter aircraft to Europe. In 1965, the KC-97Gs were upgraded to KC-97Ls with addition of jet engine pods mounted to the outboard wings. 1967 saw the beginning of Operation Creek Party, a continuous rotational mission flying from
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 ...
,
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, providing air refueling to
United States Air Forces in Europe
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
(USAFE) tactical aircraft. The success of this operation, which would continue until 1975, demonstrated the ability of the Air National Guard to perform significant day-to-day missions without being mobilized. It was taken over by the active-duty Strategic Air Command 7th Air Force.
Along with the Kansas ANG F-100C
127th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the 166th TFS was federalized and deployed to
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul.
...
, South Korea. The federalized ANG squadrons were assigned as part of the
354th Tactical Fighter Wing
The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force (11 AF).
The wing replaced the 343d Fighter Win ...
. The squadrons flew deterrent air defense missions over South Korean airspace during the next year. During the deployment some pilots flew combat missions in
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 ...
while performing temporary assignments with other units. The performance of the ANG units at Kusan in 1968–69 suggested the prerequisites of effective air reserve programs and paved the way for adoption of the total force policy in 1970 which exists today. In 1971 the squadrons F-100Cs were retired and replaced by
F-100D/F Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of US ...
s, being received from combat units in
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 ...
that were returning to the United States.
![166th Tactical Fighter Squadron - Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D-13-CV Corsair II 72-0260](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/166th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_Ling-Temco-Vought_A-7D-13-CV_Corsair_II_72-0260.jpg)
In the spring of 1970, the 178th TFG's
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. ...
s were sent to
Davis-Monthan AFB for storage, the squadron receiving
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 ...
veteran
F-100D/F Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of US ...
s. Concentration on the qualifications of aircrews, munitions load crews and the attainment of a C-3 combat readiness rating were the primary objectives for 1971. The group achieved C-3 on 30 August, a first for F-100D-equipped Air Guard units. January 1972 saw the squadron in extensive practice for their pending
9th Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI). The ORI was conducted in March and the 9th Air Force did not agree with the unit's C-3 rating. A retake was scheduled in June, with the 162d TFS coming away with the TAC-confirmed rating of C-1, the first F-100D squadron to achieve this feat. In 1971, the 180th TFG retired its Thunderstreaks and also converted to the F-100 Super Sabre.
![179th Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/179th_Airlift_Wing_C-130_Hercules.jpg)
In 1971,
Clinton County Air Force Base
Wilmington Air Park, effective 2009-08-27. is a public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southeast of the central business district of Wilmington, a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. While DHL had privately owned ...
was closed as a result of the Nixon Administration looking to save money because of the Vietnam War. As part of the moving out of units from Clinton County AFB, the 160th ARG was moved to
Lockbourne Air Force Base
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
near
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
.
In February 1972, the 179th TGS also retired its Thunderstreaks and converted to the F-100 Super Sabre. The squadron flew the F-100s until the winter of 1976 when the 179th was transferred from Tactical Air Command to Military Airlift Command on 5 January. At this time, the unit converted to the C-130B Hercules and received a complement of eight aircraft. With the change of equipment, the unit was designated a Tactical Airlift Group.
In 1974, under the "Total Force Policy", Guard and Reserve units began to receive newer aircraft and equipment in the 1970s. The 166th TFS began conversion to the
A-7D Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
in December which brought with it additional missions. The 178th TFG received the A-7D in January 1978. The conversion from the F-100 to the A-7 was accomplished in less than three months, the fastest ever for an Air Force or Air National Guard unit. The 179th TFG converted to A-7D in the summer of 1979
In December 1974
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
transferred its air refueling units to
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
. In 1975, the 160th ARG became the first Air National Guard unit to convert to the
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
all jet tanker aircraft as part of SAC's
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
. The group was the first ANG unit to perform the SAC 24-hour Alert mission and pass a SAC Operational Readiness Inspection in July 1976.
During the 1980s the squadrons and groups of the 121st were frequently deployed, primarily to Europe during USAFE exercises. The "OH" tailcode of the wing was a frequent sight at bases in England, West Germany and other NATO air bases. In 1989, while deployed at Panama for a Coronet Cove deployment, 180th TFG A-7s were employed during
Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
.
1990 Gulf Crisis
![KC-135E Ohio ANG refueling VF-74 F-14As 1984](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/KC-135E_Ohio_ANG_refueling_VF-74_F-14As_1984.jpg)
In August 1990, the 160th Air Refueling Group was one of the first Air Guard units to deploy aircraft to the Middle East after Iraq's invasion of
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
. Aircraft, aircrews and support personnel began volunteer rotational
Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
deployments to a provisional Tanker Task Force at
King Abdul Aziz Air Base
King Abdulaziz Air Base () , also known as Dhahran Air Base and formerly Dhahran International Airport, Dhahran Airport and Dhahran Airfield, is a Royal Saudi Air Force base located in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Located west ...
, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1709th ARS (P)). The 160th was called to active duty on 20 December 1990. Deployment began on 28 December and the 160th became part of three Provisional Air Refueling Wings at
Al Banteen Air Base
Abu Dhabi International Airport ( ar, مطار أبو ظبي الدولي) is an international airport in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The airport, located east of Abu Dhabi city, is the second largest in ...
, Abu Dhabi (1712th ARS (P)),
Al Dhafra Air Base
Al Dhafra Air Base ( ar, قاعدة الظفرة الجوية) is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately south of Abu Dhabi and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
Facilities
The air ...
, Dubai (1705th ARS (P)), and Jeddah. Additional personnel augmented a regional support base at
Morón Air Base
Morón Air Base is located at in southern Spain, approximately southeast of the city of Seville. The base gets its name from the nearby town of Morón de la Frontera while is located inside Arahal municipality territory.
Currently the base i ...
, Spain while others deployed to various bases to "backfill" for deployed active duty personnel. Aircraft and volunteer aircrews were heavily involved in "Air Bridge" refueling missions supporting deployment of combat forces to Southwest Asia.
The 179th Airlift Group was active during Desert Shield/Storm providing airlift support throughout the Continental United States and Europe. Portions of the 179th were activated during Desert Shield/Storm and served in the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia.
The 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 178th and 180th Tactical Fighter Groups did not deploy to Saudi Arabia in 1990 during Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm as the A-7Ds were considered a second-line aircraft. Ohio Air National Guard volunteers, however were deployed to CENTAF during the crisis and subsequent combat operations.
Post Cold War reorganization
After the collapse of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in 1990 and
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
, Air Force planners reorganized the major command structure and the organization of its units to reflect the new reality of the 1990s and also a smaller force after the end of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
.
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
,
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of the ...
and
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
were all inactivated. In their place
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
and
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
became the gaining commands for the Ohio Air National Guard units effective 1 June 1992.
* The
160th Air Refueling Group
The 160th Air Refueling Group (160 ARG) is an inactive unit of the Ohio Air National Guard. It was last stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 160th ARW was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
History
On 8 July 1961 ...
became part of Air Combat Command. In 1991 it was upgraded to the more fuel-efficient
KC-135R Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transport ...
.
* The
179th Airlift Group became part of Air Combat Command. In 1991 it was upgraded to the C-130H Hercules.
* The A-7D Corsair II ground support fighters were retired in 1992 and 1993. The 178th and 180th TFG received
F-16C Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
fighters and became part of Air Combat Command. The
178th Fighter Group was the last United States military organization to fly the A-7D.
* The
166th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 166th Air Refueling Squadron (166 ARS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 121st Air Refueling Wing located at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 166th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker.
History World War ...
at Rickenbacker also retired its A-7Ds. It was realigned as a KC-135 air refueling squadron in 1993 as part of Air Combat Combat Command. The 121st also assumed Rickenbacker base support responsibilities. In October 1993, the 121st Air Refueling Wing was consolidated with the
160th Air Refueling Group
The 160th Air Refueling Group (160 ARG) is an inactive unit of the Ohio Air National Guard. It was last stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 160th ARW was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
History
On 8 July 1961 ...
which was inactivated in the process. With this consolidation, the 121st became a "Super Wing" by gaining the
145th Air Refueling Squadron.
In October 1995, in accordance with the Air Force One Base-One Wing directive the 121st was relieved of its Geographically separated Groups as they were changed in status to Wings, reporting directly to the Ohio Air National Guard. The
178th Fighter Wing
The 178th Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport ANG complex, Springfield, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Comman ...
stood up on 1 October 1995; the
179th Airlift Wing
The 179th Airlift Wing (179 AW) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport, Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Mansfield, Ohio. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, th ...
on 11 October 1995 and the
180th Fighter Wing also on 11 October 1995.
Modern era
![US Air Force 071120-F-0561K-099 Keeping Spirits up](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/US_Air_Force_071120-F-0561K-099_Keeping_Spirits_up.jpg)
Under the 121st ARW, the 166th and 145th Air Refueling Squadrons began flying from bases in southern France to support strike aircraft during
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United Nations and NATO later expanded the mis ...
missions over the Balkans. The 121st was a fixture at
Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base ( tr, İncirlik Hava Üssü) is a Turkish air base of slightly more than 3320 ac (1335 ha), located in the İncirlik quarter of the city of Adana, Turkey. The base is within an urban area of 1.7 million people, east of t ...
, Turkey, as well as
Prince Sultan Air Base
Prince Sultan Air Base ( ar, قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية) (PSAB) is a military air base located in the closed-city of Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
History
There was formerly a large United States presence there during Operat ...
, Saudi Arabia, supporting
Operations Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997.
The coalition partners ...
and
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
, respectively, over Iraq.
After the
terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the 121st Air Refueling Wing launched into immediate action supporting armed aircraft over the United States during
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) is the United States and Canadian military operation related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies. The operation began 11 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks..
...
. The 121st ARW had the distinction of flying more missions than any other unit during this time. The 121st ARW has also deployed and participated in
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
over Afghanistan, as well as
Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
over Iraq.
In addition to the combat deployments, the unit has also been very heavily tasked with airlift missions during national emergencies. Immediately following
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
in August 2005, the 121st ARW was one of the first units to send aircraft into Louisiana filled with supplies and troops. Similar missions were flown in September 2005, after
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Gulf of Mexico and the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Part of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which included three of the top ten L ...
.
In 2010, the wing commander Brigadier General Thomas Botchie was forced to resign after allegations of cronyism, fraternization, inappropriate conduct, and sexual harassment were made against him by members of the wing and substantiated by an investigation. Witnesses stated that fraternization and unprofessional relationships within the wing were widespread and also included another senior officer, Colonel Stephen McMahon, the wing's operations group commander.
[Fontaine, Scott,]
Report: Sexual relationships ‘rampant’ in wing
, ''Military Times
Sightline Media Group, formerly Gannett Government Media and Army Times Publishing Company, is a United States company that publishes newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications about the U.S. and other militaries.
The company's '' ...
'', 18 April 2011; Fontaine, Scott,
Report details 1-star’s inappropriate conduct
, ''Military Times
Sightline Media Group, formerly Gannett Government Media and Army Times Publishing Company, is a United States company that publishes newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications about the U.S. and other militaries.
The company's '' ...
'', 18 April 2011.
Lineage
![178th Fighter Group A-7 Retirement patch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/178th_Fighter_Group_A-7_Retirement_patch.png)
* Constituted as 357th Fighter Group on 1 December 1942 and activated the same day
: Inactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946
* Re-designated: 121st Fighter Group, and allotted to Ohio ANG, on 21 August 1946
: Extended federal recognition on 26 June 1948
* Established as 121st Fighter Wing and allotted to Ohio ANG, 31 October 1950
: Organized and received federal recognition, 1 November 1950, assuming personnel and equipment of 55th Fighter Wing (Inactivated)
:: 121st Fighter Group assigned as subordinate unit
: Re-designated: 121st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 16 October 1952
:: Group re-designated 121st Fighter-Bomber Group
: Re-designated: 121st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1 November 1952
:: Group re-designated 121st Fighter-Interceptor Group
: Re-designated: 121st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 November 1957
:: Group re-designated 121st Fighter-Bomber Group
: Re-designated: 121st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 September 1961
:: Group re-designated 121st Tactical Fighter Group
: Federalized and ordered to active service on: 1 October 1961
: Elements operated as: 7121st Tactical Wing, 4 November 1961 – 9 August 1962
: Released from active duty and returned to Ohio state control, 20 August 1952
:: 121st Tactical Fighter Group inactivated 30 June 1974
: Re-designated: 121st Air Refueling Wing, 16 January 1993
:: Group re-activated and re-designated as 121st Operations Group
Assignments
*
IV Fighter Command
The IV Fighter Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was activated under Fourth Air Force at March Field, California in June 1941, when it replaced a provisional organization. It was responsible for training fighter units and ...
, 1 December 1942
*
66th Fighter Wing
The 66th Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Chicago Municipal Airport, Illinois. It was withdrawn from the Illinois Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950.
History World War II
Est ...
, 31 January 1944 – 20 August 1946
*
55th Fighter Wing
The 55th Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was withdrawn from the Ohio Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950 when the Guard adopted the Wing Ba ...
, 26 June 1948
*
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard (OH ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an element of the Ohio National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Ohio Air ...
, 1 November 1951
: Gained by:
Eastern Air Defense Force
The Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.
History
EADF was ...
,
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 ...
: Gained by:
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
, 1 November 1957
*
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
, 1 October 1961
: Elements attached to: Seventeenth Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe, 4 November 1961 – 9 August 1962
*
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard (OH ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an element of the Ohio National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Ohio Air ...
, 10 August 1962
: Gained by:
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
: Gained by:
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
, 1 June 1992
: Gained by:
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
, 16 January 1993–Present
Components
* 121st Fighter (later Fighter-Bomber, Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter) Group, 1 November 1951 – 30 June 1974
*
160th Air Refueling Group
The 160th Air Refueling Group (160 ARG) is an inactive unit of the Ohio Air National Guard. It was last stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. The 160th ARW was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
History
On 8 July 1961 ...
, 8 July 1961 – 1 October 1993
*
178th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter) Group, 15 October 1962 – 1 October 1995
*
179th Tactical Fighter (later Tactical Airlift, Airlift) Group, 15 October 1962 – 11 October 1995
*
180th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter) Group, 15 October 1962 – 11 October 1995
*
112th Fighter Squadron
The 112th Fighter Squadron (112 FS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 180th Fighter Wing located at Toledo Air National Guard Base, Ohio. The 112th is equipped with the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon.
The squadron is a descendant organization ...
, 2 December 1946 – 2 December 1946; 10 July 1952 – 1 October 1961; 1 September-15 October 1962
*
145th Air Transport (later Aeromedical Airlift, Air Refueling) Squadron, 17 March 1956 – 8 July 1961; 1 October 1993–Present
*
149th Fighter Squadron
The 149th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Virginia Air National Guard's 192d Fighter Wing located at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. The 149th is the first Air National Guard fighter squadron to fly the F-22 Raptor.
History World Wa ...
, 1 November 1950 – 28 February 1951; 30 November 1952 – 30 September 1961; 1 September-14 October 1962 (Virginia ANG)
* 362d Fighter Squadron (G4): 1 December 1942 – 20 August 1946
: Re-designated:
162d Fighter Squadron
The 162nd Attack Squadron (162 ATKS) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard (OH ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an ele ...
, 26 June 1948 – 15 October 1962
* 363d Fighter Squadron (B6): 1 December 1942 – 20 August 1946
: Re-designated:
164th Fighter Squadron
The 164th Airlift Squadron (164 AS) is a squadron of the Ohio Air National Guard 179th Airlift Wing located at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Mansfield, Ohio. The 164th is equipped with the C-130 Hercules.
History World War II
The 363d ...
, 26 June 1948 – 15 October 1962
* 364th Fighter Squadron (C5): 1 December 1942 – 20 August 1946
: Re-designated:
166th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Fighter-Bomber, Tactical Fighter, Fighter, Air Refueling) Squadron, 26 June 1948 – 26 January 1968; 18 June 1969–Present
*
167th Fighter Squadron, 10 July 1952 – 30 March 1961 (West Virginia ANG)
Stations
*
Hamilton Field, California, 1 December 1942
*
Tonopah Army Airfield
Tonopah Air Force Base (Tonopah Army Air Field in World War II) is a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) in the USA that was a Tonopah Basin military installation until shortly after it was designated an Air Force Base in 1948. Two of the runways ...
, Nevada, 6 March 1943
*
Santa Rosa Army Airfield
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...
, California, 3 June 1943
*
Oroville Army Airfield
Oroville Municipal Airport is a public airport located 3 miles (5 km) southwest of the city of Oroville, California, Oroville in Butte County, California, Butte County, California, United States.
Facilities
Oroville Municipal Airport co ...
, California, 18 August 1943
*
Casper Army Airfield
Casper may refer to:
People
* Casper (given name)
* Casper (surname)
* Casper (Maya ruler) (422–487?), ruler of the Mayan city of Palenque
* Tok Casper, first known king of Maya city-state Quiriguá in Guatemala, ruling beginning in 426
* Davi ...
, Wyoming, 7 Oct-9 Nov 1943
*
RAF Raydon
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
(AAF-157), England, 1 December 1943
*
RAF Leiston
Royal Air Force Leiston or more simply RAF Leiston is a former Royal Air Force station located northwest of Leiston and south of Theberton, Suffolk, England.
History
USAAF use
Originally intended as a fighter station for RAF Fighter Comman ...
(AAF-373), England, 1 February 1944
*
AAF Station Neubiberg
Neubiberg Air Base is a former German Air Force and United States Air Force airfield which was closed in 1991. It is located 9 km south of the city of Munich, Germany.
Today the former base area holds the campus of Bundeswehr University of ...
, Germany, 20 Jul 1945 – 20 Aug 1946
*
Lockbourne Army Airfield
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
, Ohio, 10 November 1947
: Re-designated:
Lockbourne Air Force Base
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
, Ohio, 13 January 1948
*
Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio, 31 October 1952
*
Lockbourne Air Force Base
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
, Ohio, 1 March 1960
: Operated from:
Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France, 4 November 1961 – 9 August 1962
: Operated from:
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul.
...
, South Korea, 2 July 1968 – 14 June 1970
: Re-designated:
Rickenbacker Air Force Base
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
, 18 May 1974
: Re-designated:
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...
, 1 April 1980–Present
Aircraft
*
P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
, 1943
*
P-51B/C/D/K Mustang, 1943–1946
*
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 ...
, 1947–1948
*
F-51H 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 ...
, 1948–1950; 1952–1954
*
F-84C Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thun ...
, 1950–1952
*
RB-26C Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major ...
, 1950–1952
*
F-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 ...
, 1954–1955
*
F-84E Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thu ...
, 1955–1958
*
F-84F Thunderjet
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. ...
, 1957–1962
*
F-100C Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
, 1962–1971
*
F-100D/F Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of US ...
, 1971–1974
*
A-7D/K Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
, 1974–1993
*
KC-135R Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transport ...
, 1993–present
References
* Maurer, Maurer, ''Air Force Combat Units of World War II'', Office of Air Force history (1961).
* Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
* Maurer, Maurer.
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II'.
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
* McLaren, David (2004), Lockheed P-80/F-80 Shooting Star: A Photo Chronicle, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.; First Edition,
* McLaren, David. Republic F-84 Thunderjet, Thunderstreak & Thunderflash: A Photo Chronicle. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military/Aviation History, 1998. .
* ''Ohio Air National Guard 60 Year History,'' Copyright 1988, Published by Headquarters Ohio Air National Guard;
* ''Crossroads of Liberty'', Copyright 2008 by Robert M. Stroup II, Published by Pictorial Histories Publishing Co, Inc. .
Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., ''A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946–1980'', Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
External links
* http://www.121arw.ang.af.mil/
{{Ohio
Wings of the United States Air National Guard
0121
Military units and formations in Ohio