The 136th Attack Squadron (136 ATKS) is a unit of the
New York Air National Guard
The New York Air National Guard (NY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New York, United States of America. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard.
As state militia units, the units ...
107th Attack Wing
The 107th Attack Wing (107 ATKW) is a unit of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York. The 107th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the Uni ...
located at
Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station, New York. The 136th is equipped with 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 ...
. 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 ...
's
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 ...
.
History
World War II
The
squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
was first activated at
Hunter Field, Georgia, as the 482d Bombardment Squadron, a
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
Operational Training Unit (OTU), equipped with
A-24 Banshee
A- or a- may refer to:
;A-hyphen
* A- (plane), a U.S. military aircraft prefix
* Privative a, a prefix expressing negation
* Copulative a, a prefix expressing unification
;A-minus
* A−, a blood type in the ABO blood group system
The ABO ...
dive bombers. It moved to California in September 1943 as part of
Desert Training Center
The Desert Training Center (DTC), also known as California–Arizona Maneuver Area (CAMA), was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert, largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942.
It ...
in
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...
.
After the A-24 was taken out of combat service, the squadron trained with
Bell 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 and became combat ready as the 503d Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 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 ...
in England in April 1944. It re-equipped with
North American P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, 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 ...
s, with a mission to escort
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
and
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
heavy bombers during its first five weeks of operations, and afterwards flew escort missions to cover the operations of medium and heavy bombers that struck strategic objectives, interdicted the enemy's communications, or supported operations on the ground.
The squadron frequently
strafed
Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons.
Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such ...
airfields and other
targets of opportunity
A target of opportunity is a target "visible to a surface or air sensor or observer, which is within range of available weapons and against which fire has not been scheduled or requested." A target of opportunity comes in two forms; "unplanned" and ...
while on escort missions. Provided fighter cover over the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
and the coast of
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
during the
invasion of France
France has been invaded on numerous occasions, by foreign powers or rival French governments; there have also been unimplemented invasion plans.
* the 1746 War of the Austrian Succession, Austria-Italian forces supported by the British navy attemp ...
in June 1944. Strafed and dive-bombed vehicles, locomotives,
marshalling yards
A classification yard (American and Canadian English (Canadian National Railway use)), marshalling yard ( British, Hong Kong, Indian, Australian, and Canadian English (Canadian Pacific Railway use)) or shunting yard (Central Europe) is a railway ...
, anti-aircraft batteries, and troops while Allied forces fought to break out of the beachhead in France. It attacked transportation targets as Allied armies drove across France after the breakthrough at
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy. in July. The 503d flew area patrols during
Operation Market-Garden
Operation Market Garden was an Allied military operation during the Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a salient into German territory with a bridgehead over the River Rhine, c ...
, the airborne attack on the Netherlands in September. It escorted bombers to, and flew patrols, over the battle area during the German counterattack in the Ardennes (
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
), December 1944 – January 1945. It provided area patrols during
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity (24 March 1945) was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II. Involving more than 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, it was the largest air ...
, the assault across the Rhine in March 1945. The squadron returned to the United States in October and was inactivated on 18 October 1945.
New York Air National Guard
![F-47D 136th FS NY Air Guard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/F-47D_136th_FS_NY_Air_Guard.jpg)
The wartime 503d Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 136th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the
New York Air National Guard
The New York Air National Guard (NY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New York, United States of America. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard.
As state militia units, the units ...
, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at
Niagara Falls Municipal Airport
Niagara Falls International Airport is located east of downtown Niagara Falls, in the Town of Niagara in Niagara County, New York, United States. Owned and operated by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, the airport is a joint civ ...
, New York, and was extended federal recognition on 8 December 1948. The squadron was equipped with
F-47D Thunderbolt
The P-47 Thunderbolt was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Republic Aviation from 1941 to 1945.
Early designs
XP-47 (AP-10)
In response to a USAAC requirement for a new fighter aircraft, Republic Aviation engineer Alexander Kartveli p ...
s and was assigned to the
107th Fighter Group
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...
, operationally gained by
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 ...
.
The mission of the 136th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Western New York. Aircraft parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an aircraft and go flying. However, the unit also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score at least as well or better than active-duty USAF units, given the fact that most Guard pilots were World War II combat veterans.
Korean War activation
With the surprise invasion of
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
on 25 June 1950, and the regular military's lack of readiness, most of the
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 ...
was federalized placed on active duty. The 136th was federalized on 2 March 1951, and assigned to the federalized
101st Fighter-Interceptor Group of the
Maine Air National Guard
The Maine Air National Guard (ME ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Maine, United States of America. It is, along with the Maine Army National Guard, an element of the Maine National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Maine ...
at
Dow Air Force Base
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Ar ...
, Maine. In February 1952, the squadron was reassigned to the
4708th Air Defense Wing
The 4708th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Selfridge Air Force Base (AFB), Michigan, where it was discontinued in 1956. ...
, which was located at
Selfridge Air Force Base
Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Unit ...
, Michigan.
On 1 November 1952 the squadron was released from active duty and its
air defense
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
mission, personnel and P-47s were transferred to the
47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was simultaneously activated at Niagara Falls.
Air Defense
![137th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Lockheed F-94B-1-LO Starfire 50-0856](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/137th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron_-_Lockheed_F-94B-1-LO_Starfire_50-0856.jpg)
The unit was reformed at Niagara Falls by 1 January 1953 and was re-equipped with the
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 ...
very long range fighter. The air defense mission for western New York remained and the unit resumed normal peacetime training and drills. In 1954, the Mustang was ending its service life and
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 ...
was re-equipping its fighter-interceptor squadrons with jet aircraft. The 136th received
F-94B Starfire
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached ope ...
s, however the F-94 required a two-man aircrew a pilot and an air observer to operate its radar equipment. Trainees for the radar assignment had to attend regular Air Force training schools, and required virtually the same qualifications as the pilot trainees. The additional recruitment of guardsmen led to the units having a manning and capabilities problem that lasted for some time until the unit was returned to full readiness.
In 1956, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was reorganized and redesignated as the 107th Air Defense Wing. The reorganization resulted in the activation of two new fighter groups, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group was redesignated the 107th Fighter Group (AD) and moved from Niagara Falls to
Hancock Field in Syracuse, although the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron remained at Niagara Falls and was assigned directly to the wing. The
F-86H Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...
replaced the F-94B Starfires in 1957.
Tactical Air Command
![136th Tactical Fighter Squadron - North American F-100C-20-NA Super Sabre 54-1914](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/136th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_North_American_F-100C-20-NA_Super_Sabre_54-1914.jpg)
A major change to the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in 1958 was the transition from 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 ...
mission to
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) and a tactical fighter mission, with the 136th being redesignated as the 137th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The new assignment involved a change in the squadron's training mission to include high-altitude interception, air-to-ground rocketry, ground strafing and tactical bombing. The squadron retained F-86H Sabres until 1960, when TAC replaced the F-86H with the
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 ...
.
In 1962, the 107th Tactical Fighter Group moved back to Niagara Falls, with the activation of the
174th Tactical Fighter Group at Syracuse and the 136th was again assigned to it. Six F-100 fighters of the 136th deployed to
Hickam Air Force Base
Hickam Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lieutenant Colonel Horace Meek Hickam. The installation merged in 2010 with Naval Station Pearl Harbor to become part of the newly formed Joint ...
, Hawaii in 1965 for Operation Tropic Lighting I. The squadron provided close air support for jungle warfare training of the U. S. Army's
25th Division in Hawaii prior to their combat deployment 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 ...
The Niagara jets were flown across the Pacific and refueled twice in flight, marking the first time an
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 ...
unit has performed such a mission.
![36th Tactical Fighter Squadron - F-100s](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/36th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_F-100s.jpg)
In January 1968, the 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron was federalized in the wake of the
USS Pueblo crisis. It first deployed to
Homestead Air Force Base
Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...
, Florida for gunnery and close air ground support training in April. In June, the squadron moved to
Tuy Hoa Air Base
Căn cứ không quân Tuy Hòa is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States in 1966 and was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone o ...
, South Vietnam to reinforce the
31st Tactical Fighter Wing. It was joined at Tuy Hoa by the
New Mexico ANG 188th Tactical Fighter Squadron. In South Vietnam, the squadron carried the tail code "SG" on its F-100s. From Tuy Hoa, the squadron conducted combat operations, carried out interdiction strikes, conducted visual and photo reconnaissance, rescue combat air patrols, and suppressed enemy antiaircraft artillery. The squadron also conducted air operations against enemy forces during the
1968 Tet Offensive and the
Siege of Khe Sanh from February–April 1968. It flew close air support missions during the extraction of friendly troops from Kham Duc on 12 May 1968.
In South Vietnam, three squadron members were awarded the
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
; one the
Distinguished Flying Cross; and 43 received
Air Medal
The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.
Criteria
The Air Medal was establish ...
s. The New York State Medal of Valor was awarded posthumously to Captain Joseph L'Hullier of the 136th for heroism in Vietnam. Captain L'Hullier became the first New York Air National Guardsman to be killed in action while on active duty with a mobilized Air Guard organization since World War II. He died while on a combat fighter support mission. The squadron was returned to its home base of Niagara Falls in late May and returned to state control on 11 June 1969. In a final, moving tribute to their four fallen comrades – three pilots of the 136th killed in training, and one in action – F-100s from the
169th Tactical Fighter Group,
South Carolina Air National Guard
The South Carolina Air National Guard (SC ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of South Carolina, United States of America. It is, along with the South Carolina Army National Guard, an element of the South Carolina National Guard.
As state ...
, flew over the demobilization ceremonies in the "missing man" formation.
NORAD Air Defense
![136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-0262](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/136th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron_-_McDonnell_F-101F-106-MC_Voodoo_58-0262.jpg)
The 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron returned to an air defense mission in June 1971 when it received
F-101B Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range bomber escort (known as a '' ...
interceptors and rejoined Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM). In 1972, after the completion of the transition to the Voodoo from the F-100s, the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron began operating on a 24-hour-a-day, 365 days a year alert as part of
North American Air Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...
(NORAD). In 1979, ADCOM was inactivated and the air defense mission was assumed 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 ...
. The 107th FIG became gained by
Air Defense, Tactical Air Command
Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC) was a Named Unit of the United States Air Force, and operated at the Numbered Air Force echelon of Tactical Air Command. It was responsible for the air defense of the United States, and was last statione ...
, which functioned at the
Numbered Air Force
A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squ ...
echelon of TAC. In 1981 the 136th was re-equipped with
F-4C Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twinjet, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic aircraft, supersonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed ...
s and in 1982 returned to NORAD alert status.
The 136th received more advanced
F-4D Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and ...
s in 1986. Beginning in July, a detachment was formed to provide air defense alert at
Charleston AFB
Charleston Air Force Base is a United States military facility located in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force's 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW), a subordinate element ...
, South Carolina. With the detachment at Charleston, the 136th was on a 24/365 alert over a 1,480-mile round-trip area. Interceptors from Charleston monitored
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
Tupolev Tu-95
The Tupolev Tu-95 (russian: Туполев Ту-95; NATO reporting name: "Bear") is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the Long-Range Aviation of the ...
"Bear" Bombers flying down the Atlantic seacoast to and from airfields in Cuba. The 136th also deployed to
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base or Ramstein AB is a United States Air Force base in Rhineland-Palatinate, a state in southwestern Germany. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and also ...
, West Germany to perform an Air Defense Alert Mission in Operation Creek Klaxon. Squadrons from he Air National Guard rotated deployments and stood alert duties for just over a year at Ramstein while the resident
86th Tactical Fighter Wing
The 86th Airlift Wing (86 AW) is a United States Air Force wing, currently assigned to the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. The 86th AW is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The wing's primary m ...
converted to
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
A large number of variants of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon have been produced by General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and various licensed manufacturers. The details of the F-16 variants, along with major modification programs and der ...
s. The 86 TFW resumed alert duties on 1 April 1987.
![136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - McDonnell F-4C-19-MC Phantom 63-7541](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/136th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron_-_McDonnell_F-4C-19-MC_Phantom_63-7541.jpg)
The 136th replaced its Vietnam Era F-4D Phantom II fighter aircraft with 20
Block 15 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters configured as air defense fighters in 1990. Personnel and aircraft deployed to
Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida, taking advantage of the better weather conditions to accelerate the F-16 conversion.
Due to its air defense commitment, the 136th was not mobilized during the
1991 Gulf Crisis. However, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group deployed firefighter and medical personnel as backfilled personnel to stateside bases
vacated by active-duty personnel deployed to the Middle East.
In 1992, the 136th was redesignated as the 136th Fighter Squadron. On 1 October 1995, the Air National Guard adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan, and the squadron was assigned to the new 107th Operations Group.
Modern era
![136th Air Refueling Squadron - Boeing KC-135R-BN Stratotanker 64-14839](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/136th_Air_Refueling_Squadron_-_Boeing_KC-135R-BN_Stratotanker_64-14839.jpg)
With the arrival of the
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 ...
in March 1994, the 136th Fighter Squadron converted from an air defense mission to aerial refueling and was redesignated as the 136th Air Refueling Squadron. The 136th provided support for worldwide air refueling missions. When called upon, the 136th also used the KC-135R as a cargo and passenger transport.
In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation.
Since 1996, the 136th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, with the 136th being the major force provider, was formed and deployed in support of world contingencies including Operations to include, but not limited to, Strong Resolve 2002,
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was a military intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The operation was effectively authorized by ...
,
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 ...
,
Operation Decisive Endeavor
The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''.
Background
NATO ...
,
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..
...
,
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 ...
,
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 ...
and the
Northeast Tanker Task Force.
![136th Airlift Squadron - Lockheed C-130H Hercules 91-9144](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/136th_Airlift_Squadron_-_Lockheed_C-130H_Hercules_91-9144.jpg)
In November 2007, the 107th was notified that it would become an airlift unit. This was directed by the Base Realignment and Closure of 2005. It became an associate unit to the
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commiss ...
914th Airlift Wing
The 914th Air Refueling Wing is a wing (air force unit), wing of the United States Air Force based out of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York. Assigned to Air Force Reserve Command, it is operationally-gained by Air Mobility Command ...
, already based at Niagara Falls. The 914th has had responsibility for the
C-130H2 Hercules
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 ...
aircraft used by the 136th, and airmen from both units jointly operate them. With this change, the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station received additional C-130 aircraft from 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 ...
's
118th Airlift Wing in Nashville. Tennessee. The 136th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
During
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...
in late October 2012, members of the unit deployed to New York City and Long Island to assist in recovery operations. The unit was deployed first to
Stewart Air National Guard Base
Stewart Air National Guard Base, located in Orange County, New York, is the base of the 105th Airlift Wing (105 AW), an Air Mobility Command unit of the New York Air National Guard and "host" wing for the installation. The airport also host ...
in Newburgh and then traveled to Peekskill, which is in Westchester County. As part of the recovery effort, unit members performed road clearing, traffic control, helping displaced personnel with feeding and getting them back in their housing and getting them out of flood-stricken areas.
It was announced in early 2012 that federal budget reductions would affect the mission of the 107th Airlift Wing. The future of the unit is presently being discussed by New York representatives and the Air Force.
Lineage
![503d Fighter Squadron - World War II - Emblem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/503d_Fighter_Squadron_-_World_War_II_-_Emblem.png)
* Constituted as the 482d Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 3 August 1942
: Activated on 10 August 1942
: Redesignated 503d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943
: Redesignated 503d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 30 May 1944
: Inactivated on 7 November 1945
* Redesignated: 136th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine and allotted to the National Guard on 24 May 1946.
: Activated and received federal recognition on 8 December 1948
: Federalized and ordered to active service on 2 March 1951
: Redesignated 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron c. 2 March 1951
: Inactivated and released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 1 December 1952
: Activated on 1 December 1952
: Redesignated: 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Special Delivery) on 10 November 1958
: Redesignated: 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron c. 15 October 1962
: Federalized and ordered to active service on 26 January 1968
: Inactivated, released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 11 June 1969
: Redesignated 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 June 1971
: Redesignated 136th Fighter Squadron on 16 March 1992
: Redesignated 136th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 July 1994
: Redesignated 136th Airlift Squadron on 1 July 2008
Assignments
*
339th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber; Fighter) Group, 10 August 1942 – 18 October 1945
*
107th Fighter Group
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...
, 8 December 1948
*
101st Fighter-Interceptor Group, 2 March 1951
*
4708th Defense Wing, 6 February 1952
* 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 December 1952
*
107th Air Defense Wing, 1 May 1956
* 107th Tactical Fighter Group, 10 November 1958
*
140th Tactical Fighter Wing, 26 January 1968
*
31st Tactical Fighter Wing, 14 June 1968
* 107th Tactical Fighter Group (later Fighter-Interceptor Group, Fighter Group, Air Refueling Group), 11 June 1969
* 107th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – Present
Stations
*
Hunter Field, Georgia, 10 Aug 1942
*
Drew Field, Florida, 6 Feb 1943
*
Walterboro Army Airfield
Lowcountry Regional Airport is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) northeast of the central business district of Walterboro, a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. It is owned by the city and cou ...
, South Carolina, 3 Jul 1943
*
Rice Army Airfield
Rice Army Air Field (also known as Rice Air Base or Rice AAF) is an abandoned World War II airfield in Rice Valley of the southern Mojave Desert, located east-southeast of the community of Rice. The airfield is located in Riverside County just ...
, California, 17 Sept 1943 – 9 Mar 1944
*
RAF Fowlmere
Fowlmere Airfield is a small airfield located northeast of Royston, Hertfordshire and southwest of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. It was previously a Royal Air Force satellite station, RAF Fowlmere.
History First World War
Flying at ...
(AAF-378), England, 5 Apr 1944 – 7 Sept 1945
*
Drew Field, Florida, c. 20 Sep – 7 Nov 1945
*
Niagara Falls Municipal Airport
Niagara Falls International Airport is located east of downtown Niagara Falls, in the Town of Niagara in Niagara County, New York, United States. Owned and operated by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, the airport is a joint civ ...
, New York, 8 December 1948
*
Dow Air Force Base
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Ar ...
, Maine, 2 March 1951
*
Grenier Air Force Base Grenier is a surname. It is a French word for ''attic, loft,'' or ''granary''. Notable people with the surname include:
* Adrian Grenier
* Angèle Grenier, Canadian maple syrup producer
* Auguste Jean François Grenier (1814–1890), French doctor ...
, New Hampshire, 1 May 1951
*
Larson Air Force Base
Larson Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located five miles (8 km) northwest of the central business district (CBD) of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington. After its closure in 1966, the airport facility became ...
, Washington, 2 August 1951 – 1 December 1952
*
Niagara Falls Municipal Airport
Niagara Falls International Airport is located east of downtown Niagara Falls, in the Town of Niagara in Niagara County, New York, United States. Owned and operated by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, the airport is a joint civ ...
, New York, 1 December 1952
*
Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operatio ...
, New Mexico, 16 January 1968
*
Tuy Hoa Air Base
Căn cứ không quân Tuy Hòa is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States in 1966 and was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone o ...
, South Vietnam, 20 May 1968 – 5 June 1969
* Niagara Falls International Airport (later
Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station
Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (Niagara Falls Air Force Base -1971) is an Air Force Reserve Command military installation operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command. It is located adjacent to Niagara Falls International Airport, Ne ...
), 5 June 1969
: Detachment operated from
Charleston Air Force Base
Charleston Air Force Base is a United States military facility located in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force's 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW), a subordinate element ...
, South Carolina, July 1986 – June 1994
Aircraft
*
A-24 Banshee
A- or a- may refer to:
;A-hyphen
* A- (plane), a U.S. military aircraft prefix
* Privative a, a prefix expressing negation
* Copulative a, a prefix expressing unification
;A-minus
* A−, a blood type in the ABO blood group system
The ABO ...
, 1942–1943
*
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 ...
, 1943–1944
*
P-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 ...
, 1944–1945
*
F-47D Thunderbolt
The P-47 Thunderbolt was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Republic Aviation from 1941 to 1945.
Early designs
XP-47 (AP-10)
In response to a USAAC requirement for a new fighter aircraft, Republic Aviation engineer Alexander Kartveli p ...
, 1948–1952
*
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 ...
, 1952–1954
*
F-94B Starfire
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached ope ...
, 1954–1957
*
F-86H Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...
, 1957–1960
*
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 ...
, 1960–1971
*
F-101B Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range bomber escort (known as a '' ...
, 1971–1982
*
F-4C Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twinjet, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic aircraft, supersonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed ...
, 1982–1986
*
F-4D Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and ...
, 1986–1990
*
Block 15 ADF F-16A/B Fighting Falcon, 1990–1994
*
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 ...
, 1994–2008
*
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 ...
, 2008–2015
*
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
References
* 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.
* Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
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).New York Department of Military Affairs Adjutant General Reports, 1846–1988
External links
{{New York
Squadrons of the United States Air National Guard
Military units and formations in New York (state)
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