The 160th Air Refueling Group (160 ARG) is an inactive 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 ...
. It was last 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. The 160th ARW was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
History
On 8 July 1961 the
145th Aeromedical Evacuation Transport Squadron 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 ...
became an
air refueling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
squadron (145th ARS) and was expanded to add support
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, ...
s and a
group
A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
Groups of people
* Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity
* Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
, the 160th Air Refueling Group, to control support and flying operations. The 145th ARS becoming the group's flying squadron. The initial support squadrons assigned to the group were the 160th Air Base Squadron and the 160th Material Squadron. The group was equipped with
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and developm ...
s.
Tactical Air Command
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) was designated as the gaining command for the group when it received federal recognition. In the fall of 1962 the group's support elements were reorganized to match the organization of other groups gained by TAC. The 160th USAF Dispensary was activated and the 160th Combat Support Squadron supplanted the air base squadron.
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 group's KC-97Gs were upgraded to KC-97Ls with addition of jet engine pods mounted on the outboard wings.
1967 saw the beginning of Operation Creek Party. This operation provided air refueling support 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 ...
tactical aircraft through the rotation of ANG aircrews and aircraft 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 ...
, Germany This operation, which continued until 1975, demonstrated the ability of the ANG to perform significant day-to-day missions without being mobilized. The 160th was one of the mission's charter units and when its Creek Party participation ended it had safely flown 426 transatlantic crossings. The unit received the
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
for the period of 5 June 1967 to 10 May 1968.
The group commander during Creek Party operations, Colonel Frank Cattran, considered aircraft 52-2630 to be "his" bird and often flew it in preference to other assigned planes. This aircraft became involved in a "Sister City" ceremony with
Zeppelinheim
Neu-Isenburg is a town in Germany, located in the Offenbach district of Hesse. It is part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area and has a population of 38,204 (2020). The town is known nowadays mainly for its regionally used shopping centre, th ...
, Germany - a small town near Rhein-Main AB - near the end of the Creek Party operation. When the unit converted from KC-97s to
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 ...
s this aircraft was transferred to the
USAF Museum
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...
, where it can be seen today with its Ohio Air National Guard and Zeppelinheim markings.
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 in an economy move by the Nixon Administration to divert military funding to support the Vietnam War. The 160th ARG moved from the closing base 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 ...
. The group earned a second
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
for the period of 11 May 1968 to 30 June 1975.
Strategic Air Command
In December 1974
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 ...
became the gaining command for all air refueling units, including the 160th. In 1975 the 160th ARG became the first Air National Guard unit to convert to the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. 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. The 160th also participated in SAC overseas Tanker Task Forces and other priority missions worldwide. In 1984, the group's KC-135As were re-engined and redesignated as KC-135Es. The upgrade to turbofan engines provided a significant increase in performance, safety and reliability.
In August 1990 the 160th was one of the first ANG 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
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, designated the 1709th Air Refueling Squadron (Provisional). The group was called to active duty on 20 December 1990. Deployment of the unit to the Middle East began on 28 December and 160th crews and aircraft 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 Air Refueling Squadron (Provisional)),
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 Air Refueling Squadron (Provisional)), and at Jeddah. Group personnel also augmented a regional support base at
Moron AB
Moron or Morón may refer to:
* Moron (psychology), disused term for a person with a mental age between 7 and 10
People
* Edgar Moron (born 1941), German politician
* Morón (surname), various people so named
Places
* Moron (ancient city), men ...
, Spain while others deployed to various bases to backfill 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 group began flying
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 ...
combat missions on 17 January 1991. The 160th compiled a remarkable record of mission accomplishment during combat operations. When hostilities ended, the 160th returned home in March 1991 and was welcomed by families and friends.
September 1991 brought the end of the SAC alert mission which the 160th ARG had maintained continuously for more than 15 years. The 145th ARS began conversion to KC-135R aircraft in October 1991, In June 1992 Strategic Air Command was inactivated and the 160th ARG gaining command became
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 ...
.
Inactivation
In September 1993 the 160th Air Refueling Group was inactivated when budget reductions and a reorganization of ANG assets forced a reduction of Ohio ANG units at Rickenbacker ANGB through the elimination of duplicate refueling headquarters and support organizations. The group's 145th Air Refueling Squadron was transferred to the
121st Air Refueling Wing
The 121st Air Refueling Wing (121 ARW) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Co ...
at Rickenbacker. With the addition of the 145th ARS, the 121st ARW became one of only a few "Super Wings" in the ANG, with two flying squadrons and twice as many aircraft assigned as other units.
Lineage
* Constituted as the 160th Air Refueling Group, Tactical and allotted the Air National Guard on 13 March 1961
: Activated and extended federal recognition on 8 July 1961
: Redesignated 160th Air Refeling Group, Medium ''ca''. 1966
: Redesignated 160th Air Refueling Group, Heavy 1976
: Redesignated 160th Air Refueling Group 16 March 1992
: Inactivated on 1 October 1993
Assignments
*
126th Air Refueling Wing
The 126th Air Refueling Wing (126 ARW) is a unit of the Illinois Air National Guard, stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Belleville, Illinois. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command ...
, 8 July 1961
: 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:
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 ...
,
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 ...
, 1 December 1974 – 16 March 1992
*
121st Air Refueling Wing
The 121st Air Refueling Wing (121 ARW) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Co ...
, 16 March 1992 – 1 October 1993
: Gained by:
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 ...
,
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 ...
: 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 – 1 October 1993
Components
*
145th Air Refueling Squadron, 8 July 1961 – 1 October 1993
Stations
* Clinton County Air Force Base, Ohio, 8 July 1961
* Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, 1 October 1971
: Renamed Rickenbacker Air Force Base, 18 May 1974
: Renamed Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, 1 April 1980 – 1 October 1993
Aircraft
*
KC-97F/G Stratotanker, 1961-1965
*
KC-97L Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and develop ...
, 1965-1975
*
KC-135A 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 transpo ...
, 1975-1984
*
KC-135E 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 ...
, 1984-1991
*
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 ...
, 1991–Present
Decorations
*
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
Air Force Personnel Center Awards Search (Post-1991)
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, 5 June 1967 – 10 May 1968; DAF S.O. GB-157, 1 March 1969.
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, First Oak Leaf Cluster, 11 May 1968 – 30 June 1975; DAF S.O. GB-558, 15 July 1977.
References
Notes
Bibliography
* ''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. .
External links
{{US Air Force navbox
Groups of the United States Air National Guard
Air refueling groups of the United States Air Force
Military units and formations in Ohio