The 172nd Attack Squadron (172 ATKS) is a unit of the
Michigan Air National Guard
The Michigan Air National Guard (MI ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Michigan, United States of America. It is, along with the Michigan Army National Guard, an element of the Michigan National Guard. The Michigan Air National Guard is ...
110th Wing
The 110th Wing (110th WG) is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard, stationed at Kellogg Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Michigan. If activated to federal service the Wing would be gained by the Un ...
located at
Battle Creek Air National Guard Base
W. K. Kellogg Airport is a city-owned, public-use, joint civil-military airport located three nautical miles (6 kilometre, km) west of the central business district of Battle Creek, Michigan, Battle Creek, a city in Calhoun County, Mich ...
, Battle Creek, Michigan. The 172nd is equipped with the
MQ-9 Reaper drone.
The squadron was first organized during
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 opposing ...
as the 375th Fighter Squadron. It saw combat in the
European Theater of Operations as an element of
VII Fighter Command
The VII Fighter Command was a command and control organization of the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces. The Headquarters were based at several locations with forward command moving with the campaign ...
before returning to the United States, where it was inactivated.
In May 1946, the squadron was allotted to the
National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
as the 172nd Fighter Squadron. During the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, the squadron was called into federal service and acted in an
air defense role until being returned to the Michigan Air National Guard in 1952. It had various flying missions, including
fighter,
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
and
airlift until 2013, when it was converted to a support unit.
History
World War II
![P-51D Urban Drew](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/P-51D_Urban_Drew.jpg)
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
Richmond Army Air Base
Richmond International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in Sandston, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community (in Henrico County). The airport is about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Richmond, the capital of ...
as the 375th Fighter Squadron and equipped with
Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. The squadron trained under
I Fighter Command
I Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces intermediate command responsible for command and control of the fighter operations within the First Air Force during World War II. It was initially established in June 1941 as the 1st Inte ...
in the mid-Atlantic states. It also flew
air defense missions as part of the
Philadelphia Fighter Wing. The squadron deployed to the
European Theater of Operations, where it 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 The ...
in England during November 1943.
[Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 464–465]
The unit served primarily as an escort organization, covering the penetration, attack, and withdrawal of
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and
Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
formations that
Eighth Air Force sent against targets on the European continent. The squadron also engaged in counter-air patrols, fighter sweeps, and
strafing
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 ...
and
dive bombing
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact throughou ...
missions. It attacked such targets as
airfield
An aerodrome ( Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for pub ...
s,
marshalling yards,
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...
and
V-2 rocket
The V-2 (german: Vergeltungswaffe 2, lit=Retaliation Weapon 2), with the technical name ''Aggregat 4'' (A-4), was the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile. The missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine, was develop ...
launch sites, industrial areas,
ordnance depots, oil
refineries, trains, and highways. During its operations, the unit participated in the assault against the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
and the German aircraft industry during
Big Week, from 20 to 25 February 1944, and the attack on transportation facilities prior to
Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion. Following the invasion it supported ground forces thereafter, including providing cover during
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the United States First Army under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy campaign of World War II. The intention was to take adv ...
, the
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy. breakout in July.
The squadron supported the airborne attack on the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in September 1944, and deployed to
Chievres Airdrome, Belgium between February and April 1945, flying tactical ground support missions during the airborne assault across the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
. The unit returned to
RAF Little Walden
Royal Air Force Little Walden or more simply RAF Little Walden is a former Royal Air Force station primarily used by the United States Army Air Forces located north of Saffron Walden, Essex, England.
The following units were here at some poin ...
and flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945. The squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at
Camp Kilmer
Located in Central New Jersey, Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service ...
, part of the New York Port of Embarkation, in October.
[
]
Michigan Air National Guard
In May 1946, the squadron was allotted to the National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
as the 172nd Fighter Squadron. It was organized and equipped with North American P-51D Mustangs at Kellogg Field
Kellogg may refer to:
People and organizations
*Kellogg's, American multinational food-manufacturing company
**Will Keith Kellogg, founder of the company
**John Harvey Kellogg, his brother, inventor of cornflakes and medical practitioner
* Kello ...
, Battle Creek, Michigan in 1947. This was the same year the United States Air Force became an independent branch of the armed forces and the 172nd received its federal recognition as an Air National Guard squadron.
Activation during the Korean War
In February 1951 the squadron was called to active duty for the Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
and assigned to Air Defense Command (ADC). Upon activation it was redesignated the 172nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and moved to 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, where it was assigned to the 128th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
The 115th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, which is stationed at Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Madison, Wisconsin. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Co ...
, then to the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Group.[Cornett & Johnson list this assignment as to the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. Cornett & Johnson, p. 123, However, neither Ravenstein nor list the 172nd as a component of the 56th Wing. Ravenstein, p. 90.] However, ADC experienced difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying its fighter squadrons to best advantage. As a result, in February 1952 the squadron was reassigned to the 4708th 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. ...
, a regional organization.[Cornett & Johnson, p. 124] The squadron was released from active service and returned to the Michigan Air National Guard
The Michigan Air National Guard (MI ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Michigan, United States of America. It is, along with the Michigan Army National Guard, an element of the Michigan National Guard. The Michigan Air National Guard is ...
on 1 November 1952 and its mission, personnel and F-51 Mustangs were transferred to the 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which activated the same day at Selfridge.
Return to National Guard service
The 172nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron flew the F-51 Mustang until 1954. The 172nd transitioned into the North American F-86 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 ...
and became the 172nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron. The Unit flew this aircraft only until 1955 before transitioned into the more sophisticated two seat Northrop F-89 Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...
and returned to the interceptor
Interceptor may refer to:
Vehicles
* Interceptor aircraft (or simply "interceptor"), a type of point defense fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft
* Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car
* ...
. In 1956, the squadron became part of the newly created 110th Fighter Group. The Unit flew the F-89 Scorpion until 1958. That year the 172nd Squadron traded its F-89s for a new mission and a new aircraft, the Martin RB-57A Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric ...
. With the assumption of the reconnaissance mission the squadron became the 172nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron.
The 172nd flew RB-57A's until 1971. In 1971, the unit's mission changed again to forward air control, with the transition to the Cessna O-2 Skymaster
The Cessna O-2 Skymaster (nicknamed "Oscar Deuce") is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, used for forward air control (FAC) and psychological operations (PSYOPS) by the US military between 1967 and 2010.
Design and develo ...
, which it flew until 1980 when it transitioned to the Cessna OA-37 Dragonfly
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is an American light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. The A-37 was introduced during the Vietnam War and remained in p ...
. The 172nd was the last Air Force or Air National Guard unit to fly the Dragonfly. The dedicated forward air control mission lasted until the 172nd transitioned to the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, or Warthog, in 1991 and was returned to its first name as a National Guard unit, the 172nd Fighter Squadron.
The squadron served in several United Nations operations and contingencies throughout the world. From Bosnia, to Kosovo, to Alaska and most recently Iraq and Afghanistan, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. In 2009, the squadron was realigned from a fighter squadron to become the 172nd Airlift Squadron flying the Learjet C-21
The Learjet Model 35 and Model 36 are a series of American multi-role business jets and military transport aircraft manufactured by Learjet. When used by the United States Air Force they carry the designation C-21A.
The aircraft are powered b ...
. On 12 July 2013, the last C-21 departed, and the unit became a support unit as the 172nd Air Support Squadron as Battle Creek was named as the location of a control center for drone aircraft.
Lineage
* Constituted as the 375th Fighter Squadron, single Engine on 28 January 1943
: Activated on 10 February 1943
: Inactivated on 10 November 1945
* Redesignated 172nd Fighter Squadron, Single Engine and allotted to the National Guard on 24 May 1946[Lineage, stations and aircraft through 1946 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 464–465]
: Organized on 29 August 1947
: Received federal recognition on 16 September 1947
: Federalized and placed on active duty 10 February 1951[
: Designated 172nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 10 February 1951][
: Inactivated on 1 November 1952 and returned to Michigan state control][
: Redesignated 172nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 November 1952 and activated
: Redesignated 172nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 July 1955
: Redesignated 172nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 12 April 1958
: Redesignated 172nd Tactical Air Support Squadron on 11 June 1971
: Redesignated 172nd Fighter Squadron, 16 October 1991
: Redesignated 172nd Airlift Squadron, 1 March 2009
: Redesignated 172nd Air Support Squadron, 2013
]
Assignments
* 361st Fighter Group
The 127th Operations Group is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard. It is stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and 1s one of two flying groups assigned to the 127th Wing. The group operates Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbol ...
, 10 February 1943 – 10 November 1945[
* 127th Fighter Group, 29 August 1947
* 128th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 10 February 1951][
* 56th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 May 1951][Robertson, AFHRA Factsheet 56 Operations Group]
* 4708th Defense Wing, 6 February 1952 – 1 November 1952[
* 127th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 127th Fighter-Interceptor Group), 1 November 1952
* 110th Fighter Group, 1 April 1956
* 127th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 1 July 1958
* 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (later 110th Tactical Air Support Group, 110th Fighter Group), 1 October 1962
* 110th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – present
]
Stations
* Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 10 February 1943
* Camp Springs Army Air Field
Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint Bas ...
, Maryland, 26 May 1943
* Millville Army Air Field
Millville Executive Airport is in Millville, New Jersey, Millville, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, Cumberland County, New Jersey. The airport, southwest of the Millville city center, is owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) a ...
, New Jersey, 15 August 1943
* Camp Springs Army Air Field, Maryland, 18 September 1943
* Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 30 September – 11 November 1943
* RAF Bottisham
Royal Air Force Bottisham or more simply RAF Bottisham is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
History
RAF Fighter Command use
RAF Bottisham opened in March 1940 and was first used by bomb-ar ...
(AAF-374),[Station number in Anderson] England, 30 November 1943
* RAF Little Walden (AAF-165),[ England, ca. 28 September 1944
: Operated from St-Dizier Airfield (A-64),][Station number in Johnson] France, 23 December 1944 – 1 February 1945
* Chievres Airdrome (A-84),[ Belgium, 1 February 1945
* RAF Little Walden (AAF-165),][ England, 7 April – ca. 11 October 1945
* Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 23 – 24 October 1945][
* W. K. Kellogg Airport, Michigan, 29 August 1947
* ]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, 7 May 1951 – 1 November 1952[
* W. K. Kellogg Airport (later Kellogg Air National Guard Base), Michigan, 1 November 1952
]
Aircraft
* Fairchild Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1943–1944)[
* North American P-51D Mustang (1944–1945, 1947–1951)][
* North American P-51H Mustang (1951–1954)
* North American F-86E Sabre (1954–1955)
* Northrop F-89C Scorpion (1955–1957)
* Martin RB-57 Canberra (1957–1971)
* Cessna O-2A Skymaster (1971–1981)
* Cessna OA-37B Dragonfly (1981–1991)
* Republic OA-10A Thunderbolt II (1991–2009)
* Learjet C-21A (2009–2013)
* MQ-9 Reaper (2013-present)
]
See also
* F-89 Scorpion units of the United States Air Force
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was a subsonic second-generation jet interceptor of the United States Air Force. After a long development during the postwar era of the late 1940s, it began reaching operational units in the early 1950s. A stablemat ...
* List of B-57 units of the United States Air Force
The Martin B-57 Canberra was first manufactured in 1953, and the United States Air Force had accepted a total of 403 B-57s before production ended in early 1957. The last USAF B-57 was retired in 1983.
It was the last tactical bomber used by th ...
* List of Sabre and Fury units in the US military
List of Sabre and Fury units in the US military identifies the military branches and units that used the North American Aviation F-86 Sabre and FJ Fury. Units existed in regular USAF, ANG, USN, and USMC squadrons.
USAF F-86 Units
: ''Source: Ba ...
* List of United States Air Force squadrons operating the A-37 Dragonfly
* List of United States Air Force support squadrons
List of United States Air Force support squadrons identifies the United States Air Force squadron, shield, location and support unit. A support squadron supplies all the necessary manpower and equipment needed to continue numerous tasks. An opera ...
* List of United States Air National Guard Squadrons
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
;; Further reading
* Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
External links
110th Airlift Wing history webpage
{{Air National Guard, state=Michigan
Squadrons of the United States Air National Guard
Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War
Military units and formations established in 1943
Military units and formations in Michigan