The 132nd Wing, sometimes written 132d Wing, (132 WG) is a
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 ...
unit assigned to the
Iowa Air National Guard
The Iowa Air National Guard (IA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Iowa, United States of America. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Iowa Air ...
and located at
Des Moines Air National Guard Base
Des Moines International Airport is a commercial service airport 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Des Moines, the capital of Iowa.
The airport's 2,600 acre campus includes two runways, 46 buildings, 7 parking facilities, and the terminal. Six ...
,
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
. The 132nd's World War II predecessor unit, the ''365th Fighter Group'' was a
IX Fighter Command
The IX Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces formation. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany, wheret was inactivated on 16 November 1945.
IX Fighter Command was the primary tactical fighter ...
unit, serving in the
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It commanded Army Ground For ...
. The 365th, known as the "Hell Hawks", was one of the most successful
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
fighter groups of the
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 ...
when it came to air combat. The 365th was awarded two
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 ...
s; Order of the Day, Belgium Army; Belgium Fourragère, and the Belgium Croix de Guerre. The 365th Fighter Group flew its last mission on 8 May 1945. After having operated manned fighter aircraft for all of its prior history, the wing was 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 ...
unmanned aerial vehicle in 2013.
Units
The units of the 132nd Wing include:
* 132nd Operations Group
**
124th Attack Squadron (MQ-9 Reaper) Tail Code: "IA"
** 132nd Operations Support Squadron
** 168th Cyberspace Operations Squadron
* 132nd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Group
** 232nd Intelligence Squadron
** 233rd Intelligence Squadron
** 132nd Intelligence Support Squadron
* 132nd Mission Support Group
** 132nd Communications Squadron
** 132nd Security Forces Squadron
** 132nd Force Support Squadron
** 132nd Logistics Readiness Squadron
* 132nd Medical Group
History
World War II
![365thfg-beaulieu-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/365thfg-beaulieu-1.jpg)
Constituted as the 365th Fighter Group on 27 April 1943. Activated on 15 May 1943. Trained with P-47's. Moved to
RAF Gosfield
Royal Air Force Gosfield or more simply RAF Gosfield is a former Royal Air Force station in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately north of Braintree; about north-northeast of London
Opened in 1943, it was used by both th ...
, England in December 1943. Assigned to
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 ...
. It was several weeks before the 365th received a full complement of 75 P-47D Thunderbolts and mid-February 1944 before they were placed on operational status. Their first mission, flown on 22 February, was a bomber support sweep of short duration over enemy-held territory.
Early missions were flown in support of Eighth Air Force
B-17
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
B-24
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 ...
bomber operations and on one of these on 2 March, the 365th had its first encounter with
enemy fighters in the
Bastogne
Bastogne (; nl, Bastenaken, ; german: Bastnach/Bastenach; lb, Baaschtnech) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Bastogne, ...
area, resulting in the loss of one Thunderbolt and claims of six of the enemy shot down. ''Oberstleutnant''
Egon Mayer, one of the most successful
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 ...
aces flying in the West with 102 victories, fell in this battle.
On 5 March, with only nine missions to its credit, the group moved south to
RAF Beaulieu
Royal Air Force Beaulieu or more simply RAF Beaulieu is a former Royal Air Force station in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408. It is located next to the villa ...
in Hampshire. The group was stood down three days after arrival so that it could undertake a two-week intensive course in ground attack and fighter-bombing. After training, the 365th flew dive-bombing missions to attack such targets as bridges, aerodromes, rail facilities, gun positions, and V-weapon sites prior to the invasion of the Continent.
On
D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
, its duties were attacking gun emplacements and communications facilities behind the bridgehead. Two P-47s were lost. On the following day when 12 separate squadron-sized missions were flown five aircraft failed to return.
An unusual accident occurred on 9 June when two P-47s being delivered to Beaulieu by ferry pilots landed on different runways at the same time and collided at the runway intersection with one pilot being killed.
The 365th was one of the most successful P-47 groups of the Ninth Air Force when it came to air combat, and a total of 29 enemy aircraft were credited as shot down during the four months the group operated from Beaulieu. On 25 June, the 365th had one of its best days when eight enemy fighter-bombers were destroyed. On 2 July, Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Coffey, Jr., the Air Executive, became the Ninth Air Force's third Thunderbolt ace. As with other P-47 groups, losses were modest until ground attack became a regular task in June. All told, 24 P-47s were 'missing in action' during their stay at Beaulieu.
The 365th Group began its move to the Continent on 21 June, the first squadron taking up residence at Azeville, France (A-71) on 26 June, the last moving out of Beaulieu on 28 June and the rear party on 2 July providing tactical air support in support of
U.S. First Army
First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Kore ...
. On the continent, the group moved rapidly from one airfield to another, eventually winding up near
Fritzlar
Fritzlar () is a small town (pop. 15,000) in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany, north of Frankfurt, with a storied history.
The town has a medieval center ringed by a wall with numerous watch towers. Thirty-eight meters (125& ...
, Germany (Y-86) on
VE-Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...
.
After the end of hostilities, the 365th Fighter Group took part in the disarmament program until June, then returned to the United States in September 1945, being inactivated at Camp Myles Standish, near
Taunton
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
, Massachusetts on 22 September 1945.
Iowa Air National Guard
![124th Fighter Squadron formation 1940s](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/124th_Fighter_Squadron_formation_1940s.jpg)
The redesignated group was formed with three fighter squadrons, consisting of the
124th Fighter Squadron
The 124th Attack Squadron is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 132d Wing. It is assigned to Des Moines International Airport (Des Moines ANGB), Iowa and was formerly equipped with F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The unit is reequipping with t ...
at Des Moines; the
174th Fighter Squadron
The 174th Air Refueling Squadron (174th ARS) is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 185th Air Refueling Wing. It is assigned to Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Iowa and is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft.
History World War ...
at
Sioux City
Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County, ...
, and the
175th Fighter Squadron at
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...
. Engaged in routine training exercises, and was upgraded to
F-84B 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 ...
jet aircraft in early 1948.
The
War Department War Department may refer to:
* War Department (United Kingdom)
* United States Department of War (1789–1947)
See also
* War Office, a former department of the British Government
* Ministry of defence
* Ministry of War
* Ministry of Defence
* D ...
authorized the establishment of
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 ...
units in all 48 states, with three units comprising a wing based in Sioux Falls, Sioux City and
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
. The Air National Guard wing was organized by Colonel Frederick C. Gray, Jr.
who was a veteran of the RAF and 8th Air Force during World War II. Colonel Gray, based in Des Moines, Iowa, acted as wing senior instructor for the three Air National Guard units which comprised the wing. Col. Gray's appointment was made by Brigadier General Charles H. Grahl, Iowa
Adjutant General
An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer.
France
In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...
, on 26 June 1946.
In 1946,
Oscar Randolph Fladmark
Oscar Randolph Fladmark, Jr. (June 23, 1922 – July 27, 1955) was an American fighter pilot who flew 164 "no-injury" combat missions in World War II and the Korean War. Fladmark received the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Disting ...
[THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE – Special Order Number 47, National Guard Regulation 20, 20 September 1946.] was appointed to the rank of Captain and the duty of a Flight Commander with the Air National Guard
175th Fighter Squadron based in Sioux Falls. Fladmark's appointment was approved by Colonel E.A. Beckwith, South Dakota Adjutant General in
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City ( lkt, link=no, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City") is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western So ...
on 20 September 1946.
Korean War federalization
Activated to Federal Service 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 ...
, sent to
Dow AFB
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 Arm ...
, Maine. Used by TAC to train replacement pilots in F-51D Mustang ground support operations, also deployed unit members to Japan and Korea to fly combat missions.
In February 1951, Colonel Gray was reunited with a flying friend Capt. Fladmark when he reactivated the
35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing.
The 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was a component of the 5th Air Force, Far East Forces.
The Wing was moved to
Alexandria AFB
England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located northwest of Alexandria and about northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Ai ...
, Louisiana in May 1952 again with F-51s replacing the federalized
Oklahoma ANG
The Oklahoma Air National Guard (OK ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Oklahoma, United States of America. It is, along with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, an element of the Oklahoma National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in ...
137th Fighter-Bomber Wing 137th may refer to:
* 137th (Calgary) Battalion, CEF, unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War
* 137th Air Reconnaissance Regiment, air reconnaissance and guidance regiment, part of the SFR Yugoslav Air Force
* 137th Spec ...
which was deployed to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. Performed training as a tactical fighter unit until relieved from active service and returned to Iowa ANG jurisdiction in January 1953.
Cold War
![124th Tactical Fighter Squadron - Republic F-84F-25-RE Thunderstreak 51-1655](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/124th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_Republic_F-84F-25-RE_Thunderstreak_51-1655.jpg)
During 1952, over one million dollars of federally funded improvements were added to the Des Moines airport. The work included the addition of 1,800 feet to the main runway and 3,480 feet of taxiways to better accommodate the wing receiving jet aircraft upon their return to peacetime service. After returning to Des Moines, the wing was re-equipped with
F-80C Shooting Star jet fighter-bombers and returned to normal peacetime training committed 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 ...
. It was later upgraded with newer
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 1955. The wing was transferred to
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
in July 1958, becoming an all-weather
F-86L Sabre Interceptor
The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...
squadron, its new mission being the air defense of Des Moines and eastern Iowa.
In June 1960, the Lincoln, Nebraska-based 173rd FIS was reassigned to the new Nebraska ANG
155th Fighter-Interceptor Group
The 155th Air Refueling Wing (155 ARW) is a unit of the Nebraska Air National Guard, stationed at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Nebraska. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
...
when the squadron was expanded to a group-level organization. In a similar reassignment, the Sioux City-based 174th FIS was reassigned to the
185th Tactical Fighter Group
The 185th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard, stationed at Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Colonel Bud Day Field, Sioux City, Iowa. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force A ...
on 30 September 1962. The F-86Ls of the remaining 124th FIS were replaced
with
F-89J Scorpion Interceptors, which the squadron flew until the summer of 1969.
![124th Tactical Fighter Squadron - North American F-100F-10-NA Super Sabre 56-3880](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/124th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_-_North_American_F-100F-10-NA_Super_Sabre_56-3880.jpg)
The 132nd was transferred back to TAC in 1969, being re-equipped with second-line
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, the standard TAC aircraft for its Air National Guard-gained squadrons at the time. The 132nd upgraded to the
F-100D 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 ...
aircraft, which were returning from
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
in 1971, and being transferred to the ANG to replace the subsonic F-84's. The wing began receiving new and transferred
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 ...
ground attack aircraft in 1976 when the National Guard Bureau began modernizing the ANG with frontline aircraft after the drawdown of the regular Air Force following the end of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.
With the retirement of the A-7Ds in the late 1980s, the wing was upgraded to Block 42
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 ...
s in 1990. From 1998 to 2004, as part of the Air Expeditionary Force concept, the wing had an unprecedented six overseas contingency deployments to patrol the No-Fly Zone over Iraq in Operations Northern and Southern Watch. Two of the six contingency deployments occurred within a ten-month period, attesting to the unit's professionalism and high state of readiness.
Modern era
![124th Tactical Fighter Squadron A-7K Corsair II 81-0077](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/124th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron_A-7K_Corsair_II_81-0077.jpg)
Immediately following the events of 11 September 2001, the 124th Fighter Squadron's F-16s, pilots, and maintenance members were placed on alert, poised to defend Iowans and all Americans against any possible attacks. After 9/11 the unit's F-16's were prepared to launch within minutes in the event of a "scramble" order – 24/7. The unit has also provided continuous Combat Air Patrols during Presidential visits.
The unit was deployed to Al Udeid AB, Qatar in 2005 in support of
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 ...
and
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 ...
. The squadron performed in an exceptional manner, exhibiting an impressive array of capabilities. Outstanding leadership and superb aircraft maintenance skills produced 456 sorties and 3145 flying hours in austere conditions. Total flying hours during this contingency equaled to over three-fourths of a year's normal flying allocation in only 52 days.
The Wing was validated as the "Best of the Best" following its Operation Readiness Inspection in 2004, by Air Combat Command (ACC). Seventy-three percent of 154 rated areas were graded as ''Outstanding'' or ''Excellent''. The Excellent rating was received in each of the four major rated areas of ''Initial Response'', ''Employment'', ''Mission Support'', and ''Ability to Survive and Operate'', a precedent that had not been accomplished by a fighter wing in recent inspections. The 132nd Fighter Wing's rating was one of the highest achieved by an Active Duty, Air Force Reserve, or Air National Guard wing in several years. In addition, the Logistics Readiness Squadron received the 2005 Air Reserve Component Base Logistics Activity of the Year Award and the Maintenance Group received the 2005 Air National Guard's Maintenance Effectiveness Award. As a result of its outstanding efforts and commitment to excellence, the Wing was awarded its seventh
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 ...
.
Less than a week after
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 ...
, 12 members of the 132nd Medical Group teamed up with 19 members of the Sioux City 185th Air Refueling Wing and headed south to bring aid to those injured or sick because of the storm. The team treated 80 to 100 patients a day with ailments ranging from minor cuts to dehydration and acute skin infections caused by exposure to bacteria-laden sewer water.
The 132nd Fighter Wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 2009. It was the eighth time the unit was the recipient of this prestigious award.
Mission Change
![132ndwing2021](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/132ndwing2021.jpg)
Congressional actions removed the wing's fighters from the base, with the transition beginning in FY 2013. The last regularly scheduled F-16 flights occurred in August 2013, after which the unit's 21 F-16s were transferred to the
New Jersey Air National Guard
The New Jersey Air National Guard (NJ ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New Jersey, United States of America. It is, along with the New Jersey Army National Guard, an element of the New Jersey National Guard.
As state militia units, the ...
's
177th Fighter Wing at
Atlantic City Air National Guard Base
Atlantic City Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard base located at Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey. The base is home New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing, operating F-16C Fighting Falcon.
Role and ...
.
It was initially suggested to transition the wing to the
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
however in light of the increased need for cyber warfare, intelligence, and RPA capacity by the U.S. Air Force as well as highly technical skills and training that went with this mission the Iowa legislature lobbied successfully for the 132nd to reclassify into the ISR and RPA mission.
The loss of the Falcons created some debate over the base's status as an aeronautical base with a true flying mission, and the airport threatened legal action to begin charging a full market-value lease. This was addressed by the reassignment of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 147th Aviation,
Iowa Army National Guard
The Iowa Army National Guard is a state agency of the State of Iowa, with significant funding from the Federal Government of the United States; and a reserve component of the United States Army. It has dual Federal and State missions. It is emp ...
, from Boone, IA to the base, occupying the hangars that held fixed-wing Air Force fighters for 70 years.
Because of the excellent work during its challenging mission change, the 132d Wing was selected for its 11th
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
in August 2016. As it brought all of its new missions to full operating capacity under budget and ahead of schedule, the Wing was awarded its 12th decoration of the award at the end of 2017.
Current Missions
The wing moved from a manned fighter wing to a multi-mission unit, including the operation of
Remotely Piloted Aircraft
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controlle ...
, an
ISR group, and a
cyber operations
Cyberwarfare is the use of computer technology to disrupt the activities of a state or organization, especially the deliberate attacking of information systems for strategic or military purposes. As a major developed economy, the United States i ...
squadron, adding them to the unit's distributed training operations center.
The 132nd Operations Group operates 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 ...
, a remotely piloted aircraft. Aircrew based and physically located in Des Moines carry out missions in all corners of the world. These aircrews provide real-time full-motion video and flexible strike capabilities to combatant commanders around the globe.
The 132nd ISR Group provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance research and analysis capabilities to enable combatant commanders' planning and operational decision making. Through the use of intelligence information and training, the analysts of this group determine the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy target complex and pass that information off to Weaponeers who determine the best aim point and weapon to achieve the desired target destruction. As part of the 25th Air Force, the 132 ISRG received the
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
The Air Force Meritorious Unit Award or MUA is a mid level unit award of the United States Air Force. Established in 2004, the award recognizes those units who demonstrate exceptionally meritorious conduct in direct support of combat operations. E ...
in late 2017, 2018, and 2020 for participation in targeting operations worldwide.
The 168th Cyberspace Operations Squadron is tasked with analyzing and protecting networks and systems by determining vulnerabilities and implementing solutions.
The Distributed Training Operations Center (DTOC) is the
Iowa Air National Guard
The Iowa Air National Guard (IA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Iowa, United States of America. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Iowa Air ...
center for
Distributed Mission Operations (located in
Des Moines
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
). It operates as a wing detachment. Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) is a component of the Air Force Training Transformation initiative. While the center organizes DMO events primarily for Air National Guard and
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 ...
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
s, DTOC also facilitates training between Air National Guard fighter pilots and warfighters in the U.S. Army, Air Force Reserve, Navy, and allied forces.
The center also has the capability to include non-virtual assets into the simulation, allowing pilots in physical aircraft to participate in the exercises. Such virtual training exercises save the Air Force substantial funds over gathering assets for real-life exercises.
Lineage
![365 fighter gp](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/365_fighter_gp.png)
*Constituted as
365th Fighter Group 365th may refer to:
*365th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit
*365th Electronic Warfare Group previously 1st Search Attack Group, United States Army Air Forces unit that served during World War II. 365 EWG was a 'paper' des ...
on 27 April 1943
: Activated on 15 May 1943
: Inactivated on 22 September 1945
* Re-designated
132nd Fighter Group, and allotted to Iowa Air National Guard on 24 May 1946
: Extended federal recognition on 23 Aug 1946
: Ordered into active service on 1 April 1951
: Re-designated
132nd Fighter-Bomber Group 1 June 1951
: Relieved from active service and returned, less personnel and equipment, to Iowa ANG, 1 January 1953
: Re-designated:
132nd Fighter-Interceptor Group on 1 Jul 1958
: Re-designated:
132nd Tactical Fighter Group on 2 Aug 1969
: Status changed from Group to Wing, 15 Mar 1992
: Re-designated:
132nd Fighter Wing
The 132nd Wing, sometimes written 132d Wing, (132 WG) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Iowa Air National Guard and located at Des Moines Air National Guard Base, Iowa. The 132nd's World War II predecessor unit, the ''365th Fight ...
on 15 Mar 1992
: Re-designated: 132nd Wing on 7 Mar 2015
Assignments
*
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 ...
, 15 May 1943
: Attached to:
Philadelphia Fighter Wing
The Philadelphia Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania, where it was inactivated on 3 April 1946.
History
The wing was a W ...
, 19 July – 4 December 1943
*
70th Fighter Wing
The 70th Fighter Wing (70th FW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Neubiberg Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 25 September 1947.
History
Established ...
: Attached to:
IX Air Service Command, 22 December 1943
*
84th Fighter Wing
: Attached to:
IX Tactical Air Command
The IX Tactical Air Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It fought in the European theater of World War II. Its last assignment was at Camp Shanks, New York, where it was inactivated on 25 October 1945.
History
Formed ...
, 1 August 1944
*
70th Fighter Wing
The 70th Fighter Wing (70th FW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Neubiberg Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 25 September 1947.
History
Established ...
: Attached to:
IX Tactical Air Command
The IX Tactical Air Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It fought in the European theater of World War II. Its last assignment was at Camp Shanks, New York, where it was inactivated on 25 October 1945.
History
Formed ...
, 1 October 1944
*
XIX Tactical Air Command
The XIX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The unit's last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force based at Biggs Field, Texas, where it was inactivated on 31 March 1946.
During World War II, the mission of the ...
, 16 January 1945
*
IX Tactical Air Command
The IX Tactical Air Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It fought in the European theater of World War II. Its last assignment was at Camp Shanks, New York, where it was inactivated on 25 October 1945.
History
Formed ...
, 1 February – 11 September 1945
*
Army Service Forces
The Army Service Forces was one of the three autonomous components of the United States Army during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces, created on 9 March 1942. By dividing the Army into three large comman ...
(for inactivation), 20–22 September 1945
*
71st Fighter Wing
The 71st Fighter Wing (71 FW) is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri. It was withdrawn from the Missouri Air National Guard (MO ANG) and inactivated on 31 October 1950.
This win ...
, 23 August 1946
*
131st Composite Wing, 1 November 1950
*
Iowa Air National Guard
The Iowa Air National Guard (IA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Iowa, United States of America. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Iowa Air ...
, 1 March 1951
: 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 ...
*
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 April 1951
*
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 1951
*
Iowa Air National Guard
The Iowa Air National Guard (IA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Iowa, United States of America. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in the Iowa Air ...
, 1 January 1953
: 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 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 ...
, 1 July 1958
: 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 ...
, 2 August 1969
: 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
Components
World War II
*
386th Fighter Squadron (D5), 15 May 1943 – 22 September 1945
*
387th Fighter Squadron (B4), 15 May 1943 – 22 September 1945
*
388th Fighter Squadron (C4), 15 May 1943 – 22 September 1945
Iowa Air National Guard
* 132nd Operations Group, 15 March 1992 – Present
*
124th Fighter Squadron
The 124th Attack Squadron is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 132d Wing. It is assigned to Des Moines International Airport (Des Moines ANGB), Iowa and was formerly equipped with F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The unit is reequipping with t ...
24 May 1946 – Present
*
174th Fighter Squadron
The 174th Air Refueling Squadron (174th ARS) is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 185th Air Refueling Wing. It is assigned to Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Iowa and is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft.
History World War ...
, 24 May 1946 – 30 September 1962 (GSU Sioux City IA)
*
173rd Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron, 24 May 1946 – 1 Jul 1960 (Nebraska ANG)
Stations
*
Richmond AAB,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, 15 May 1943
*
Langley Field Langley may refer to:
People
* Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name
* Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer
* Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perform ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, 19 July 1943
*
Dover AAFld,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
, ; 11 August 1943
*
Richmond AAB,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, 18 November – 4 December 1943
*
RAF Gosfield
Royal Air Force Gosfield or more simply RAF Gosfield is a former Royal Air Force station in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately north of Braintree; about north-northeast of London
Opened in 1943, it was used by both th ...
(AAF-154), England, 22 December 1943
*
RAF Beaulieu
Royal Air Force Beaulieu or more simply RAF Beaulieu is a former Royal Air Force station in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408. It is located next to the villa ...
(AAF-408), England, 5 March 1944
*
Azeville Airfield
Azeville/Fontenay (Azeville) Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Azeville in the Normandy region of northern France.
Located just outside Azeville, the United States Army Air Force est ...
(A-7), France, 28 June 1944
*
Lignerolles Airfield
Lignerolles Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield near the commune of Lignerolles in the Normandy region of northern France.
Located to the south and east of Lignerolles, the United States Army Air Force established a tempora ...
(A-12), France, 15 August 1944
*
Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, 3 September 1944
*
Juvincourt Airfield
Juvincourt Airfield is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the Communes of France, commune of Juvincourt-et-Damary in the Aisne Departments of France, department of northern France.
Built originally as a grass airfield by the ...
(A-68), France, 15 September 1944
*
Chievres Airfield (A-84),
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, 4 October 1944
*
Metz Airfield
Metz-Frescaty Air Base (french: Base aérienne 128 Metz-Frescaty) was a front-line French Air Force french: Armée de l'Air (ALA) base. The base is located approximately south-southwest of Metz (Département de la Moselle, Lorraine), about eas ...
(Y-34), France, 27 December 1944
*
Florennes/Juzaine Airfield
Florennes Air Base is a Belgian Air Component military airfield located east southeast of Florennes, a Walloon municipality of Belgium. It is home to the 2nd Tactical Wing, operating F-16 Fighting Falcons. It also used to be the home to the Ta ...
(A-78),
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, 30 January 1945
*
Aachen Airfield
Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th ...
(Y-46), Germany, 16 March 1945
*
Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, 13 April 1945
*
Suippes
Suippes () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. It was part of the so-called ''la Champagne pouilleuse'', a region battered by conflict during World War I. In the early months of the war, British soldiers were deployed he ...
, France, (Ground Echelon) c. 29 July 1945
*
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, , Belgium, (Ground Echelon) c. 22 August – 11 September 1945
*
Camp Myles Standish
Camp Myles Standish was a U.S. Army camp located in Taunton, Massachusetts during World War II. It was the main staging area for the Boston Port of Embarkation, with about a million U.S. and Allied soldiers passing through the camp on their wa ...
,
, 20–22 September 1945
*
Des Moines MAP (later Des Moines Air National Guard Base), Iowa, 23 Aug 1946–present
: Operated from:
Dow AFB
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 Arm ...
, Maine, 1 April 1951 – 5 November 1952
: Operated from:
Alexandria AFB
England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located northwest of Alexandria and about northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Ai ...
, Louisiana, 5 November 1952 – 1 January 1953
Aircraft
*
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
, 1943–1945
*
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 ...
, 1946-1949
*
F-84B 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 ...
, 1949-1951
*
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 ...
, 1951-1953
*
F-80C Shooting Star, 1953-1956
*
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 ...
, 1956-1958
*
F-86L Sabre Interceptor
The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...
, 1958-1962
*
F-89J Scorpion, 1962-1969
*
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. ...
, 1969-1971
*
F-100 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 ...
, 1971-1977
*
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 ...
, 1977-1992
*
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
, 1992–2013
*
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 ...
, 2013–present
Commanders
References
*
*
* Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
* Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle
* Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
* Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
External links
*
remembrances from the 365th Fighter Group Association Website
{{Iowa
Wings of the United States Air National Guard
Military units and formations in Iowa
132
Military units and formations established in 1950
Military units and formations established in 1943