Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station 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 ...

base, located at

Pittsburgh International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pittsbur ...

, Pennsylvania. It is located west-northwest of

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

Overview

Pittsburgh IAP ARS is the home station of 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 ...

's (AFRC)

911th Airlift Wing The 911th Airlift Wing is an Air Mobility Command-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), based out of Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station at the Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania. Overview The 911th Airlift Wing's missi ...

(911 AW). The 911 AW is part of the 4th Air Force, and its 758th Airlift Squadron flies eight

C-17A Globemaster III The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...

strategic airlift aircraft. It includes approximately 1,220 Air Force Reserve members. The unit employs approximately 320 civilians, including more than 180 Air Reserve Technicians (ART) holding dual civilian and military positions. If mobilization occurs, 911 AW units deploy as part of the

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 ...

. The 911 AW hosts an average of 20 military flight operations per week in its role as host to the region's defense center. The 171st Air Refueling Wing (171 ARW) of the

Pennsylvania Air National Guard The Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. As commonw ...

on the airport's southwestern side is also an

(AMC)-gained organization and operates sixteen

KC-135T 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 ...

air refueling aircraft, providing air refueling and air mobility/strategic airlift services worldwide. The 171 ARW is one of three flying wings in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and has over 400 full-time staff, consisting of Active Guard and Reserve (AGR), dual civilian-military status Air Reserve Technicians (ART) and other USAF civilians, as well as over 1,000 "traditional" part-time

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 ...

personnel.

Civil Air Patrol

One of the first

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...

(CAP) Aviation Cadet Programs in the United States was established at the then-Pittsburgh Army Air Base in 1943. Since then, the CAP has had a continuous presence on the Air Reserve Station and is considered a Flagship Unit. As a key partner with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units on Base, the CAP Squadron was a founding member of the Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show and hosts an annual family picnic for Air Force and military families in the Metro Pittsburgh area.

Wings over Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's military heritage is also rekindled each summer as the complex hosts one of the largest air shows on the east coast, Wings over Pittsburgh. The first show was held on 4 and 5 June 2000. Roughly 200,000 spectators attended the two-day show in 2005. The military end of the airport complex has also been mentioned as the best relocation site for the region's

Base Exchange An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls. Exact terminology varies by armed service; some examp ...

(BX), operated by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). The 2008 scheduled closing of the nearby Charles E. Kelley Support Facility and its Post Exchange (PX) brought PIT the opportunity to host the new BX facility on its military side.

History

Founded as a military airfield for the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

to answer the region's defense needs 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 opposin ...

, the airfield was a key training facility for Army Air Force

Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...

Aircrews. The 6th Ferrying Service Detachment was activated at the airfield on 15 July 1943, providing repair facilities for aircraft in transit between manufacturing facilities on the West Coast and Midwest to East Coast aerial ports for delivery to overseas units. Also, the 60th College Training Detachment (

Army Air Forces Training Command The United States Army Air Forces during World War II had major subordinate Commands below the Air Staff level. These Commands were organized along functional missions. One such Command was the Flying Training Command (FTC). It began as Air Corp ...

) provided military training at the airfield. After the war, Pittsburgh Municipal Airport became a part of the

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, 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 ...

, with the 444th Army Air Force (Later Air Force) Reserve Training Detachment being established at the civil airport. In January 1951 the USAF

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 ...

(ADC) established the active-duty 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at the airport, to provide for the air defense of the Greater Pittsburgh area. During this time the Squadron was led by the legendary

Robin Olds Robin Olds (July 14, 1922 – June 14, 2007) was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the United States Air Force (USAF). He was a " triple ace", with a combined total of 17 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. Que ...

. The unit was equipped with

F-86A 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 Sov ...

interceptors and was under the command of the

1st Fighter-Interceptor Wing The 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, VA. where it is a tenant unit, being supported by the 633d Air Base Wing. Its 1 ...

George AFB George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. Established by the United States Army Air Co ...

, California, being detached to the

Eastern Air Defense Force The Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960. History EADF was ...

Stewart AFB Stewart may refer to: People *Stewart (name), Scottish surname and given name *Clan Stewart, a Scottish clan *Clan Stewart of Appin, a Scottish clan Places Canada *Stewart, British Columbia *Stewart Township, Nipissing District, Ontario (histor ...

, New York. In February 1953, ADC activated the 500th Air Defense Group at PIT, along with several support squadrons to support the interceptors, which were upgraded to the

F-86D 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 ...

model in March. In 1955 the 71st FIS was re-designated as the 42d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, the 500th ADG being re designated as the

54th Fighter Group The 54th Fighter Group is an active unit of the United States Air Force stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and assigned to the 49th Wing of Air Education and Training Command. The group was reactivated in March 2014. The group was ...

(Air Defense), to honor notable World War II units.A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado In 1947, the PA ANG

112th Fighter Group Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12 * one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *'' ...

was formed at Pittsburgh Airport, its origins being the

350th Fighter Group. A component of

, the 146th Fighter Squadron operated various types of interceptors until 1975, when it was re-equipped with

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 ...

s and became part of

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 ...

. In 1991, the 112th was re-designated as an Air Refueling Group and became part of

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

(SAC). In June 1992 it was reassigned to

upon the inactivation of SAC. The 112th ARG was inactivated on 1 October 1993, with the 146th ARS transferring to the 171st Air Refueling Wing.

References

* Maurer, Maurer. ''Air Force Combat Units Of World War II''. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ) * * Ravenstein, Charles A. ''Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977''.

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 (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

: Office of Air Force History 1984.

External links