New Castle Air National Guard Base
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New Castle National Guard Base is a
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...
installation under the control of the
Delaware Air National Guard The Delaware Air National Guard (DE ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Delaware, United States of America. It is, along with the Delaware Army National Guard, an element of the Delaware National Guard. As state militia units, the units ...
, located at
New Castle Airport Wilmington Airport (formerly known as New Castle Airport, New Castle County Airport, sometimes referred to as Wilmington-New Castle Airport, or to a lesser extent Wilmington/Philadelphia Regional Airport and Greater Wilmington Airport) is an a ...
in
New Castle County New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of the ...
, Delaware.


Overview

The base is the home of the 166th Airlift Wing (166 AW) of the
Delaware Air National Guard The Delaware Air National Guard (DE ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Delaware, United States of America. It is, along with the Delaware Army National Guard, an element of the Delaware National Guard. As state militia units, the units ...
. The wing is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). Operating eight permanently assigned, Lockheed C-130 H2 Hercules transport aircraft, the wing provides the
U.S. 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 Sign ...
with tactical airlift and air and land drop of troops, cargo and passengers and aeromedical evacuation of patients anywhere in the world. The installation is located on 79.6 acres and includes 44 buildings totaling 256,534 square feet. The normal population of the installation is 294 full-time Active Guard Reserve (AGR) and
Air Reserve Technician Program Air Reserve Technicians, commonly referred to as ARTs, are a nucleus of full-time uniformed U.S. Air Force leaders, managers, operators, planners and trainers in what is known as the Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force, the AR ...
(ART) personnel, but surges to 1150 personnel one weekend per month. The aircraft of the 166th have seen duty in Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990/1991), Operation Just Cause in Panama (1989), Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia (1995), and as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Additionally, the wing has a civil engineer / Base Engineer Emergency Force (Prime BEEF) function, the 166th Civil Engineer Squadron (166 CES) and a network warfare unit (the 166th Network Warfare Squadron) (166 NWS).


History


World War II

Previously called the Wilmington Airport and the Greater Wilmington Airport, the property was taken over by 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 ...
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 ...
. Under USAAF control, the airport was renamed New Castle Army Air Base. Opened in May 1943, New Castle AAB was assigned to the
Air Corps Ferrying 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 ...
2d Ferrying Group with the 552d Army Air Forces Base Unit being the host unit in charge of the base and its facilities. The primary mission of the airfield was to facilitate the movement of aircraft overseas for delivery to the British and other Allies. Members of the historic
Women Airforce Service Pilots The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (also Women's Army Service Pilots or Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots) was a civilian women pilots' organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. Members of WASP became t ...
(WASP). WASPs served as test and ferry pilots and towed targets for student gunners. There is a statue today at the airport that honors the women of WASP that served their country in the time of need. On 30 June 1945, the 1596th AAF Base Unit replaced the 552d AAFBU and the 2d Ferrying group was replaced by the 2d Foreign Transport Group. The mission of the base was changed to being responsible for overseas air transport of passengers and air cargo.


Continental Air Command

With the general drawdown of the Air Force after the war, New Castle Airport became a joint-use base, with civilian aircraft operating from the airfield as an airport. The 328th Troop Carrier squadron was activated at the base on 1 July 1946. It operated C-47 transports from the airfield. On 1 September 1949, the military facilities at the airport were assigned to
Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary augm ...
(ConAC) and the Air Force Reserve's 512th Air Base Group became the host unit, remaining so until 31 January 1951 when it was reassigned to Reading Municipal Airport,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
,. During its tenure as host unit, the Air Force Reserve and the 512th Troop Carrier Group operated
C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
s (325th, 326th, 327th and 328th Troop Carrier Squadrons) returned from Reading after it closed as a reserve facility. The 512th was activated to Federal Service on 1 April 1951 due to 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 ...
. Its personnel and aircraft were reassigned as fillers to active duty units and the group was inactivated two weeks later. The 512th ABG was replaced by the Federalized
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 ...
Air National Guard's 113th Air Base Group, becoming the host unit on 1 February 1951. The mission of the 113th was to organize, administer, equip, train and prepare assigned ANG personnel for combat and to maintain a level of operational effectiveness. With its activation ended in 1952, the 113th was replaced by the 82d Air Base squadron on 2 January 1952. The 512th TCG was re-formed in the Air Force Reserve on 14 June 1952, being at New Castle Airport as a reserve unit until 20 Jul 1958 when it was reassigned to
Willow Grove Air Reserve Station Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove or NASJRB Willow Grove was a Naval Air Station owned by the U.S. Navy and located in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States four miles (6 km) northwest of the ce ...
, Pennsylvania.


Air Defense Command

In 1950 the facility was renamed New Castle Air Force Base, with 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 ...
(EADF), Air Defense Command (ADC), assuming jurisdiction of New Castle AFB on 1 September 1950. On 8 September 1950, the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, equipped with the F-86A Sabre was reassigned to New Castle AFB, giving the airfield an air-superiority mission. The 4th FIW was deployed to
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
on 10 November 1950, with a mission to counter the MiG threat in the skies of
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. The 4th FIW became the top MiG-killing organization 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 ...
. In addition to the 4th FIW, the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was activated on the base in 1950, initially flying
F-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
s, and in 1952, being replaced by
F-94 Starfire The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached ope ...
s.Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1). In 1952, the 334th was involved in a UFO incident when its interceptors were scrambled to intercept unknown objects detected flying over Washington, D.C. On 10 February 1951, the Federalized
District of Columbia Air National Guard The District of Columbia Air National Guard (DC ANG) is the aerial militia and Air Force reserve organization of the District of Columbia, United States of America. It is, along with the District of Columbia Army National Guard, an element of the ...
's 113th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was moved to the base from
Andrews AFB 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, and the 113th Air Base Group was designated as the host unit at New Castle AFB. The 113th FIG controlled the Delaware ANG's 142d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which operated F-84C Thunderjet interceptors. The 142d was upgraded to the
F-94B Starfire The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached ope ...
on 1 October 1951 and the Air National Guard unit was returned to State of Delaware control on 1 November 1952. With the departure of the Federalized ANG, ADC activated the 4710th Air Defense Wing on 1 February 1952. With its activation, the base was assigned 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 ...
's 26th Air Division. In addition, plans were made to elevate the base to a full USAF installation.USAFHRA document 00461787
/ref> The 96th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron replaced the 142 FIS on 1 November, inheriting the Starfires used by the Air Guardsmen, and the 525th Air Defense Group became the operational component of the 4710 ADW on 16 February 1953. A second F-94C squadron, the 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, joined the group on 27 March 1953. In 1955, under "Project Arrow", the 525 ADG was re-designated the
82d Fighter-Interceptor Group The 82nd Operations Group (82 OG) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 82nd Training Wing, stationed at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. It was inactivated on 31 March 1993. The Group's history goes back to J ...
. Project Arrow was an ADC program to reactivate notable World War II combat units and the squadrons were redesignated as the 95th and
96th Fighter-Interceptor squadron The 96th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 47th Flying Training Wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. It operates T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II, and T-38 Talon aircraft ...
s, concurrently upgrading to the F-94Cs.


Base Housing

The base housing which was home to military personnel 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 ...
(1950-1953) was purchased in 1956 by
New Castle County, Delaware New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of th ...
and reopened for civilian housing. It was designated as Airport Villa, Delaware, and remained a viable neighborhood from 1956 to about 1982 when it was demolished to make room for government buildings.


Delaware Air National Guard

In 1957, it was announced that Air Defense Command would be reducing its forces at New Castle AFB, with the air defense mission at the base being turned over to the
Delaware Air National Guard The Delaware Air National Guard (DE ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Delaware, United States of America. It is, along with the Delaware Army National Guard, an element of the Delaware National Guard. As state militia units, the units ...
. The 96th and 97th FIS were inactivated on 30 November, with the 82d FIG being inactivated on 8 January 1958. The base was redesignated an Air National Guard facility and renamed New Castle Air National Guard Base, with the facility being turned over to Delaware state control. New Castle ANGB came under the control of the 142nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron, which flew F-86F Sabres. On 10 November 1958 the unit was redesignated the 142nd Tactical Fighter Squadron and was reassigned from Air Defense Command to Tactical Air Command (TAC). On 7 April 1962, the Delaware Air National Guard enlarged to "group status" as the 166th Air Transport Group and was reassigned from the Tactical Air Command to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS). The Delaware Air National Guard gave up its F-86 jets for the four engine
C-97 Stratocruiser The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the B-29 and B-50 bombers. Design work began in 1942, the first of three prototype XC-97s flew on 9 November 1944 (none saw combat), and the first of s ...
+. On 22 October 1962 a new unit "142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Flight," was added to the Delaware Air National Guard. During the period from 1964 to 1974, the Delaware Air National Guard flew missions to Vietnam. In September 1965, only three years after receiving the C-97, the Delaware Air National Guard received the McCallister Trophy as the Air National Guard Outstanding Transport Unit. In 1966, operational claimancy shifted to
Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of th ...
(MAC) following MATS redesignation as MAC. On 9 April 1968, the Delaware Air National Guard was called to state duty to quell civil disturbance and violence in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. The unit was released from state duty after several weeks. However, many individuals remained on state duty through 20 January 1969. On 12 May 1971 the Delaware ANG changed its name from the 166th Military Airlift Group to the 166th Tactical Airlift Group and replaced its C-97s with C-130A "Hercules" prop-jet cargo plane, and began transition from the Military Airlift Command back to the Tactical Airlift Command. This would change again in 1975, from TAC back to the MAC, when TAC transferred all of its C-130 units to MAC. During the period 16 August 1990 through October 1990, three aircraft, with supporting crews and many volunteers of the Delaware Air National Guard, participated in Operation Desert Shield. On 25 January 1991 selected units of the Delaware Air National Guard were activated to Federal status for the Persian Gulf War known as "Operation Desert Storm," (8 planes with crews and maintenance and support personnel.) A majority of the unit was stationed at
Al Kharj Air Base Prince Sultan Air Base ( ar, قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية) (PSAB) is a military air base located in the closed-city of Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. History There was formerly a large United States presence there during Opera ...
, Saudi Arabia. Over 150 personnel deployed to six other locations in Europe and two stateside bases. On June 30, 1991, the units/personnel were released from active duty performed in support of the Persian Gulf War. Another name change occurred on 16 March 1992 when the 166th Tactical Airlift Group (166 TAG) was redesignated the 166th Airlift Group (166 AG) and the 142nd Tactical Airlift Squadron (142 TAS) was redesignated the 142nd Airlift Squadron (142 AS). In conjunction, the unit's gaining command, Military Airlift Command (MAC) was redesignated the Air Mobility Command (AMC). In the mid-1990s, claimancy of the 166 AG shifted from AMC to
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 ...
(ACC). Shortly thereafter, New Castle ANGB appeared on the
Base Realignment and Closure Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process by a United States federal government commission to increase United States Department of Defense efficiency by coordinating the realignment and closure of military installations following the end ...
(BRAC) Commission list in a context which would have effectively grounded the 166th Airlift Wing. Further, New Castle ANGB was among those targeted for closure by the Pentagon effective in May 2005. However, by the late 1990s, a reversal in the fate of the base had been realized and in excess of $130 million in Federal funds had been allocated for capital projects for base improvement. On 1 April 1997 the operational gaining command of the Delaware Air National Guard changed again from Air Combat Command and back to the Air Mobility Command (AMC).


Major units assigned

* Delaware Air National Guard, 1946–Present * 328th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1946-1949 * 512th Troop Carrier Group, 1949–1951; 1952-1958 * 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1950 * 113th Fighter-Interceptor 1951-1952 * 4710th Air Defense Wing, 1952-1957 * 525th Air Defense Group, 1952-1955 * 82d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1955-1957


See also

*
Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons The second iteration of Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) was established on 21 March 1946 as a component of the United States Army Air Forces, with the mission of planning for and executing the air defense of the United States. Air Defense Command ...
*
Delaware World War II Army Airfields During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces had two major airfields in Delaware. They were: * Dover Army Air Field, 4 miles southeast of Dover, Delaware * Assigned to First Air Force * 18th Observation Squadron (65th Obsn Gp), 2 March ...
*
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 ...


References

* 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 * 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,
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. . * {{Aerospace Defense Command, state=collapsed Military airbases established in 1943 Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Delaware Military installations in Delaware Buildings and structures in New Castle County, Delaware Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command in North America Installations of the United States Air National Guard ja:ニューカッスル空港