A C-130 Hercules from the 136th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron flies over rugged Afghan landscape on its way to delivering supplies to a forward operating base in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan,
The New York Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of New York, United States of America. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard.
A squadron in air force, army aviation, or naval aviation is a unit comprising a number of military aircraft and their aircrews, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force. Land based squadrons equipped with heavier type aircraft such as long-range bombers, cargo aircraft, or air refueling tankers have around 12 aircraft as a typical authorization, while most land-based fighter equipped units have an authorized number of 18 to 24 aircraft.
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa operations and support activities in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command's areas of responsibility.
The Desert Training Center (DTC), also known as California-Arizona Maneuver Area (CAMA), was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert, largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942.
After the A-24 was taken out of combat service, the squadron trained with Bell P-39 Airacobras and became combat ready as the 503d Fighter-Bomber Squadron, and became part of VIII Fighter Command in England in April 1944. It re-equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs, with a mission to escort Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers during its first five weeks of operations, and afterwards flew escort missions to cover the operations of medium and heavy bombers that struck strategic objectives, interdicted the enemy's communications, or supported operations on the ground.
The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal American fighter aircraft in service when the United States entered World War II. The P-39 was used by the Soviet Air Force, and enabled individual Soviet pilots to collect the highest number of kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type flown by any air force in any conflict. Other major users of the type included the Free French, the Royal Air Force, the United States Army Air Forces, and the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force.
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 and control of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Theater, its primary mission was air superiority. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington,
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October.
The squadron frequently strafed airfields and other targets of opportunity while on escort missions. Provided fighter cover over the English Channel and the coast of Normandy during the invasion of France in June 1944. Strafed and dive-bombed vehicles, locomotives, marshalling yards, anti-aircraft batteries, and troops while Allied forces fought to break out of the beachhead in France. It attacked transportation targets as Allied armies drove across France after the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July. The 503d flew area patrols during Operation Market-Garden, the airborne attack on the Netherlands in September. It escorted bombers to, and flew patrols, over the battle area during the German counterattack in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), December 1944 – January 1945. It provided area patrols during Operation Varsity, the assault across the Rhine in March 1945. The squadron returned to the United States in October and was inactivated on 18 October 1945.
Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. Less commonly, the term can be used—by extension—to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft using smaller-caliber weapons and targeting stationary or slow-moving targets.
The English Channel, also called simply the Channel, is the body of water that separates Southern England from northern France and links the southern part of the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is the busiest shipping area in the world.
Normandy is the northwesternmost of the 18 regions of France, roughly referring to the historical Duchy of Normandy.
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.
The mission of the 136th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Western New York. Aircraft parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an aircraft and go flying. However, the unit also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score at least as well or better than active-duty USAF units, given the fact that most Guard pilots were World War II combat veterans.
South Korea is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. The name Korea is derived from Goguryeo which was one of the great powers in East Asia during its time, ruling most of the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria, parts of the Russian Far East and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great. Its capital, Seoul, is a major global city and half of South Korea's over 51 million people live in the Seoul Capital Area, the fourth largest metropolitan economy in the world.
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force as well as the militia air force of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It, along with each state's, district's, commonwealth's or territory's Army National Guard component, makes up the National Guard of each state and the districts, commonwealths and territories as applicable.
The Maine Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Maine, United States of America. It is, along with the Maine Army National Guard, an element of the Maine National Guard.
The unit was reformed at Niagara Falls by 1 January 1953 and was re-equipped with the F-51H Mustang very long range fighter. The air defense mission for western New York remained and the unit resumed normal peacetime training and drills. In 1954, the Mustang was ending its service life and Air Defense Command was re-equipping its fighter-interceptor squadrons with jet aircraft. The 136th received F-94B Starfires, however the F-94 required a two-man aircrew a pilot and an air observer to operate its radar equipment. Trainees for the radar assignment had to attend regular Air Force training schools, and required virtually the same qualifications as the pilot trainees. The additional recruitment of guardsmen led to the units having a manning and capabilities problem that lasted for some time until the unit was returned to full readiness.
In 1956, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was reorganized and redesignated as the 107th Air Defense Wing. The reorganization resulted in the activation of two new fighter groups, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group was redesignated the 107th Fighter Group (AD) and moved from Niagara Falls to Hancock Field in Syracuse, although the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron remained at Niagara Falls and was assigned directly to the wing. The F-86H Sabre replaced the F-94B Starfires in 1957.
Tactical Air Command
136th TFS F-100C 54-1914 about 1960
A major change to the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in 1958 was the transition from an Air Defense Command mission to Tactical Air Command (TAC) and a tactical fighter mission, with the 136th being redesignated as the 137th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The new assignment involved a change in the squadron's training mission to include high-altitude interception, air-to-ground rocketry, ground strafing and tactical bombing. The squadron retained F-86H Sabres until 1960, when TAC replaced the F-86H with the F-100C Super Sabre.
In 1962, the 107th Tactical Fighter Group moved back to Niagara Falls, with the activation of the 174th Tactical Fighter Group at Syracuse and the 136th was again assigned to it. Six F-100 fighters of the 136th deployed to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii in 1965 for Operation Tropic Lighting I. The squadron provided close air support for jungle warfare training of the U. S. Army's 25th Division in Hawaii prior to their combat deployment to South Vietnam The Niagara jets were flown across the Pacific and refueled twice in flight, marking the first time an Air National Guard unit has performed such a mission.
136th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-100s after their return from Tuy Hoa Air Base, now in camouflage paint, 1969
In January 1968, the 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron was federalized in the wake of the USS Pueblo crisis. It first deployed to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida for gunnery and close air ground support training in April. In June, the squadron moved to Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam to reinforce the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing. It was joined at Tuy Hoa by the New Mexico ANG188th Tactical Fighter Squadron. In South Vietnam, the squadron carried the tail code "SG" on its F-100s. From Tuy Hoa, the squadron conducted combat operations, carried out interdiction strikes, conducted visual and photo reconnaissance, rescue combat air patrols, and suppressed enemy antiaircraft artillery. The squadron also conducted air operations against enemy forces during the 1968 Tet Offensive and the Siege of Khe Sanh from February–April 1968. It flew close air support missions during the extraction of friendly troops from Kham Duc on 12 May 1968.
In South Vietnam, three squadron members were awarded the Purple Heart; one the Distinguished Flying Cross; and 43 received Air Medals. The New York State Medal of Valor was awarded posthumously to Captain Joseph L'Hullier of the 136th for heroism in Vietnam. Captain L'Hullier became the first New York Air National Guardsman to be killed in action while on active duty with a mobilized Air Guard organization since World War II. He died while on a combat fighter support mission. The squadron was returned to its home base of Niagara Falls in late May and returned to state control on 11 June 1969. In a final, moving tribute to their four fallen comrades - three pilots of the 136th killed in training, and one in action - F-100s from the 169th Tactical Fighter Group, South Carolina Air National Guard, flew over the demobilization ceremonies in the "missing man" formation.
NORAD Air Defense
136th FIS F-101F 58-0262 about 1975
The 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron returned to an air defense mission in June 1971 when it received F-101B Voodoo interceptors and rejoined Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM). In 1972, after the completion of the transition to the Voodoo from the F-100s, the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron began operating on a 24-hour-a-day, 365 days a year alert as part of North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). In 1979, ADCOM was inactivated and the air defense mission was assumed by Tactical Air Command. The 107th FIG became gained by Air Defense, Tactical Air Command, which functioned at the Numbered Air Force echelon of TAC. In 1981 the 136th was re-equipped with F-4C Phantom IIs and in 1982 returned to NORAD alert status.
The 136th received more advanced F-4D Phantom IIs in 1986. Beginning in July, a detachment was formed to provide air defense alert at Charleston AFB, South Carolina. With the detachment at Charleston, the 136th was on a 24/365 alert over a 1,480 mile round-trip area. Interceptors from Charleston monitored Soviet Air ForceTupolev Tu-95 "Bear" Bombers flying down the Atlantic seacoast to and from airfields in Cuba. The 136th also deployed to Ramstein Air Base, West Germany to perform an Air Defense Alert Mission in Operation Creek Klaxon. Squadrons from he Air National Guard rotated deployments and stood alert duties for just over a year at Ramstein while the resident 86th Tactical Fighter Wing converted to F-16C/D Fighting Falcons. The 86 TFW resumed alert duties on 1 April 1987.
136th FIS McDonnell F-4C-19-MC Phantom 63-7541, about 1983
The 136th replaced its Vietnam Era F-4D Phantom II fighter aircraft with 20 Block 15 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters configured as air defense fighters in 1990. Personnel and aircraft deployed to Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida, taking advantage of the better weather conditions to accelerate the F-16 conversion.
Due to its air defense commitment, the 136th was not mobilized during the 1991 Gulf Crisis. However, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group deployed firefighter and medical personnel as backfilled personnel to stateside bases vacated by active-duty personnel deployed to the Middle East.
In 1992, the 136th was redesignated as the 136th Fighter Squadron. On 1 October 1995, the Air National Guard adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan, and the squadron was assigned to the new 107th Operations Group.
Modern era
136th Air Refueling Squadron - Boeing KC-135R-BN Stratotanker 64-14839
With the arrival of the KC-135R Stratotanker in March 1994, the 136th Fighter Squadron converted from an air defense mission to aerial refueling and was redesignated as the 136th Air Refueling Squadron. The 136th provided support for worldwide air refueling missions. When called upon, the 136th also used the KC-135R as a cargo and passenger transport.
In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation.
In November 2007, the 107th was notified that it would become an airlift unit. This was directed by the Base Realignment and Closure of 2005. It became an associate unit to the Air Force Reserve Command914th Airlift Wing, already based at Niagara Falls. The 914th has had responsibility for the C-130H2 Hercules aircraft used by the 136th, and airmen from both units jointly operate them. With this change, the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station received additional C-130 aircraft from the Tennessee Air National Guard's 118th Airlift Wing in Nashville. Tennessee. The 136th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
During Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012, members of the unit deployed to New York City and Long Island to assist in recovery operations. The unit was deployed first to Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh and then traveled to Peekskill, which is in Westchester County. As part of the recovery effort, unit members performed road clearing, traffic control, helping displaced personnel with feeding and getting them back in their housing and getting them out of flood-stricken areas.
It was announced in early 2012 that federal budget reductions would affect the mission of the 107th Airlift Wing. The future of the unit is presently being discussed by New York representatives and the Air Force.
Lineage
136th EAS Operation Iraqi Freedom patch, 2009Legacy emblem of the World War II 503d Fighter Squadron
Constituted as the 482d Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 3 August 1942
Activated on 10 August 1942
Redesignated 503d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943
Redesignated 503d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 30 May 1944
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Redesignated: 136th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine and allotted to the National Guard on 24 May 1946.
Activated and received federal recognition on 8 December 1948
Federalized and ordered to active service on 2 March 1951
Redesignated 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron c. 2 March 1951
Inactivated and released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 1 December 1952
Activated on 1 December 1952
Redesignated: 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Special Delivery) on 10 November 1958
Redesignated: 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron c. 15 October 1962
Federalized and ordered to active service on 26 January 1968
Inactivated, released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 11 June 1969
Redesignated 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 June 1971
Redesignated 136th Fighter Squadron on 16 March 1992
Redesignated 136th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 July 1994
Redesignated 136th Airlift Squadron on 1 July 2008
The 109th Airlift Wing is a unit of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at Stratton Air National Guard Base, Schenectady, New York. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 108th Wing is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard, one of the many units stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 103d Airlift Wing is a unit of the Connecticut Air National Guard, stationed at Bradley Air National Guard Base at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, the 103 AW is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC).
The 121st Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 113th Wing, known as the "Capital Guardians", is a unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. If activated to federal service, the fighter portion of the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command, while the airlift portion is gained by Air Mobility Command.
The 136th Airlift Wing is a unit of the Texas Air National Guard, stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force's Air Mobility Command (AMC).
The 507th Air Refueling Wing is a reserve component flying unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Fourth Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma with elements at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The 507th ARW executes air refueling, airlift, and training in support of Air Mobility Command and U.S. Strategic Command's national emergency war order requirements. The wing employs approximately 1,100 men and women made up of a mix of Traditional Reservists, full-time Air Reserve Technicians, AGRs and Air Force civilians. The wing also provides mission support for all other reserve units stationed at Tinker AFB.
The 140th Wing is a unit of the Colorado Air National Guard, stationed at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The 133rd Airlift Wing is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard, stationed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 137th Special Operations Wing is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard located at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by Air Force Special Operations Command. During World War II, its predecessor, the 404th Fighter Group, flying Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, provided close air support to troops following the Operation Overlord, the Normandy landing until the close of the war. The wing is entitled to the honors won by the group by temporary bestowal.
The 171st Air Refueling Squadron is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard's 127th Wing located at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. The 171st is equipped with the KC-135T Stratotanker.
The 181st Airlift Squadron is a unit of the 136th Airlift Wing of the Texas Air National Guard stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The 181st is equipped with the Lockheed C-130H Hercules.
The 158th Airlift Squadron is a unit of the Georgia Air National Guard's 165th Airlift Wing located at Savannah Air National Guard Base, Georgia. The 158th is equipped with the C-130H Hercules and is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC).
The 142d Airlift Squadron is a unit of the 166th Airlift Wing located at New Castle Air National Guard Base, Delaware. It is equipped with the C-130 Hercules.
The 146th Air Refueling Squadron is a unit of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 's 171st Air Refueling Wing located at Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania. The 146th is equipped with the KC-135T Stratotanker.
The 185th Special Operations Squadron is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 137th Special Operations Wing located at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The 185th is the only National Guard unit to be equipped with the MC-12W. While commonly known as "Liberty" the aircraft does not have an official nickname and AFMC's Project Liberty Office was closed upon transfer of the aircraft to the Project Javaman Office for support to United States Special Operations Command. Liberty was named after the WWII Liberty Ship rapid shipbuilding project while Javaman was named after a declassified World War II naval project involving remote control attack boats controlled by retrofitted bomber aircraft. The unit is known as the "Sooners." Famous unit alumni include former Vietnam prisoner of war Brig. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner and Astronaut Captain Fred Wallace Haise Jr., Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot.
The 196th Reconnaissance Squadron is a unit of the 163d Reconnaissance Wing of the California Air National Guard stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California. The 196th is equipped with the MQ-1 Predator.
The 106th Fighter-Interceptor Wing is a former unit of the New York Air National Guard, last stationed at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, New York.
The 137th Operations Group is an associate unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. If activated for federal service, the group is gained by Air Mobility Command. As of July 2015, the group is in the process of returning to Will Rogers Air National Guard Base and converting from the air refueling to the special operations mission.
The 107th Attack Wing is a unit of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command.
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