122d Fighter Wing

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122d Fighter Wing
163d Fighter Squadron - A-10 Thunderbolt II.jpg
An Indiana Air National Guard Airmen with the 122d Fighter Wing at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station prepares a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, "Warthog" for flight
Active1942–present
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
AllegianceFlag of Indiana.svg  Indiana
Branch US-AirNationalGuard-2007Emblem.svg   Air National Guard
TypeWing
RoleClose Air Support
Part of Indiana Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana
Tail code"IN" Indiana
Commanders
Current
commander
Col. Michael Stohler
Insignia
122d Fighter Wing emblem 122d Fighter Wing.png

The 122d Fighter Wing (122 FW sometimes 122d) is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard, stationed at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Fort Wayne, Indiana. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.

The Indiana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Indiana, United States of America. It is, along with the Indiana Army National Guard, an element of the Indiana National Guard.

Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station United States Air National Guard base at Fort Wayne International Airport, Indiana, USA

Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station is a United States Air Force base, located at Fort Wayne International Airport, Indiana. It is located 7.6 miles (12.2 km) south-southwest of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

United States Air Force Air and space warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial and space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially formed as a part of the United States Army on 1 August 1907, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on 18 September 1947 with the passing of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the youngest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the fourth in order of precedence. The USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced air force in the world. The U.S. Air Force articulates its core missions as air and space superiority, global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control.

Contents

Units

163rd Fighter Squadron

History

Ten original members of the 358th Fighter Group pose in front of the U.S. Air Force 122d Fighter Wing's heritage jet at their final reunion, which was hosted by the 122d Fighter Wing in Terre Haute AGB, Indiana in October 2008. The 358th FG, the "Orange Tails", was activated in January 1943. During the Second World War this unit was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations and the Croix de Guerre. Indiana ANG member reunion 2008.jpg
Ten original members of the 358th Fighter Group pose in front of the U.S. Air Force 122d Fighter Wing's heritage jet at their final reunion, which was hosted by the 122d Fighter Wing in Terre Haute AGB, Indiana in October 2008. The 358th FG, the "Orange Tails", was activated in January 1943. During the Second World War this unit was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations and the Croix de Guerre.
Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt Serial No. 44-33240 of the 356th Fighter Squadron P 47d 44 33240 358fg toul 0145.jpg
Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt Serial No. 44-33240 of the 356th Fighter Squadron

The 358th Fighter Group trained in the Mid-Atlantic United States with P-40 Warhawks, 1943. While in training also used for air defense of Philadelphia area. Moved to England during September and October 1943, they were equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts and began operations on 20 December 1943 and served in combat with Eighth and later, Ninth Air Forces until V-E Day.

Philadelphia Largest city in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, known colloquially as Philly, is the largest city in the U.S. state and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous U.S. city with a 2018 census-estimated population of 1,584,138. Since 1854, the city has had the same geographic boundaries as Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the eighth-largest U.S. metropolitan statistical area, with over 6 million residents as of 2017. Philadelphia is also the economic and cultural anchor of the greater Delaware Valley, located along the lower Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, within the Northeast megalopolis. The Delaware Valley's population of 7.2 million ranks it as the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States.

In 2005 the wing introduced the reconnaissance Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, becoming one of the first units to fly with it.

In 2008, after having flown for 17 years with the block 25 aircraft, at which point the aircraft were nearing the end of their planned operational lifespans. More modern is quite relative since the aircraft they received were Block 30 F-16C/Ds manufactured between 1987 and 1989. These models were mainly coming from the Michigan Air National Guard 107th Fighter Squadron which was transitioning to the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the time. With the upgrade to the Block 30 aircraft, the tail code of the 163rd was changed from "FW" (Fort Wayne) to "IN" (Indiana) in 2009 when the 181st Fighter Wing at Hulman Field became a non-flying unit. However, only a few of the F-16s were re-coded.

Michigan Air National Guard

The Michigan Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Michigan, United States of America. It is, along with the Michigan Army National Guard, an element of the Michigan National Guard. The Michigan Air National Guard is also an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force.

107th Fighter Squadron

The 107th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard 127th Wing. It is assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan and is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft.

In 2009 – the year the unit honored its predecessor unit – the 358th FG – with a heritage jet – it was decided that the squadron was to retire their 20-year-old F-16s and become an A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron. The conversion happened in 2010.

Lineage

World War II 358th Fighter Group emblem 358th Fighter Group - Emblem.png
World War II 358th Fighter Group emblem
2006 Operation Iraqi Freedom patch 122d Fighter Wing 158th Fighter Wing and 177th Fighter Wing Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.png
2006 Operation Iraqi Freedom patch
Activated on 1 January 1943
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Extended federal recognition on 9 December 1946
Federalized and ordered to active service on: 10 February 1951
Group re-designated as 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Group and assigned as subordinate unit
Inactivated on 7 February 1952
Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 1 November 1952
Re-designated: 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1954
Group re-designated 122nd Tactical Fighter Group
Re-designated: 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing (Special Delivery), 1 July 1959
Group re-designated 122nd Tactical Fighter Group (Special Delivery)
Federalized and ordered to active service on: 1 October 1961
Operated as: 7122nd Tactical Wing (Special Delivery), 1 October 1961 – 31 August 1962
Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 31 August 1962
122nd Tactical Fighter Group inactivated 30 June 1974.
Re-designated: 122nd Fighter Wing, 16 March 1992–Present
Group re-activated and re-designated 122nd Operations Group

Assignments

Attached to: Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 28 April–September 1943
Attached to: VIII Fighter Command, 20 October 1943
Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1944
Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 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. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946.

Second Air Force Numbered air force of the United States Air Force responsible for non-flying training

The Second Air Force is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended the Northwestern United States and Upper Great Plains regions and during the Cold War, was Strategic Air Command unit with strategic bombers and missiles. Elements of Second Air Force engaged in combat operations during the Korean War; Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm.

66th Fighter Wing

The 66th Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Chicago Municipal Airport, Illinois. It was withdrawn from the Illinois Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950.

Gained by: Tenth Air Force, Continental Air Command
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.

Central Air Defense Force

The Central Air Defense Force (CADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.

Gained by: Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command
Gained by: Tactical Air Command, 1 July 1954
Attached to Seventeenth Air Force, 1 October 1961 – 31 August 1962
Gained by: Tactical Air Command
Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992–Present

Components

Re-designated: 163rd Operations Group, 16 March 1992–Present
112th Fighter Squadron

The 112th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 180th Fighter Wing located at Toledo Air National Guard Base, Ohio. The 112th is equipped with the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon.

366th Fighter Squadron former United States Army Air Forces squadron

The 366th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 358th Fighter Group of IX Fighter Command La Junta Army Airfield, Colorado, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

367th Fighter Squadron

The 367th Fighter Squadron is a "reverse" associate United States Air Force unit, stationed at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, where it operates and maintains the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons of the 482d Fighter Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command. Its parent is the 495th Fighter Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.

Stations

Aircraft

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References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .