130th Airlift Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 130th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Yeager Airport
, Charleston
, West Virginia
.
On May 13, 2005, the United States Department of Defense
released its Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
(BRAC) report, and the 130th Airlift Wing was one of the units slated to be eventually decommissioned. Its complement of 8 C-130H aircraft would be transferred to Pope Air Force Base
, and its complement of expeditionary combat support (ECS) personnel to the 167th Airlift Wing.
Upon learning of this, several former commanders of the 130th Airlift Wing along with members of the local Kanawha County Commission and the Yeager Airport Board of Directors and formed the Keep 'Em Flying grassroots organization to try to prevent the unit from being decommissioned. Following an outpouring of community support, money was raised for newspaper and radio ads and to hire analysts familiar with BRAC, all in an attempt to save the unit. Funds were contributed from Yeager Airport, the Kanawha County Commission and the local economic development organization, the Charleston Area Alliance
. On June 13, 2005, members of the BRAC commission came to Charleston to evaluate the base and talk to General Tackett, Governor Joe Manchin
, Senator Robert Byrd
, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito
and Col. Bill Peters, Jr, former commander of the 130th and chair for Keep 'Em Flying.
Following this visit, and taking in all the information that was presented to them during that time, the BRAC commission voted unanimously, 9-0, to keep the unit intact.
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 130th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Charleston, a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is owned by the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority...
, Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Mission
Role Provide support for airlift missions at both the state and federal levelHistory
- First Air Guard unit to deploy outside the United States, February 1965.
- First Air Guard unit to participate in "Operation Bright Star" near Cairo, Egypt in 1981.
- First Air Guard unit to participate in Red Flag exercises in 1981.
- Only Air Guard unit to participate in the 40th year anniversary of D-Day, held in France in 1984.
- First unit to combine with the active force for an ORI inspection in 1987.
- Aug 1990 - Headed volunteer package 1630th TAS(P) during Desert Shield. Based at Al Ain Air Base, UAE the 1630 flew missions to every country in the Southwest Asia AOR.
- Oct 1990 - Members of the 130th Tactical Airlift Squadron and 130th Maintenance Squadron were activated by Presidential Order and joined other members of the 1630th TAS(P) already in place for Desert Shield.
- Nov 1990 - The 130th Tactical Clinic was activated by Presidential Order and sent to England to head up a hospital for war casualties.
- Dec 1990 - 130th Mobile Aerial Port activated by Presidential Order and sent to Dover AFB, DE in support of Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
- Jan 1991 - Desert Storm - Several members of the 1630th Tactical Airlift Squadron (Provisional) and aircraft deployed to King Fahd AB, KSA, in support of the air portion of Operation Desert Storm. The unit moved more cargo and troops (weight) in 12 days than in the entire Berlin Airlift.
- April 1991 - Unit returned home
- April 1992 - Some unit members and aircraft deployed to Rhein-Main Air BaseRhein-Main Air BaseRhein-Main Air Base was a U.S. Air Force / NATO military airbase near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It occupied the south side of Frankfurt International Airport. Its airport codes are discontinued....
, Germany in support of the Bosnian Airlift, Operation "Provide Promise". The 130th has deployed several times since this date for "Provide Promise", the latest being 21 Sept 98 to 29 Oct 98. - Aug 1993 - One aircraft and 2 crews were sent to Operation Support HopeOperation Support HopeOperation Support Hope was a 1994 United States military effort to provide immediate relief for the refugees of the Rwandan Genocide and allow a smooth transition to a full United Nations humanitarian management program...
for 30 days in Rwanda, Africa. - Jan - Mar 1996 - Unit deployed 2 aircraft, 6 crews and maintenance support to D'haran, KSA in support of Operation Southern WatchOperation Southern WatchOperation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
. - Apr - Jun 1998 - Support of Operation Southern Watch from Prince Sultan Air BasePrince Sultan Air BasePrince Sultan Air Base is an air base located at Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.There was formerly a large United States presence there during Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The U.S. presence was predominantly that of multiple U.S. Air Force flying units, augmented by a...
, KSA.
Recent events
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
released its Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
(BRAC) report, and the 130th Airlift Wing was one of the units slated to be eventually decommissioned. Its complement of 8 C-130H aircraft would be transferred to Pope Air Force Base
Pope Air Force Base
Pope Field is a United States Army facility located 12 miles northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.-Units:...
, and its complement of expeditionary combat support (ECS) personnel to the 167th Airlift Wing.
Upon learning of this, several former commanders of the 130th Airlift Wing along with members of the local Kanawha County Commission and the Yeager Airport Board of Directors and formed the Keep 'Em Flying grassroots organization to try to prevent the unit from being decommissioned. Following an outpouring of community support, money was raised for newspaper and radio ads and to hire analysts familiar with BRAC, all in an attempt to save the unit. Funds were contributed from Yeager Airport, the Kanawha County Commission and the local economic development organization, the Charleston Area Alliance
Charleston Area Alliance
The Charleston Area Alliance is a private, non-profit community and economic development organization headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia. The Alliance offers a range of free and confidential services to companies considering Charleston for expansion or new operations, including providing...
. On June 13, 2005, members of the BRAC commission came to Charleston to evaluate the base and talk to General Tackett, Governor Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin
Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...
, Senator Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito
Shelley Moore Capito
Shelley Moore Capito is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Republican Party...
and Col. Bill Peters, Jr, former commander of the 130th and chair for Keep 'Em Flying.
Following this visit, and taking in all the information that was presented to them during that time, the BRAC commission voted unanimously, 9-0, to keep the unit intact.
Assignments
Operation Southern WatchOperation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Major Command
- Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(1992–Present) - Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(???-1992) - Military Airlift CommandMilitary Airlift CommandThe Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
(???-???) - Tactical Airlift Command (???-???)
Previous designations
- 130th Airlift Wing (1995–Present)
- 130th Airlift Group (1992–1995)
- 130th Tactical Airlift Group (1975–1992)
- 130th Special Operations Group (???-1975)
- 130th Air Commando Group (1960-???)
- 130th Troop Carrier Squadron (1955–1960)
Bases stationed
- Kanawha Airport/Yeager AIrport, CharlestonCharleston, West VirginiaCharleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
(1955–Present)
Aircraft operated
- C-130E/H Hercules (1975–Present)
- C-54 SkymasterC-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
(1967–1971) - U-6 Beaver (1965–1967)
- C-119 Flying BoxcarC-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
(1963–1975) - U-10 Courier (1963–1974)
- C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1963–1967) - SA/HU-16 Albatros (1956–1963)
- C-46 CommandoC-46 CommandoThe Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
(1955–1958) - C-45 Expeditor (1955–1960)
- P/F-51 Mustang (1948–1955)
- B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(1947–1950) - P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
(1947–1948) - T-6 TexanT-6 TexanThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
(1947–1955)
External links
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/webinator/search/?pr=default&order=r&query=130th+Airlift+Wing+&submit=Submit