Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base
Encyclopedia
- For the civil civil use of this facility and airport information, see Rickenbacker International AirportRickenbacker International AirportRickenbacker International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 10 miles south of the central business district of Columbus, near the village of Lockbourne in extreme southern Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The southern end of the airport extends into northern Pickaway...
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base (1942–present) is an Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
facility of the Ohio Air National Guard
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is composed of approximately 5,000 airmen and officers assigned to four flying wings and eight non-flying support units. OHANG units are based in Columbus,...
. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
. It is the home of the United States Air Force
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 121st Air Refueling Wing
121st Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 121st Air Refueling Wing is an aerial refueling organization assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard and located at Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio.-Mission:...
(121 ARW), which serves as the host wing and is an Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
(ANG) unit operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC).
Rickenbacker ANGB is part of a joint airfield operation as a tenant activity of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority
Columbus Regional Airport Authority
Columbus Regional Airport Authority oversees the operations of Port Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International Airport and Bolton Field airports in the Columbus, Ohio, area.-History:...
in a joint civil-military airfield with commercial airlines and other civilian aircraft operators utilizing the colocated Rickenbacker International Airport
Rickenbacker International Airport
Rickenbacker International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 10 miles south of the central business district of Columbus, near the village of Lockbourne in extreme southern Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The southern end of the airport extends into northern Pickaway...
. Rickenbacker ANGB is also a joint military facility, with tenant activities of the Ohio Army National Guard
Ohio Army National Guard
The Ohio Army National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Army. It is also a component of the organized militia of the state of Ohio, which also includes the Ohio Naval Militia, the Ohio Military Reserve and the Ohio Air National Guard...
, as well as Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
and Marine Corps Reserve
United States Marine Corps Reserve
The Marine Forces Reserve is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command in the U.S...
units and associated facilities.
Rickenbacker ANGB is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) base previously named Lockbourne AFB and later Rickenbacker AFB. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was a U.S. Army Air Forces training base. The facility was transferred from SAC and the Air Force on April 1, 1980 and turned over to the Air National Guard.
121st Air Refueling Wing
The Rickenbacker-based 121st Air Refueling Wing121st Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 121st Air Refueling Wing is an aerial refueling organization assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard and located at Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio.-Mission:...
(121 ARW) mission is to provide in-flight air refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied aircraft, on a worldwide, daily basis.
The 121 ARW is one of three "super wings" in the Air National Guard, the others being the 131st Fighter Wing, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
ANG, and the 146th Airlift Wing
146th Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 146th Airlift Wing is a unit located at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California.-Mission:The 146th AW's primary mission is to provide global military airlift capability to a full spectrum of state and federal agencies...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
ANG. If activated, the wing comes under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
.
The Wing operates two operational Air Refueling Squadrons, the 145th and 166th. Both squadrons fly the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker (blue/red tail stripe "Ohio")
1940s
Lockbourne, Ohio
Lockbourne is a village in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 280 at the 2000 census. Lockbourne is nearby Rickenbacker International Airport, and had provided its original name of Lockbourne Air Force Base.-Geography:...
) as a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
pilot training airfield. It was then named the Northeastern Training Center of the Army Air Corps, and provided basic pilot training and military support. In addition, the training center provided B-17 flight training to the WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots), and training for glider pilots in the CG-4A Waco glider.
After the war, flight-training activities were halted and the airfield was used as a development and testing facility for all-weather military flight operations. The primary unit at the base was the all-Black 447th Composite Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....
, commanded by Colonel (later General) Benjamin O. Davis
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. was an American born United States Air Force general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen....
in 1946. This unit merged with the 477th Composite Group in 1947, becoming the 332nd Fighter Wing
332d Air Expeditionary Wing
The United States Air Force's 332d Air Expeditionary Wing is an Air Expeditionary unit located at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.-Mission:...
, one of the first all-Black flying units in the newly created United States Air Force
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...
. In addition to commanding 477th as a flying unit, Davis also served as base commander. He was the first African-American to obtain the rank of lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in the U.S. Air Force and was subsequently promoted to the rank of full general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
on the retired list in 1998.
Lockbourne Field was renamed Lockbourne Air Force Base on 13 January 1948, by Department of the Air Force
Department of the Air Force
The Department of the Air Force is one of the three Military Departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America...
General Order No. 2.
In June 1949, the 332nd was reassigned, the base was deactivated, and control transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is composed of approximately 5,000 airmen and officers assigned to four flying wings and eight non-flying support units. OHANG units are based in Columbus,...
.
Strategic Air Command
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in 1950, and as a response to the ensuing military buildup, the base was reactivated as Lockbourne Air Force Base in January 1951, and placed under the control of the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
in March of that year.
Throughout the 1950s, the Strategic Air Command used the base as a training facility and stationed aircraft on full-time alert duty for national defense.
91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
's 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
91st Space Wing
The 91st Missile Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command Twentieth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota as a tenant unit....
was reassigned to Lockbourne from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The mission of the 91st SRW was to provide aerial reconnaissance and mapping services. It was equipped with a myriad of aircraft fitted with cameras to perform this mission, including B/RB-45 and the B/YRB-47.
When the move of the wing was made to Lockbourne from Barksdale, a detachment of the wing was deployed to Yokota AB, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, performing combat reconnaissance for Far East Air Forces over the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
flying RB-29 Superfortresses. Over North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, they were being confronted daily by Chinese-piloted
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
MiG-15s and were no longer able to perform reconnaissance, targeting, and bomb-damage assessment photography with impunity.
The RB-45C unit was attached to the 91st Squadron and began flying reconnaissance missions over northwestern Korea. The RB-45Cs were able to evade the MiGs for several months, but on April 9, 1951 one of the RB-45Cs had a close call and was barely able to escape a numerically superior enemy. At that time, it was decided that RB-45s could no longer go into northwestern Korea without fighter escort.
Another close call on November 9, 1951 caused the RB-45s to be restricted from entering northwestern Korean airspace in daylight even when fighter escort was available. In January 1952, the 91st Squadron was ordered to convert to night operations. Some RB-45Cs were painted all black so that they would not show up on enemy searchlights. However, the RB-45s were not well suited for night photography because the aircraft buffeted too badly when the forward bomb bay doors were opened to drop flash bombs. The RB-45s were withdrawn from the Korean theatre shortly thereafter, bringing the Korean experience with the RB-45 to an end.
On July 29, 1952, A 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing RB-45C (AF Serial No.48-0042) commanded by Major Louis H. Carrington made the first nonstop trans-Pacific flight from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to Yokota AB in Japan. There were two inflight refuelings by KB-29s along the way. This feat earned the 1952 Mackay Trophy for the crew.
The 91st SRW won the SAC reconnaissance, photographic, and navigation competition and the P. T. Cullen Award in 1955 and 1956. From Aug to November 1956 most of the wing deployed overseas in detachments to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, Newfoundland and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
and were not under the operational control of the small establishment remaining at Lockbourne.
Along with the reconnaissance mission, the 91st had an aerial refueling mission, being equipped with KB-29s and KC-97s.
The wing was inactivated in November 1957.
In 1953, a reconstruction program was completed with the addition of a second and longer runway, several jumbo hangars and a permanent air traffic control tower. Two years later, a major expansion was completed which doubled the land area of the base to approximately 4400 acres (17.8 km²). New construction included the two current 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) parallel runways, a 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) assault strip and a number of new buildings.
26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
The 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at Zweibrücken Air Base, Germany, where it was inactivated on 31 July 1991.-History:...
, Medium (26th SRW) was established at the base on 9 May 1952 and activated on 28 May 1952.
The 26th SRW's mission was to gather intelligence on a global scale, for the strategic objective of the US as part of the strategic reconnaissance force of SAC. Assigned to the 801st Air Division
801st Air Division
The 801st Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Eighth Air Force, being stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio...
, the 26th SRW flew day and night strategic reconnaissance missions. Also developed the capabilities of the Boeing YRB-47 "Stratojet". With the exception of the 26th Air refueling squadron, Medium, the wing and its squadrons were manned with only minimal strength.
In 1953, the flying squadrons began receiving additional personnel. The flying squadrons were the 3rd, 4th and 10th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadrons, Medium. In July 1953, the wing began transitional training in YRB-47s. In March of that same year, the RB-47Es began to replace the YRB models. By the end of December 1954, the wing's last two YRB-47s were sent to Dobbins AFB, Georgia, for modification. In February 1955, these two aircraft were returned to the wing as RB-47B-1s. By the following year, the wing was only flying RB-47Es.
The 26 SRW's other aircraft, the Boeing KC-97Fs and later KC-97Gs were flown by the 26th and 321st Air Refueling Squadrons, Medium. These units were assigned to the wing in May 1952 and April 1955, and remained as part of the wing until September 1956 and April 1958, respectively.
The wing participated in a variety of SAC directed exercises and operations between 1953 and 1958. These included numerous simulated combat missions and deployments, ranging from a few days to a few months. The exercises took the wing's reconnaissance and tanker aircraft to such bases as Eielson AFB, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
; Thule AFB, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
; Royal Air Force stations at Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
and Fairford
RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
; Sidi Slimane AB in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
; Goose Bay AB, Laborador; and Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.
In December 1957, the wing learned that it was to be inactivated the following summer. On 15 April 1958, the 321st Air Refueling Squadron was reassigned to the 301st Bombardment Wing, as were the remainder of the wing's aircrews. The wing's strength was slowly reduced by transferring personnel to other units.
On 1 July 1958, the 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was inactivated.
70th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 70th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing70th Intelligence Wing
The 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. It is stationed at Fort George G...
, Medium was established at the base on 23 March 1953 and activated on 24 January 1955. The wings mission was to provide strategic reconnaissance to meet the Strategic Air Command's (SAC) global commitments. It was initially deployed at Lockbourne while its permanent base underwent construction. During this time, few wing components were actually manned. In 1955, it moved to its new home, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and began flying strategic reconnaissance missions using RB-47 Stratojets.
301st Bombardment/Air Refueling Wing
_is_refueled_by_boeing_kc-135a-bn_(sn_55-3127)_061127-f-1234s-009.jpg)
301st Air Refueling Wing
The 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 June 1992....
moved from Barksdale AFB to Lockbourne on 15 April 1958. Although equipped with the B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, the 301st added electronic countermeasures activities to other missions in 1958 with the addition of the RB-47 and later EB-47. With these aircraft, the wing soon devoted most of its activity to ECM work. The RB-47 carried out many ferret missions around the periphery of Soviet territory, and sometimes inside.
The EB-47 was also applied to a number of USAF electronics countermeasure conversions of the standard B-47E. The first of these was equipped with what was known as the Phase IV (or Blue Cradle) ECM package, consisting of 16 AN/ALT-6B electronic jammers mounted on a cradle inside the bomb bay. Phase V aircraft carried a pressurized capsule inside the bomb bay that carried two electronics warfare officers that operated a suite of up to 13 different jammers that could focus on specific threats. Not much is known about the USAF EB-47E program, but it is believed that up to 40 B-47Es were converted to either Phase IV or V standard
In 1964, the mission of the wing was changed to that of an air refueling wing. It was redesignated as the 301st Air Refueling Wing on 15 June 1964. The B-47s were phased out and the wing received KC-135s. However, the ECM work was continued for a few years by the wing operating EC-135s until 1966.
From June 9 to October 8, 1972, most of the wing headquarters staff, all tactical aircraft and crews and most of the maintenance personnel, plus support personnel in various categories were deployed to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and attached to other SAC organizations. A reduced wing headquarters remained in the United States to administer activities of the combat support group and hospital at Lockbourne AFB. From December 19, 1972 to January 18, 1973, the wing repeated the previous deployed condition on a smaller scale with deployed resources forming a provisional air refueling squadron in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Lockbourne AFB was redesignated Rickenbacker Air Force Base on 18 May 1974, by Department of the Air Force Special Order GA-11 of 6 March 1974, to honor Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
, the leading American fighter pilot of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The 301 ARW was inactivated on 30 November 1979 in conjunction with SAC turning over Rickenbacker AFB to the Air National Guard. The 301 ARW's KC-135As were sent to various Air National Guard units.
317th Troop Carrier Wing / 317th Tactical Airlift Wing
In June 1964, the Tactical Air CommandTactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
317 Troop Carrier Wing was reassigned to Lockbourne from Evreux-Fauville Air Base
Evreux-Fauville Air Base
Évreux-Fauville Air Base is a French Air Force base located about 2 miles east of the town of Évreux in the Eure département, on the north side of the Route nationale 13 Highway....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The 317th was equipped with Lockheed C-130s and Fairchild C-123 Providers
C-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
The mission of the 317th was to perform worldwide tactical airlift operations, with emphasis on airborne training. The wing provided C-130 crew replacement training support for PACAF as well as training of C-123 combat crews for the USAF. and Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. They also developed and perfected the use of the Adverse Weather Delivery System (AWADS) becoming the Air Force's pioneer group behind this method of cargo delivery.
In May 1967 the unit became the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing
317th Airlift Group
The 317th Airlift Group is a United States Air Force unit, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Assigned to Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force, the 317 AG operates as a tenant unit to the 7th Bomb Wing, Air Combat Command ....
(317 TAW) and not long after in 1971, was reassigned to Pope AFB, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
302d Tactical Airlift Wing
The 302d Tactical Airlift Wing302d Airlift Wing
The 302nd Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve based out of Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Mission:...
of the Air Force Reserve (AFRES) operated from Rickenbacker from 1971 to 1981. Relocating following the closure of Clinton County AFB
Clinton County Air Force Base
Clinton County Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located two nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Wilmington, a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States.-History:...
, Ohio, the wing operated the C-123 and UC-123 Provider
C-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
and briefly operated the C-7 Caribou. In April 1973, the wing assumed an aerial spraying mission with the UC-123 aircraft, which frequently took wing crews to Central America, the Caribbean, the Azores, North Africa, islands of the Pacific, and to many U.S. points for insect-spraying missions. In 1985, it transitioned to the E-model C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
. In 1992 it transitioned to the H-model C-130 and relocated to Youngstown Air Reserve Station (ARS), Ohio.
Post-Vietnam era
With the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam and the ending of the military draft, the number of Armed Forces personnel declined sharply, resulting in downsizing and closures of military bases around the country.In April 1978, the Air Force announced that Strategic Air Command functions at Rickenbacker were to be transferred elsewhere, estimating that 12,000 jobs would be lost as a result. In September 1979, with the base population at 2,800 military and civilian employees, the Base Closure Commission announced plans for the phased closing of the base, which at the time consisted of approximately 4400 acres (17.8 km²), including an estimated 265 buildings with approximately 3700000 square feet (343,741.2 m²) of floor space.
In April 1980, Rickenbacker Air Force Base closed. The base was transferred from the Strategic Air Command to the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
and redesignated Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base on 1 April 1980 by Department of the Air Force Special Order GA-34 of May 20, 1980.
Air National Guard at Lockbourne AFB / Rickenbacker AFB
In June 1949, Lockbourne Air Force Base was deactivated, and control of the facility was transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is composed of approximately 5,000 airmen and officers assigned to four flying wings and eight non-flying support units. OHANG units are based in Columbus,...
. For the next 18 months, the Ohio Air National Guard
Ohio Air National Guard
The Ohio Air National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is composed of approximately 5,000 airmen and officers assigned to four flying wings and eight non-flying support units. OHANG units are based in Columbus,...
's 55th Fighter Wing used the base for training, flying F-47 Thunderbolts and F-51 Mustangs
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
.
In November 1950, the 55th Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 121st Fighter Wing
121st Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 121st Air Refueling Wing is an aerial refueling organization assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard and located at Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio.-Mission:...
and was assigned an air defense mission. Under various designations, the 121st has been stationed at Rickenbacker for over 50 years. Many of its members were activated for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and were additionally reassigned to other units for duty in Korea and other overseas locations. In 1954, the F-80C Shooting Star arrived and the wing continued with an air defense mission. F-84E
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
aircraft were received in 1955 followed by the swept-wing F-84F
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version....
in 1957, which brought with it a fighter-bomber mission.
In October 1961, the wing was called to active duty for the Berlin Crisis
Berlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major politico-military European incident of the Cold War about the occupational status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of post–World War II Germany. The U.S.S.R...
. The 166th and additional augmenting personnel deployed to Etain Air Base, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where they served until returning in August 1962.
Upon its return from France, the 121st converted to the F-100C Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
in August 1962, which greatly enhanced its mission capabilities. Another call-up to active duty occurred on 26 January 1968 as a result of the USS Pueblo Crisis. One year of the 18-month activation was spent in Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan Air Base , is a United States Air Force base located on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is at the town of Gunsan about 150 miles south of Seoul. The town can be romanized as both Gunsan and Kunsan...
, Republic of Korea where it wore the "BP" tailcode and red colors as part of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing
354th Fighter Wing
The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:...
. During the deployment some pilots flew combat missions in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
while performing temporary assignments with other units. Aircraft and personnel returned home in June 1969. An aircraft upgrade to the F-100D was accomplished in 1971.
Under the “Total Force Policy,” Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units began to receive newer aircraft and equipment in the 1970s. The 121st began conversion to the A-7D Corsair II
A-7 Corsair II
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
in 1974 which brought with it additional missions. The unit was deployed to Howard AFB, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
when hostilities began in late December 1989 and participated in Operation Just Cause. They were among the ANG units that rotated to Howard Air Force Base to provide a presence in Panama Cornet Cove deployment exercises.
On 1 July 1976, the 160th Air Refueling Group
160th Air Refueling Group
The United States Air Force's 160th Air Refueling Group was an aerial refueling unit located at Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio. It was inactivated in 1993, after the post-Cold War drawdown.-Mission:...
was activated at Rickenbacker and equipped with Boeing KC-135A/Q Stratotankers. The 160 ARG was one of 13 Air National Guard refueling units assigned to SAC as part of the initial integration of Air Reserve Component units into SAC's forces and mission.
With the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, a major reorganization of the Air Force was soon underway. On the disbandment of SAC in 1992, the 160 ARG was reassigned to Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
, Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
on May 31, 1992. The 121 Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 121st Fighter Wing the same year and reassigned to Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air 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 ....
with the disbandment of Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC).
In October, 1993, the 121st FW was consolidated with the 160th Air Refueling Group which was deactivated in the process. The 121st Fighter Wing's A-7Ds were flown to AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona and the first KC-135Rs
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
were received. With this consolidation, the 121st became the 121st Air Refueling Wing and gained the 145th Air Refueling Squadron from the inactivated 160 ARG with its aircraft, unique history and heritage. The 121st also assumed base support responsibilities.
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base was recommended for closure by the BRAC 1991 Commission, but as a result of a proposal by the State of Ohio, the 1993 Commission recommended that Rickenbacker ANGB be realigned rather than closed. The Commission decided to retain the 121st Air Refueling Wing in a military cantonment area at Rickenbacker ANGB instead of realigning to Wright-Patterson AFB. The Air National Guard would continue to operate as tenants of the Rickenbacker Port Authority (RPA) on the RPA's airport and the military facilities were realigned as Rickenbacker Air National Guard Station on 30 September 1994 by the 1991 Congressional Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
In August 2001 a Groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the start of construction for a new, consolidated Navy and Marine Corps Air Reserve Center at Rickenbacker International Airport. The $10 million center, scheduled for completion in early 2003, will be located at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Club Street adjacent to the Air National Guard facility at Rickenbacker. Being developed by the Navy Reserve, the project will consolidate the Naval Air Reserve Center at Rickenbacker with the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center currently located on Yearling Road in Columbus. When completed, the nearly 1,000 Navy and Marine Corps Reservists currently located at the two existing Reserve Centers will shift their activities to this new facility. Once the new center opens, the site of the existing Naval Air Reserve Center at Rickenbacker will be redeveloped by the Rickenbacker Port Authority, which operates the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) Airport.
See also
- Ohio World War II Army AirfieldsOhio World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Ohio for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....