Tennessee Air National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Tennessee Air National Guard (TennANG) is the independent air arm of the Tennessee National Guard. Along with the Tennessee Army National Guard
, it comprises the National Guard of the U.S. state
of Tennessee
.
The Tennessee Air National Guard falls under the chain of command
of the United States Air Force when operating under Federal authority, and the Adjutant General of the Tennessee Military Department
and Governor of the State of Tennessee when operating under state authority.
in Nashville, Tennessee
. The 118th's history goes back to the 1920s when veteran fliers of the First World War organized their own unit of the Tennessee National Guard. In 1921, the unit received official federal status as the 136th Air Observation Squadron, making it the first air unit of the Tennessee National Guard, as well as one of the oldest currently operational National Guard aviation units, the first being established only six years earlier in 1915. The 136th was initially issued 4 Curtiss JN-6 and one DeHavilland DH-4 aircraft.
By 1938 the squadron had moved to its present location at Berry Field, what would become known as Nashville International Airport
. By World War 2, the unit had changed names to the 105th Observation squadron, and its pilots would provide their experience flying many different types of aircraft in dozens of units throughout the war. By the 1950s, the unit has reorganized as the 118th Composite Wing with headquarters at Berry Field.
In 1961 the wing converted to an airlift mission with the acquisition of C-97 Stratofreighter
aircraft. In 1971 the wing first began using the C-130 airframe. In 1992 the wing took on its present designation as the 118th Airlift Wing and was attached to the 8th Air Force, Air Combat Command
in 1993.
In 2005 a Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) committee recommended to the Department of Defense
to redistribute the C-130H aircraft to the Illinois Air National Guard
and the Kentucky Air National Guard
. The fire fighting and aerial port units would move to Memphis, Tennessee
and the Aeromedical Squadron would be transferred to Naval Air Station (NAS) Fort Worth, and all other units would remain in Nashville.
In 2009, the BRAC committee recommendations were sidelined when the base and unit was transitioned to the Air Education and Training Command
as the C-130 International Training Center. The C-130H aircraft were dispersed to other units, and the 118th AW gained WC-130s.
at Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport
. In 1952, the 164ths home base, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base was established as Mcghee Tyson Air Force Base in order to protect vital strategic assets in the Knoxville area, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory
, the Y-12 National Security Complex
, the Alcoa
aluminum plants in neighboring Alcoa
, and the system of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
dams and power production facilities in the region.
In 1957 the base transferred hands to the Tennessee Air National Guard and was given F-86 Sabre
interceptors. The unit then updated to F-104 Starfighter
s, and then to retired USAF F-102 Delta Dagger
interceptors when the unit's F-104's were recalled by the active duty Air Force. In 1964 the 134th received KC-97 mid air refueling aircraft and was put under the authority of the Tactical Air Command, thus beginning its air refueling mission that it continues to this day. In 1976 the unit was placed under the Strategic Air Command and given newer KC-135A aircraft.
Unlike the 118th Airlift Wing, the 134th ARW was positively affected by the BRAC
commission. The unit was granted by the Air Force on the recommendation of the BRAC commission a total of 12 newer KC-135R aircraft and the retiring of the 8 older KC-135E currently operated by the wing.
cargo aircraft in vital support missions in conflicts all over the world, a mission that the 164th continues today. In 1973, the 164th completed its final flight of a C-124 and switched to the more modern C-130 turboprop cargo aircraft. All C-130As were retired in 1992, and the 164th was given newer C-141 aircraft. The 164th was one of the last units to operate the venerable C-141, using it until it was finally retired in 2004 and replaced with the massive C-5A
.
The 164th is based out of Memphis International Airport
in Memphis, Tennessee
.
Unofficial sites
Tennessee Army National Guard
The Tennessee Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
, it comprises the National Guard of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
The Tennessee Air National Guard falls under the chain of command
Chain of Command
Chain of Command may refer to:* Chain of command, in a military context, the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed* "Chain of Command" , the fifth episode of the first season of Beast Wars...
of the United States Air Force when operating under Federal authority, and the Adjutant General of the Tennessee Military Department
Tennessee Military Department
The Tennessee Military Department is an executive division within the Executive Branch of Tennessee State Government with four major commands....
and Governor of the State of Tennessee when operating under state authority.
118th Airlift Wing
The 118th Airlift Wing (AW) is based out of Berry Field Air National Guard Base at Nashville International AirportNashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The 118th's history goes back to the 1920s when veteran fliers of the First World War organized their own unit of the Tennessee National Guard. In 1921, the unit received official federal status as the 136th Air Observation Squadron, making it the first air unit of the Tennessee National Guard, as well as one of the oldest currently operational National Guard aviation units, the first being established only six years earlier in 1915. The 136th was initially issued 4 Curtiss JN-6 and one DeHavilland DH-4 aircraft.
By 1938 the squadron had moved to its present location at Berry Field, what would become known as Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
. By World War 2, the unit had changed names to the 105th Observation squadron, and its pilots would provide their experience flying many different types of aircraft in dozens of units throughout the war. By the 1950s, the unit has reorganized as the 118th Composite Wing with headquarters at Berry Field.
In 1961 the wing converted to an airlift mission with the acquisition of C-97 Stratofreighter
C-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several...
aircraft. In 1971 the wing first began using the C-130 airframe. In 1992 the wing took on its present designation as the 118th Airlift Wing and was attached to the 8th Air Force, 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 ....
in 1993.
In 2005 a Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) committee recommended to the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
to redistribute the C-130H aircraft to the Illinois Air National Guard
Illinois Air National Guard
The Illinois Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is, along with the Illinois Army National Guard, an element of the Illinois National Guard...
and the Kentucky Air National Guard
Kentucky Air National Guard
The Kentucky Air National Guard is a subordinate air force unit of the United States National Guard. It is located in the state of Kentucky. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as its state mission.-People:...
. The fire fighting and aerial port units would move to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and the Aeromedical Squadron would be transferred to Naval Air Station (NAS) Fort Worth, and all other units would remain in Nashville.
In 2009, the BRAC committee recommendations were sidelined when the base and unit was transitioned to the Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
as the C-130 International Training Center. The C-130H aircraft were dispersed to other units, and the 118th AW gained WC-130s.
134th Air Refueling Wing
The 134th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) is based out of McGhee Tyson Air National Guard BaseMcGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base
McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base is a joint military facility located at McGhee Tyson Airport. It is located approximately 10 miles south of the central business district of Knoxville, near Alcoa, Blount County, Tennessee, United States...
at Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport
McGhee Tyson Airport
-Top Destinations:-Accidents and incidents:* On 06 August, 1962, an American Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electra veered off the runway on landing, striking the raised edge of an under-construction taxiway with the landing gear, causing it to collapse...
. In 1952, the 164ths home base, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base was established as Mcghee Tyson Air Force Base in order to protect vital strategic assets in the Knoxville area, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
, the Y-12 National Security Complex
Y-12 National Security Complex
The Y-12 National Security Complex is a United States Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration facility located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near the Oak Ridge National Laboratory...
, the Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
aluminum plants in neighboring Alcoa
Alcoa, Tennessee
Alcoa is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, United States, south of Knoxville. Its population was 7,744 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, and the system of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
dams and power production facilities in the region.
In 1957 the base transferred hands to the Tennessee Air National Guard and was given F-86 Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
interceptors. The unit then updated to F-104 Starfighter
F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
s, and then to retired USAF F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
interceptors when the unit's F-104's were recalled by the active duty Air Force. In 1964 the 134th received KC-97 mid air refueling aircraft and was put under the authority of the Tactical Air Command, thus beginning its air refueling mission that it continues to this day. In 1976 the unit was placed under the Strategic Air Command and given newer KC-135A aircraft.
Unlike the 118th Airlift Wing, the 134th ARW was positively affected by the BRAC
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
commission. The unit was granted by the Air Force on the recommendation of the BRAC commission a total of 12 newer KC-135R aircraft and the retiring of the 8 older KC-135E currently operated by the wing.
572nd Band
The 572nd Band was formed in 1973 in order to support the operations of the Professional Military Education Center at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base. It has grown into the band of the Tennessee Air National Guard and is known as the "Air National Guard (ANG) Band of the Smokies." Its parent unit is the 134th Air Refueling Wing.164th Airlift Wing
The 164th Airlift Wing began life in 1946 as the 155th FS flying F-51 Mustang piston engine fighters. By 1961 the unit was flying C-97C-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several...
cargo aircraft in vital support missions in conflicts all over the world, a mission that the 164th continues today. In 1973, the 164th completed its final flight of a C-124 and switched to the more modern C-130 turboprop cargo aircraft. All C-130As were retired in 1992, and the 164th was given newer C-141 aircraft. The 164th was one of the last units to operate the venerable C-141, using it until it was finally retired in 2004 and replaced with the massive C-5A
C-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many...
.
The 164th is based out of Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Geographically Separated Units
- 119th Combat Air Control Squadron - McGhee Tyson AirportMcGhee Tyson Airport-Top Destinations:-Accidents and incidents:* On 06 August, 1962, an American Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electra veered off the runway on landing, striking the raised edge of an under-construction taxiway with the landing gear, causing it to collapse...
, Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... - 228th Combat Communications Squadron - McGhee Tyson AirportMcGhee Tyson Airport-Top Destinations:-Accidents and incidents:* On 06 August, 1962, an American Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electra veered off the runway on landing, striking the raised edge of an under-construction taxiway with the landing gear, causing it to collapse...
, Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... - 241st Engineering Squadron - Chattanooga Metropolitan AirportChattanooga Metropolitan Airport-Top Destinations:-Cargo:- Accidents and incidents:On November 27, 1973, Delta Air Lines Flight 516, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, crashed short of the runway on approach to the airport...
, Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
Active Aircraft
| Aircraft | Origin | Type |
|---|---|---|
| C-130 Hercules | Tactical Transport | |
| C-5 Galaxy C-5 Galaxy The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many... |
Strategic Airlifter | |
| KC-135R Stratotanker | Aerial Refueling/Transport |
External links
Official sitesUnofficial sites