Utah Air National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Utah Air National Guard is the air force
militia
of the U.S. state
of Utah
. It is, along with the Utah Army National Guard
, an element of the Utah National Guard
.
s) in the Northeast corner of the Salt Lake International Airport. In 2007, over 1.450 trained men and women served in the Utah Air National Guard.
's mission is to organize, train, and equip KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and personnel to provide global in-flight refueling support.
. Flying F-51D Mustang fighter aircraft, 10 pilots flew over 100 missions. Two Utah ANG pilots were killed in this conflict. One Utah Air National Guard pilot, Capt. Cliff Jolley, flying a North American F-86 Sabre, shot down seven soviet-made MiG-15
aircraft and became the first Air Guard "Ace" of the Korean War. During the Vietnam War
, Utah Air Guard crews flew 6,600 hours of support missions for US forces. In 1990-91, Utah Air National Guard crews were some of the first to volunteer to support Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during the 1991 Gulf War. Utah Air National Guard's support of this operation continued well into 1991.
In 1999, many members were deployed to Europe in support of Operation Allied Force
. Members have also supported US drug interdiction activities and have provided air refueling for tactical and transportation aircraft supporting military activities involving Bosnia and Iraq
. The Utah Air National Guard has participated in several Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) missions, most recently at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam
in the summer of 2007.
Since 11 September 2001, over 3,300 Utah Air National Guards members have been activated and deployed for worldwide duty to include Operation Noble Eagle
, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In Utah
, local communities can have benefits from the Utah Air National Guard. Activities included "Sub-for-Santa", blood drives, "Adopt a School Program", highway cleanup and the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Utah Air National Guard also maintains a state of readiness to meet the needs to support the State of Utah during an earthquake, flood, civil disturbance or major disaster. Utah Air Guardsmen, at the request of the Governor, assisted during Hurricane Katrina
and Hurricane Rita
and airlifted evacuees to safety in September of 2005.
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
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 Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It is, along with the Utah Army National Guard
Utah Army National Guard
The Utah National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions...
, an element of the Utah National Guard
Utah National Guard
The Utah National Guard consists of the:* Utah Army National Guard**19th Special Forces Group **85th WMD CST**97th Troop Command**115th Engineer Group **211th Aviation Group**300th MI Brigade **640th Regiment...
.
Units of the Utah Air National Guard
The Utah Air National Guard is located on over 33.200 qm (82 acreAcre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s) in the Northeast corner of the Salt Lake International Airport. In 2007, over 1.450 trained men and women served in the Utah Air National Guard.
151st Air Refueling Wing
The 151st Air Refueling Wing151st Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 151st Air Refueling Wing is a unit located at Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah.-Mission:The mission of the 151st Air Refueling Wing is to organize, train, and equip KC-135R aircraft and personnel to provide in-flight refueling support in the Global...
's mission is to organize, train, and equip KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and personnel to provide global in-flight refueling support.
109th Air Control Squadron
The mission of the 109th is to operate and maintain radar sensing and communication equipment necessary to manage and direct defensive and offensive air and battle management activities as a combat ready, integrated element of the Ground Theater Air Control System. To employ and administer reliable and secure command and control, data link, and voice communication networks necessary to meet worldwide contingency requirements.130th Engineering Installation Squadron
The 130th provides worldwide engineering, installation and relocation of command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems.169th Intelligence Squadron
This unit provides intelligence support necessary to plan, conduct, control and coordinate air operations.101st Information Operations Flight
Specializing in bringing information operations activities to the warfighter.History
The Utah Air National Guard was founded on 18 November 1946. Members of the Utah ANG were called to serve 21 months during the Korean WarKorean 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...
. Flying F-51D Mustang fighter aircraft, 10 pilots flew over 100 missions. Two Utah ANG pilots were killed in this conflict. One Utah Air National Guard pilot, Capt. Cliff Jolley, flying a North American F-86 Sabre, shot down seven soviet-made MiG-15
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...
aircraft and became the first Air Guard "Ace" of the Korean War. 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...
, Utah Air Guard crews flew 6,600 hours of support missions for US forces. In 1990-91, Utah Air National Guard crews were some of the first to volunteer to support Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during the 1991 Gulf War. Utah Air National Guard's support of this operation continued well into 1991.
In 1999, many members were deployed to Europe in support of Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
. Members have also supported US drug interdiction activities and have provided air refueling for tactical and transportation aircraft supporting military activities involving Bosnia and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. The Utah Air National Guard has participated in several Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) missions, most recently at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
in the summer of 2007.
Since 11 September 2001, over 3,300 Utah Air National Guards members have been activated and deployed for worldwide duty to include Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, local communities can have benefits from the Utah Air National Guard. Activities included "Sub-for-Santa", blood drives, "Adopt a School Program", highway cleanup and the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Utah Air National Guard also maintains a state of readiness to meet the needs to support the State of Utah during an earthquake, flood, civil disturbance or major disaster. Utah Air Guardsmen, at the request of the Governor, assisted during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
and airlifted evacuees to safety in September of 2005.
See also
- Air National GuardAir National GuardThe 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...
- Utah Army National GuardUtah Army National GuardThe Utah National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions...