Table Of Content

D 12.2:H 62/3 ^m' >U'«’,'«, ' TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword i Building a Total Force 1 Volunteers 17 America Attackeds September 2001 11, 33 Wars Without End A5 Support to Civil Authorities 57 Epilogue; Toward the Future 67 r COVER:A VermontAirNationalGuardF-16from the134th FighterSquadron, 158thFighterWing, conductscombatair patroloverthestillburningWorldTradeCentersite, September •» 12,200i. (Photographer: LtColT^ryB.^9i|^troup. 1^4th ^ * ^ FighterSquadron, 158thFighter^ing,VermontAirNational Guard. PhotocourtesyofVermontAirNationalGuard.) ; : www.ang.af.mil/history . StaffSergeantLeslieWuerflein,fromthel40thLogistics Squadrons vehiclemaintenancesection, ColoradoAirNational Guard, loadsbalesofhayontoaWyomingAirNationalGuard C-130HerculesaircraftatPuebloMemorialAirport, Colorado, January3,2007,foranemergencyfeedingmissionthatwillbe conductedthefollowingmorning. Thehaywillbedroppednear LaJunta, tohelpfeedlivestockthathavebeenstrandedbya snowstormthathasimpactedthearea. (Photographer: MSgt JohnRohrer. U.S.AirForcePhoto.) Lieutenant General Craig R. McKinley Director, Air National Guard T he Air National Guard has played significant roles in all of America’s wars and most of its major contingencies since the beginning of the 20th century. Governors and citizens alike have looked to the Air Guard for reliefand rescue during community and state emergencies. Today’s Gitizen Airmen epitomize the enthusiasm, adaptability, and innovative spirit ofAmerica. Every day they are called upon to defend the freedoms and operated. Air National Guard members rescued 1,443 — of our nation and help their fellow citizens in times ofcrisis. people heroicallysavingpeoplestranded bythe flood. Ateight Performing according to the highest professional standards of sites along the Gulf Coast, Air National Guard medical units theAir Force, Air Guard members embody our militia heritage treated more than 15,000 patients, combining expert medical and its volunteer tradition. care with compassion. Air Guard members, in 2006, joined For the past 60 years theAir National Guard has served as their Army counterparts in Operation Jump Start, supporting an invaluable resource for the Air Force and the governors, the Border Patrol in strengthening efforts to help stem the flow transitioning seamlessly between federal and state roles. Air of illegal immigrants into this nation across its southwestern NationalGuardmembershaveservedaroundtheworldandtheir border with Mexico into the United States. For manyyearsAir military experience and civilian skills have proven invaluable as Guard members have fought wildfires, combated the influx of our nation prosecuted conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian prohibited drugs into the United States, and saved countless Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. They also served during lives through the daily operations ofits search and rescue units. several major contingencies including the Cuban Missile Crisis In addition to their primary federal warfighting responsibilities. and the Berlin Crisis of 1961 to 1962. In addition. Air Guard National Guard aviation units have been performing such membersmademajorcontributionsinahostofotheroperations missions for civil authorities at least since 1927. That year the in Panama, the Balkans, Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, and the Iraq governor of Arkansas called out his entire 154th Observation no-flyzones instituted after Operation Desert Storm. Squadron to use their aircraft to locate stranded survivors and In the United States, the Hurricane Katrina relief effort breaks in levees duringthe great Mississippi River flood. brought into sharp focus the Air Guard’s well established role The Air National Guard’s role within the Air Force has as America’s hometown Air Force. The Air National Guard matured and changed enormously since its establishment as a flew over 3,000 sorties, moved over 30,000 passengers, and separate reserve component September 18, 1947. Originally, hauled over 11,000 tons of desperately needed supplies into the Air Guard was a poorly resourced Mobilization Day fighter Gulf Coast airfields, some of which Guard personnel opened force requiring weeks of preparation for its major mission: a AIR NATIONAL GUARD AT 60: A HISTORY i possiblewarwith theSoviet Union. Sincethen theAirNational everythingfrom blizzards and hurricanes to thepossibilities ofa Guard has evolved into a highly capable organization held in pandemic flu or another terrorist incident. a high state ofreadiness augmenting the active duty Air Force The following history, written by Dr. Susan Rosenfeld and in a broad spectrum ofoperational missions around the globe Dr.GharlesJ.GrossoftheAirNationalGuard’shistoryprogram, on a daily basis. Beginning with the air defense runway alert documents key facets ofthe ANG’s evolution and brings them experiment in March 1953, the Air Guard assumed what up to date as the Air National Guard transforms to meet the has become known in recent years as an “Operational” role. spaceand informationageandconfrontsthemultiplechallenges Simultaneously, the Air National Guard maintained the of terrorism, insurgency, illegal narcotics, humanitarian and capability to serve as a “Reserve” force for wars and major peacekeeping operations, conventional warfare, and supports contingencies. The defense of the United States is the Air civil authorities. Ghief Master Sergeant David P. Anderson’s National Guard’s primary responsibilityas partoftheTotalAir chapters on Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Force and the National Military Strategy. At the same time, in the 2001 to 2004 Air National Guard periodic history the governors rely on their Air Guard units to help handle contributed invaluable information to this publication. New OrleansNavalAirStationJointReserveBase (Alvin CallenderField), Belle Chasse. Louisiana, September 1, 2005. (Gil Cohen, In Katrina’s Wake, NationalGuard HeritagePainting.) II AnF-106ADeltaDartfrom theGoldenBears ofCaliforniaAirNationalGuard’sI44thFighter InterceptorWinglaunchedanAIM-2Genieair toairmissileinthe1980William Tellaerial weaponscompetition. TheWingwonoveralltop honors. (Photographer: TSgtFrankGarzenick. AirNationalGuardCollection.) H urricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. “This was, by and large, the worst sight of devastation I’ve ever seen in my career,” Chief Master Sergeant Pat Malone of the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard (ANG) recalled ofhis deployment to flooded New Orleans, Louisiana. ChiefMalone was among some 40,000 National Guardsmen* who responded. “The sheer magnitude of it and the conditions we had the guys working in were the most devastating.” As a 1 AIR NATIONAL GUARD AT 60: A HISTORY These guys were selfless jumped and saved there in seven straight days.” veteran of the first Gulf War and the continuing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Chief Malone had plenty of experiencetocomparewithhisLouisiana assignment. Working with the 125th Special Tactics Squadron (Oregon), the 212th Rescue Squadron (Alaska), 131st Rescue Squadron (California), and the 103rd Rescue Squadron (New York), all ANG, the 123td used Zodiac boats to rescue over 1,200 people. They also saved 86 people found wading through the waters or trapped in vehicles. “Once youreallygettheguysinthere, they’rein agiantcesspoolofcontaminatedwaterwith anything you can imagine. Anything in anybody’s garage, any chemical under KentuckyAirNationalGuardsmen, 123rdSpecialTactics Squadron, settingoutwithZodiacboatsto anybody’s sink, the oil industties, the rescuesurvivorsofHurricaneKatrina inNew Orleans, 2005. (Air Force Photo.) BELOW:A USAir Force C-5 Galaxy, 105thAirliftWing, New YorkAirNationalGuard, StewartInternationalahport. deceased, animals, sewage, everything New York, sits on a ramp atthe Gtdjport CombatReadiness Training Center, Mississippi, as airmen mixedtogether,” ChiefMalonesaid. The withthe 137thAirliftSquadron unloadthecargo bayfidlofsupportvehiclesandeqtdpmentforHur- pararescuemen with Malone were trained ricaneKatrinareliefoperations. (Photographer: TSgtMichealO’Halloran.AirForcePhoto.) “to get into confined, collapsed spaces; conduct search and rescue missions; cut Air National Guatd C-130,” noted one children who needed hospitalization through roofs; cut down doors; and Guardsman looking back on theANG’s on two C-130s into Kansas City for get into places other rescue workers can’t hurticane missions. During Katrina, treatment. The Delaware Air National ... These guys were selfless ... and they Air Guard C-130s ferried in rescuers, Guard’s 166thAirliftWingC-130crews jumped in there and saved people for medics,andsupportworkers,andcarried broughtArmyNationalGuardmembers seven straight days.” out the rescued. On September 1, 2005, into Jackson, Mississippi, while Nevada’s “The shottest distance between a the 139th Airlift Wing of the Missouti 152nd Airlift Wing flew Guard medical disaster and humanitarian assistance is an AirNationalGuardflew31 NewOrleans teams into Baton Rouge. Pave Hawk *BothmenandwomenintheAirNationalGuard arereferredtoasGuardsmen. rescue helicopters dropped in rescue theirlocalities andAirForcemedia.Yet, in insight in the early 1960s that took on ANG teams like Chief Malone’s. Louisiana the United States, the has primary even more significance as theAir Guard Air National Guard’s 122ndAirSupport responsibility for the aerial defense of acceptedincreased responsibilitiesinthe Operations Squadron had trained to call the United States as well as assisting civil post-Gold War military. Because Guard in air strikes; alter Katrina, they used authorities to deal with natural disasters. personnel often had previous active those same skills to direct rescuers. In addition, the Air Guard provides duty training and held civilian jobs First responder-type search and almost half of the Air Force’s tactical comparable to their militaryduties, and rescue is only one of the many roles airlift support, combat communications, because oftheir longevity in individual played by the men and women of the aeromedical evacuations, and aerial re- units, the ANG could maintain high fueling. In August 2007 levels of military proficiency with far it consisted of 13,158 less training time than their active full time Guardsmen duty counterparts. and 69,901 traditional The National Guard Bureau had Guardsmen who take on responsibility for administrative matters that role one weekend a pertaining to the Army National Guard month plus two weeks a and the Air National Guard, their year. Technicians occupy operation under unified command, and a special category. They theirintegrationintocombat-readyteams are considered traditional of land and air forces with the Army Guardsmen serving drill and Air Force respectively. Unlike their weekendsandtheirannual activedutycounterparts in theAir Force, training, but the rest of most Air National Guard members were the time they have civil long-time residents of the communities service status doing the theyserved, with traditional Guardsmen same work as their Guard holding a variety of positions including responsibilities. In August teachers, firefighters, police, dentists, 2007theANGhad22,833 accountants, and small business owners. technicians.Guardsmen Because ofitsstrongcommunityties, the could serve in one ofthree AirNationalGuardwasabletocommand capacities when involved influential congressional support. in operations. Normally, Moreover, formostofits responsibilities, they reported to the state the Guard reported to the governorofits governors, and the state state or territory.* Those ties gave the paid for the operation Guard substantial political clout. (State Active Duty). They Historically, the Air National Guard Major GeneralWinston P. “Wimpy”Wilson (left) beingsworn in as could also report to the sought to insure that it remained a Chief,NationalGuardBureau, bySecretaryoftheAirForceEugene governor, and the federal viable organization relevant to Air Force M. ZuckertduringceiemoniesheldatAirForceHeadcjuarters, Septem- government financed the requirements by acquiring the most ber4, 1963. (AirForce Photo.) operation under Title 32 advanced aircraft and ground equipment Air National Guard. Today they carry ofthe United States Gode (USG), orthey available and integrating them into a more responsibilities in the military could be federalized by the president or broadspectrum ofmissions thattheANG than at any time in the Air Guard’s Gongress under Title 10 ofthe USG. sharedwith the active force. Although the 60-year history. And like the rescues it MajorGeneralWinstonP.“Wimpy” Air Guard seldom acquired brand new conducted in Katrina, its heroic actions Wilson, one of the most important aircraftstraightfrom thefactory, itusually as well as in its less spectacular but officers in Air National Guard history, had been able to maintain the operational ANG essential support roles, the Air Guard’s and the first from the to head the capabilities of its planes and helicopters achievements were rarely touted outside National Guard Bureau, contributed an throughsuperiormaintenance, high levels * Tlie exception is the District ofColumbia, where the presidentoftheUnitedStatesisitshead. 3 AIR NATIONAL GUARD AT 60: A HISTORY of aircrew experience, rigorous training and realistic exercises, and innovative modernization programs. The Early Days of National Guard Aviation The late afternoon shadows lengthened as the sun dropped toward the western horizon over the shell—scarred French landscape. A flight of Royal Air Force (RAF) SE-5s patrolling at 16,000 feet turned south toward their home base at Bruay. Reed G. Landis, the lone American in the formation, “hunched A Galludet Tractor biplane which theNew YorkNatioyial Guardaviators retitedin 1915- forward in the tiny cockpit and searched (AirNationalGuardPhotoCollection.) the scattered puffs of clouds ahead ... World War I. Larly Guard aviation was began. Captain Raynal Cawthorne suddenly Landis saw the flight leader aproductofgrassrootsefforts. InAugust Bolling, aprominentNewYorkattorney, rock his wings vigorously and roll into a 1908 the Army formally accepted the organized the Aviation Detachment, steep dive ... Approximately 1,000 feet world’s first military airplane from the First Battalion, Signal Corps ofthe New below, a half-dozen Pfalz [L.A.] scouts Wrightbrothers. Meanwhile, thatApril, York National Guard. That marked were cruisingeast.”Accordingto Landis’s a group of enthusiasts organized an the Guatd’s first genuine aviation unit. combat report, he “followed the flight “aeronautical corps” at the ParkAvenue Subsequently, the organization was down on F.A. scouts, majority ofwhich Armory in New York City to learn tedesignated the First Aero Company. spun. Continued to dive after the F.A. ballooning. They were members of the Located at Mineola, Long Island, the and engaged one as it came out ofa spin. 1st Company, Signal Corps, New York unit was formed June 22, 1916, and Fired short bursts from both guns into National Guard.Althoughtheyreceived was called into federal service on July F.A.,whichdidseveral turns ofaspin and instruction and assembled a balloon, it 13, 1916, when the Mexican revolution then fell into a dive.” Landis, a former was not clear whether members of the spilled over the border into the United Illinois Guardsman who volunteered for unit had ever actually ascended in it. States. However, instead ofactive service aviation duty, scored his first official kill. In 1910 the unit raised $500 to in the southwest, it remained at Mineola He went on to become one ofAmerica’s finance its first aircraft. The investment for training and was demobilized on leading aces in World War I with ten crashed along with the plane on its initial November 2, 1916. aerial victories. (An ace had to have at takeoffduring maneuvers that same year. The failed call-up convinced Captain least five confirmed aerial victories.) He However, the following year, the Curtiss Bolling that National Guard aviation was one of four former Guardsmen to Aeroplane Company loaned the New units could never be effective military achieve the coveted status of ace in that York Guardsmen an aircraft and pilot organizations. Aside from the difficultyof conflict. Their spectacular individual Beckwith Havens. When Havens later obtaining funds and spare parts, Bolling achievements underscored that, despite joinedthe unitas aprivate, hebecamethe saw the main problem as the inability to little interest from either the states or National Guard’s first aviator. In August recruitexpertmechanicsintotheNational federal government, the Guard had been 1912 he flew with the Army in joint Guard. Insteadhisunithadtorelyentirely a hotbed ofinterest in American military maneuvers; on paid civilians to maintain its aircraft. aviation during its earlydays. Prior to World War I civilian flyers, Both Bolling and the acting chiefof the AlthoughtheANGwasnotofficially businessmen, and National Guardsmen Militia Bureau, a regular Army officer, established in law as a sepatate reserve attempted to form Guard aero units in were convinced that military aviation component until September 18, 1947, various states. On Novembet 1, 1915, couldonlybedevelopedundertheauspices NationalGuardaviationemergedbefore more than ayear after thewar in Europe of the active force. Consequently, the 4 War Department decided Guatd aviation units would not be mobilized during World War I (April 1917 to November 1918 for the United States). Instead the War Department disbanded them and individual Guardsmen were encouraged to volunteer lor active duty. Nevertheless,whenPresidentWoodrow Wilson asked Congress lor a declaration ofwarinApril 1917,Guardsmenprovided a major pool of aviators for the Army. Approximately 100 of them had either qualified as pilots or were in training to become military aviators. Under War Department policy they had to leave the Guard and volunteer for the Signal Corps Reserve ifthey wished to remain in aviation during the war. Captain CharlesA. Lindbergh, MissouriNational Guard, andmembers ofhisNational Guardunit, Although no reliable comprehensive 110th Observation Squadron, afterheflewsolo aeross theAtlantic Ocean, 1927. (Courtesyof 131st FighterWing, MissouriAirNationalGuard.) figures exist on how many Guardsmen actually served in the U.S. aviation ground fire to drop supplies to the “lost veterans and other talented fliers joined program duringWorld War I, they made battalion.” But flying at an altitude postwar Guard aviation units. During significant contributions as individual of 200 feet, their aircraft was downed the interwar period, 29 observation volunteers.ThemostlamousoftheGuard’s by enemy rifle and machine gun fire. squadrons were established. They were lour aces was Major Reed Chambers who Both Bleckley and Goettler received the either integral elements of National was credited with six aerial victories. He Medal ofHonor posthumously for their Guard infantry divisions or assigned to joined the Tennessee Guard in 1914 and heroism. Bleckley was the first of three Army corps aviation. served on the Mexican border in 1916 National Guard aviators to be awarded The National Guard’s observation before becoming an original member the nation’s highest military decoration. responsibilitiesdirectlysupportedground of the famed 94th Pursuit Squadron in Initially, the War Department and troops by looking for the enemy and France. On April 14, 1918, Chambers the Army Air Service had no intention helping direct artillery fire. An aviator Hewwith Captain Eddie Rickenbackeron of organizing aviation units in the in the 110th Observation Squadron of the first combat mission ever ordered by postwar National Guard. However, the Missouri National Guard became an American commander ofa U.S. Army someGuardsmenandtheirpoliticalallies the most famous Guard pilot during squadron ofAmerican pilots. such as congressmen and governors had the interwar period: Captain Charles A. Second Lieutenant Erwin R. Bleckley, developed an intense interest in flying. Lindbergh.Hisserviceillustratedtheclose a field artilleryman from the Kansas Responding to political ptessure and ties between military and commercial National Guard, volunteered for the availability of surplus wartime aviation. Trained to fly by the Army, he aviation duty after he reached France. aitcraft, the War Department changed joined the 1 10th Observation Squadron On October 5, 1918, members of its position. Early in 1920 the Militia in November 1925. The following year, the squadron attempted to locate and Bureau and the Air Service agreed on he became chief pilot for an airmail resupply an American infantry battalion a plan for organizing National Guard venture started by fellow 1 10th pilots that had been cut oil by the Germans in aviation units. On January 17, 1921, Major William Robertson and his the Argonne Forest. The following day, the 109th Observation Squadron ol brother Frank. After Lindbergh made Bleckley and his pilot, First Lieutenant the Minnesota National Guard became his historic solo trans-Atlantic flight in Harold E. Goettler (a non-Guardsman), the first postwar air unit to receive May 1927, he recalled his service in the braved very poor weather and intense federal recognition. Many World War I Guard fondly. He wrote that his fellow 5 AIR NATIONAL GUARD AT 60: A HISTORY