The
103rd Fighter Wing of the Connecticut Air National Guard.
2003 marked the 80th Anniversary of the founding of the 118th Fighter Squadron
from the Connecticut Air National Guard. 80 years ago, Connecticut's 118th
(known as the Black Lightning Squadron in the China Burma India Theater)
operated from pocket airfield behind enemy lines in East China. Along
with the 74th, the 118th was part of the 23rd Fighter Group, better know
as the "Flying Tigers" under the command of Major General Claire
Chennault. Today, the 118th Fighter Squadron flying the A-10A "Thunderbolt
II" has the distinction of being the third oldest Air National Guard
unit in the United States.The
history of the Connecticut Air National Guard can be traced back to the
118th Aero Service Squadron in France during World War I. The 118th was
organized at Kelly Field, Texas on August 31, 1917. The unit moved to
France in January 1918 and was later demobilized at Mitchell Field, NY
in June 1919. The unit was assigned to Connecticut in 1923 and activated
as the 118th Observation Squadron at Brainard Field in Hartford on October
26, 1923. The unit was federally recognized on November 1, 1923 as the
aviation unit of the 43rd Division from the Connecticut National Guard.
It was first equipped with Curtiss Jennies. From 1923 to 1940, the unit
remained based at Hartford and was equipped over the years with a mix
of aircraft typical of pre-war Guard units. On February 24, 1941, the
118th was called to active duty and placed under command of IV Army Corps.
Three weeks later, it moved to Jacksonville, Fla. From there, the unit
flew ASW patrols over the Caribbean. While remained based in CONUS until
December 1943, the squadron moved seven times, was redesignated on four
occasions and finally trained as a reconnaissance unit prior to deployment
overseas. As
the 118th TRS, the unit arrived in India in February 1944. Equipped with
North American P-51s, the 118th TRS began flying defensive patrols in
India in the rear of the combat zone. The squadron was transferred in
June 1944 from the Tenth Air Force in India to the Fourteenth Air Force
in China. The 118th became attached to the 23rd Fighter Group, the heir
of the famous "Flying Tigers". In operations against the Japanese
in the China-Burma-India Theater, the 118th was one of five ex-Guard squadrons
and by far the most active. As part of the "Flying Tigers",
the 118th and 74th hit a quarter of a million tons of chapping, knocked
out 512 enemy aircraft without the loss of a single pilot in air combat,
and bombed radar stations, coastal defenses, garrisons, and supply dumps
from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Operating successively from Liuchow, Suichwan
and Laohwangping, the 118th TRS saw its status within the 23rd Fighter
Group changed in January 1945 when it became a full component of that
prestigious group.
P-51
of the 118th. Circa 1945 |
|
Following
World War II, the unit was disbanded in October 1945. After WW II, a period
of reorganization followed where the needs of the Air National Guard were
unclear. On August 7, 1946, the 118th Fighter Squadron of the Connecticut
Air National Guard was extended federal recognition at Bradley Field in
East Granby, Hartford County. The 103rd Fighter Group was composed of
the 118th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine), the 118th Utility Flight,
the 118th Weather Station and Detachment "A", 203rd Air Service
Group. All were stationed at Brainard Field in Hartford. The 103rd FG
soon moved to Bradley, initially using two hangars on the South ramp and
quickly founding a home on the West ramp. The Connecticut Air National
Guard received 12 new Republic P-47N fighters on February 14, 1947, followed
by 5 Douglas B-26 to be used for target towing by the utility flight.
These B-26s had their gun turrets removed and cable winches installed.
Live fire operations were conducted over open water off the South shore
of Long Island from Montauk Point to 50 miles West, or off the coast of
Massachusetts. For a short time, The 103rd had 26 P-47s. 5 B-26s, 2 C-47s,
4 T-6s, one L-5 and one L-19, with a total staff of only 52 people. In
September 1950, the utility flight was deactivated and the B-26s were
assigned to other ANG units.The
118th Fighter Squadron was activated during the Korean conflict for 21
months on February 1, 1951 with all other CT ANG units being called up
by March 1st. The 118th transferred to Suffolk County AFB, NY to provide
air defense for the New York/New England area. The CT ANG returned to
State control on December 1, 1952 without the P-47s which had been retained
by the Air Force and transferred to Portugal. The unit returned to Brainard
Airport with 6 North American F-51H mustangs on loan for a short time.
Following the move of Kaman Aircraft from Bradley to its new facility
in Bloomfield in August of 1953, the Guard was allowed to return to Bradley.
In 1954, 50 Republic F-84E arrived on the National Guard ramp on the Northeast
corner of Bradley. These aircraft were war-weary veterans from Korea and
were in poor shape. 25 were for the Rhode Island Air National guard, but
were operated from Bradley as Rhode Island did not have an airport with
long enough runways. That year the 103rd Fighter Interceptor Wing entered
the jet age and joined the Air Defense community.The
next few years were times of many changes for the Connecticut ANG. Construction
began in June 1956 on a new operations and training building. In 1957
the 118th turned in its F-84s for the Lockheed F-94 "Starfire".
By April 1958, the Flying Yankees transitioned to the North American F-86H
"Sabre". On October 1, 1959, the unit received its first F-100A
"Super Sabre". The beginning of 1966 brought more changes. The
118th FIS transitioned to the Convair F-102A "Delta Dagger"
and moved to the Southwest corner of the field when the Air Force Reserve
moved to Westover AFB. The last F-102A departed Bradley Field on June
11, 1971. During 1971, the 118th TFS converted to the North American F-100D
and joined the Tactical Air Command.The
118th TFS completed a conversion to the Republic A-10A "Thunderbolt
II" delivered straight off the assembly line in the Summer of 1979.
The A-10A was the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close
air support of ground forces. The 103rd FW flew combat missions during
two deployments to Aviano AB, Italy in support of United Nations and NATO
forces in Bosnia. During the 1996 deployment to Aviano in support of Operation
Decisive Endeavor, the unit was the first A-10 unit to deploy with all
aircraft fully modified with the Night Vision Imaging System. In 1999,
the Flying Yankees deployed to Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait to support
Operation Southern Watch and the Iraqi southern no-fly-zone enforcement
effort. The 103rd FW is currently serving as the location where all Air
National Guard A-10 aircraft are being modified with an advanced counter
measures system and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) system know as LARS
(Lightweight Airborne Recovery System). In September 2001, the 103rd FW
deployed to Kuwait for its second tour in support of Operation Southern
Watch with all aircraft fully modified with CMS and equipped with Embedded
GPS/INS (EGI) which provides the A-10 with improved long-range navigation
capability. The LARS system is also used extensively during CSAR exercises
such as Desert Rescue, the premiere Search and Rescue (SAR) training exercise
involving Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines personnel, conducted at the
ranges of Fallon NAS, NV. At
the time of the tragic attack of September 11 the United States, the 118th
Expeditionary Fighter Squadron had aircraft flying over Kuwait and Iraq.
Despite having most unit maintenance and aircrew deployed in Southwest
Asia, the 118th had four A-10s loaded and placed on alert status in response
to NORAD tasking within two hours of the attack. In late 2002, the 103rd
FW was picked along with the 104th FW from the Massachusetts ANG to be
the first ever to modify A-10s to employ the Northrop Grumman "Litening
II" Targeting Pod. Within weeks of receiving words of this modification
both units had aircraft modified and flying with the pods. Followed an
intensive training program for pilots and maintenance personnel as well
as preparations for possible deployment to Southwest Asia in early 2003.
The Flying Yankees were mobilized in February 2003 and soon after deployed
to an undisclosed location along with components from the 103rd FW in
the Gulf region. Over 300 unit personnel were deployed to various locations
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Southern Watch and
what was to become Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 103rd deployed seven A-10s
along with eleven from the 104th FW which were assigned to the 387th Air
Expeditionary Group, part of the 410th Air Expeditionary Wing. Equipped
with the Litening II pods, the unit served in a Scud Hunting capacity
supporting both coalition land and air operations in western Iraq. The
118th was also involved in CSAR missions, supporting the successful recovery
of more than one downed coalition airman. Over 3100 combat hours were
flown by 387th's A-10 during OIF, a total of 892 sorties during which
no aircraft were lost, hit or otherwise damaged by enemy fire. A wide
variety of weapons were employed in combat and the Litening II pod enabled
the successful use of the GBU-12 guided 500 pound bombs. The employment
of the targeting pod marks the beginning of precision engagement weapons
for the A-10. The 188th FS returned to CONUS in May 2003 and state control
in June of the same year. The 118th Fighter Squadron celebrated its 80th
Anniversary on Novemebr 1, 2003 with a specially painted A-10 to commemorate
this event. Later this aircraft better known as "Black Lightning" became the unit's flagship. In 2007, the 103rd Fighter Wing has been assigned a new type aircraft following the 2005 BRAC decision to remove the unit's current A-10 aircraft. The unit received the C-21A as an interim to the new 'Joint Cargo Aircraft' (JCA) which the 103rd will receive in a few years. The JCA will replace the aging fleet of C-23 Sherpas and will provide the Air Force with much needed intra-theater airlift capability. The first unit's C-21A, 85-0103, also called "Yankee 1" was officially rolled-out during a ceremony on March 3, 2007.
On December 28, 2007, the 103rd Fighter Wing conducted its last flight with its last two remaining A-10 over New England. This particular day marked the end of an era for the unit and its popular A-10s!
The 103rd FW's readiness and capability to support its mission
are in keeping with its motto; "Fidelis Et Alertus" (Faithfull
and Alert). |
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}