133rd Airlift Wing

The 133rd Airlift Wing (133 AW) is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard, stationed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

The 109th Airlift Squadron assigned to the Wings 133rd Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the World War I 109th Aero Squadron, established on 27 August 1917. It was reformed on 17 January 1921, as the 109th Observation Squadron, being the first of 29 aviation National Guard squadrons to receive federal recognition following World War I.

Overview
The 133rd Airlift Wing (AW) is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard, stationed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station. Gained by the USAF Air Mobility Command if federalize, the unit is an air transport organization flying C-130H Hercules tactical airlifters. Its normal flying operations include air-drop training and transport missions. The four engine C-130 turboprop aircraft can land on short runways or airdrop personnel and equipment into areas lacking an airfield. These capabilities are well suited for disaster relief missions.

The 133rd AW's mission is to provide combat ready air crews, support personnel, and aircraft for the airlift of passengers and cargo anywhere in the world. Upon direction of the Governor, the unit can furnish personnel and equipment, including aircraft, to assist in natural disaster relief or to safeguard life and property in Minnesota.

Units
The 133rd Airlift Wing consists of the following units:
 * 133rd Operations Group
 * 109th Airlift Squadron
 * 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron


 * 133rd Maintenance Group
 * 133rd Mission Support Group
 * 133rd Medical Group

World War II

 * see: 367th Fighter Group for expanded World War II history

Organized as 367th Fighter Group and trained in California during 1943. Trained with P-39 Aircobras. Moved to England, March–April 1944, and assigned to IX Fighter Command, Ninth Air Force. Equipped with P-38 Lightnings in April 1944. Entered combat in May 1944, attacking rail roads, bridges, hangars, and other targets in western France, and escorting bombers that struck airfields, marshalling yards, and other facilities in the same area. From D-Day to 8 June 1944, provided cover for Allied forces crossing the Channel; during the remainder of June, bombed and strafed convoys, troops, flak towers, power stations, and other objectives behind the invasion beaches.

Moved to the Continent in July 1944 and operated chiefly in support of ground forces until V-E Day. Struck railroads, marshaling yards, and trains to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the front during the Allied breakthrough at St Lo in Jul 1944. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission in France on 25 August: after attacking landing grounds at Clastres, Peronne, and Rosieries through an intense antiaircraft barrage, the group engaged a number of enemy planes and then, despite a low fuel supply, strafed a train and convoy after leaving the scene of battle; later the same day the 367th flew a fighter sweep of more than 8oo miles, hitting landing grounds at Cognac, Bourges, and Dijon.

Attacked German strong points to aid the Allied push against the Siegfried Line in the fall of 1944. On 26 December, during the Battle of the Bulge, escorted C-47's that dropped supplies to allied troops encircled at Bastogne. Received another DUC for action on 19 Mar 1945: although its target was located in mountainous terrain, concealed by ground haze, and well defended by antiaircraft artillery, the group descended to low altitude to bomb and strafe the headquarters of the German Commander-ln-Chief, West, at Zlegenburg. Struck tanks, trucks, flak positions, and other objectives in support of the assault across the Rhine late in Mar and the final allied operations in Germany.

Continued combat operations until the German capitulation in May 1945. On July 1 it was announced the squadron was to go to the Pacific Theater of Operations, and returned to the United States to be re-equipped with long range P-47N Thunderbolts. Japanese Capitulation in August led to the unit becoming excess to requirements, and was demobilized at Seymour Johnson field, North Carolina. Was inactivated as a paper unit in November 1945

Minnesota Air National Guard
The wartime 367th Fighter Group was re-activated and re-designated as the 133rd Fighter Group, and was allotted to the Minnesota Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Wold-Chamberlain Field, Minneapolis, and was extended federal recognition on 28 August 1947 by the National Guard Bureau. The 133rd Fighter Group was assigned the 109th Fighter Squadron in Minneapolis, and the 179th Fighter Squadron at Duluth. The group was allocated to Second Air Force, Air Defense Command (ADC) with a mission of the air defense for the State of Minnesota.

Air defense
On 2 March 1951 the 133rd Fighter Group was federalized and brought to active-duty due to the Korean War. Assigned to Air Defense Command, ADC formed the 133rd Fighter-Interceptor Wing and assigned the group to the new Wing as its operational component. The 133rd Fighter-Interceptor Group controlled the 109th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Minneapolis and the 179th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Duluth. The 133rd Wing and Group were inactivated on 6 February 1952 and the squadrons reassigned to the 31st Air Division of Air Defense Command for the remainder of their federal service. The unit was reformed as the 133rd Fighter-Interceptor Group under Minnesota state control on 1 December 1952.

After the Korean War, the squadron was re-formed by 1 January 1953 and resumed its air defense mission. Was upgraded by ADC in 1954 to the dedicated F-94A Starfire all-weather interceptor. With this new aircraft, the mission of the 109th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron changed from day interceptor to day and night all-weather interceptor. In 1958 the 109th again upgraded to the improved F-89H Scorpion.

Strategic Airlift
In 1960, the 133rd FIG was reassigned to Military Air Transport Service (MATS), trading in its air defense interceptors for 4-engines C-97 Stratofreighter transports. With air transportation recognized as a critical wartime need, the unit was re-designated the 133rd Air Transport Group (Heavy). During the 1961 Berlin Crisis, both the Group and squadron were federalized on 1 October 1961. From Minneapolis, the 109th ATS augmented MATS airlift capability world-wide in support of the Air Force's needs. It returned again to Minnesota state control on 31 August 1962. Throughout the 1960s, the unit flew long-distance transport missions in support of Air Force requirements, frequently sending aircraft to Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, and during the Vietnam War, to both South Vietnam, Okinawa and Thailand.

Tactical Airlift
The C-97s were retired in 1971 and the 133rd TAG was transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC). It transitioned to the C-130A Hercules theater transport, flying missions in support of TAC throughout the United States and Alaska. In 1974 the unit was returned to Military Airlift Command (MAC) when TAC transferred out its troop carrier mission. In the early 1970s, USAF's "Total Force" policy brought the wing into full partnership with its Air Force counterparts by mandating co-operation and teamwork between Air Guard and active duty Air Force units in all phases of military airlift operations. As a result, in succeeding years the unit's C-130s traveled to all corners of the world, airlifting troops, passengers, and cargo during training missions, exercise deployments, and real-world military operations to support Federal and State military airlift requirements.

The unit has been upgraded over the years with newer C-130E aircraft in 1981 and currently flies the C-130H, which it received in 1995. 2011 marked the 90th anniversary of the 1921 decision to make Minnesota's 109th Aero Squadron the first federally-recognized National Guard flying unit in the country. To commemorate the heritage of the Minnesota Air National Guard, the 133rd Airlift Wing hosted an Air Expo, welcoming upwards of 15,000 members of the community to the base to celebrate.

During 2011, the 109th Airlift Squadron deployed 528 Airmen to 17 countries, serving in support of U.S. operations worldwide, including humanitarian missions to Africa, Honduras and Indonesia. The squadron provides combat-ready air crews, support personnel, and aircraft for the airlift of passengers and cargo anywhere in the world. Upon direction of the Governor, the unit furnishes personnel and equipment, including aircraft, to assist in natural disaster relief or to safeguard life and property in Minnesota.

Lineage

 * Constituted as 367th Fighter Group on 26 May 1943
 * Activated on 15 July 1943
 * Inactivated on 7 November 1945


 * Re-designated 133d Fighter Group and allotted to Minnesota ANG on 24 May 1946.
 * Extended federal recognition on 28 August 1947
 * Federalized and placed on active duty, 2 March 1951


 * Established as 133d Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 2 March 1951
 * 133d Fighter-Interceptor Group assigned as subordinate unit
 * Inactivated 6 February 1952


 * Released from active duty and returned to Minnesota state control, 1 December 1952
 * Activated on 1 December 1952
 * Re-designated: 133d Air Transport Wing, 1 July 1960
 * Group re-designated 133d Air Transport Group
 * Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 October 1961
 * Released from active duty and returned to Minnesota state control, 31 August 1962
 * Re-designated: 133d Military Airlift Wing, 8 January 1966
 * Group re-designated 133d Military Airlift Group
 * Re-designated: 133d Tactical Airlift Wing , 20 March 1971
 * Group re-designated 133d Tactical Airlift Group
 * 133d Tactical Airlift Group inactivated 30 June 1974
 * Re-designated: 133d Airlift Wing, 16 March 1992
 * Group re-activated and re-designated 133d Operations Group

Assignments

 * IV Fighter Command, 15 July 1943
 * Attached to: San Francisco Fighter Wing, 10 December 1943 – 8 March 1944


 * 70th Fighter Wing, 6 July 1944
 * Attached to: IX Air Support (later, IX Tactical Air) Command, 3 October 1944


 * XIX Tactical Air Command, 16 January – July 1945
 * III Fighter Command, September − 7 November 1945
 * 71st Fighter Wing, 28 August 1947
 * 131st Composite Wing, 1 November 1950
 * Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command, 2 March 1951
 * Central Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command, 20 May 1951 – 6 February 1952
 * Minnesota Air National Guard, 1 December 1952
 * Gained by: Central Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command
 * Gained by: Eastern Transport Air Force (EASTAF), Air Transport Command, 1 July 1960


 * Eastern Transport Air Force (EASTAF), Air Transport Command, 1 October 1961
 * Minnesota Air National Guard, 31 August 1962 – present
 * Gained by: Eastern Transport Air Force (EASTAF), Air Transport Command
 * Gained by: Twenty-First Air Force, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966
 * Gained by: Tactical Air Command, 20 March 1971
 * Gained by: Military Airlift Command, 1 December 1974
 * Gained by: Air Mobility Command, 1 June 1992
 * Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 October 1993
 * Gained by: Air Mobility Command, 1 April 1997 – present

World War II

 * 392d Fighter Squadron, 15 July 1943 − 7 November 1945
 * 393d Fighter Squadron, 15 July 1943 − 7 November 1945
 * 394th Fighter Squadron, 15 July 1943 − 7 November 1945

Air National Guard

 * 133rd Operations Group, 16 March 1992 – Present


 * 109th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Air Transport, Military Airlift, Tactical Airlift, Airlift) Squadron, 28 August 1947 − present
 * 167th Air Transport (later Military Airlift, Tactical Airlift) Squadron, 1 April 1961 − 30 June 1972 (West Virginia ANG)
 * 175th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron, 28 August 1947 − 16 April 1956 (South Dakota ANG)
 * 178th Fighter Squadron, 1 February 1947 − 1 March 1951; 15 October 1952 − 30 June 1955 (North Dakota ANG)
 * 179th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron, 28 August 1947 − 1 July 1960

Stations

 * Hamilton Field, California, 15 July 1943
 * Santa Rosa Army Airfield, California, 11 October 1943
 * Oakland Municipal Airport, California, 10 December 1943 – 8 March 1944
 * RAF Stoney Cross (AAF-452) England, 5 April 1944
 * RAF Ibsley (AAF-347), England, 6 July 1944
 * Beuzeville Airfield (A-6), France, 22 July 1944
 * Cricqueville Airfield (A-2), France, 14 August 1944
 * Peray Airfield (A-44), France, 4 September 1944
 * Clastres Airfield (A-71), France, 8 September 1944


 * Juvincourt Airfield (A-68), France, 28 October 1944
 * St-Dizier Airfield (A-64), France, 1 February 1945
 * Conflans Airfield (A-94), France, 14 March 1945
 * Eschborn Airfield (Y-74), Germany, 20 April – July 1945
 * Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, September − 7 November 1945
 * Wold-Chamberlain Field (later Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airport), Minnesota, 28 August 1947
 * Designated: Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota, 1991-Present

Aircraft

 * P-39 Aircobra, 1943−1944
 * P-38 Lightning, 1944−1945
 * P-47N Thunderbolt, 1945
 * F-51D Mustang, 1947−1954
 * F-94A/B Starfire, 1954−1957
 * F-94C Starfire, 1957−1960


 * F-89H Scorpion, 1958−1960
 * C-97G Stratofreighter, 1960−1971
 * C-130A Hercules, 1971−1981
 * C-130E Hercules, 1981−1995
 * C-130H Hercules, 1995−present

Decorations

 * [[File:Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg]] Air Force Outstanding Unit Award