116th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 116th Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135 Stratotanker
. It is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard
. Its parent unit is the 141st Air Refueling Wing
.
, the federal mission is to train, equip and deploy quality mobility forces to forward operating locations in support of specific contingency plans and other short-notice taskings. Since the flying unit received federal recognition in 1924, its been activated during World War II, the Korean War
, Desert Storm, Allied Force, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and the global war on terrorism. Aside from presidential call-ups, many personnel throughout the squadron have voluntarily deployed in support of the Air Expeditionary Force and other contingency operations. Since 1999, the squadron's members have deployed to locations such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, Iceland and Hungary.
In 1924, the Adjutant General for the Washington National Guard
, who was traveling through Spokane
, made a simple proposal to the city fathers. Whichever city, Spokane, Seattle
or Tacoma
, could raise $10,000 dollars first for building hangars would get an Observation Squadron. As the General's westward train pulled out of the station and was approaching the city limits, a telegraph wire sent out ahead of the train stated, "The $10,000 has been raised. We want the squadron."
On 6 August 1924 the 116th Observation Squadron, Washington National Guard, received federal recognition. They established their unit headquarters at the former Parkwater Municipal Golf Course (now Felts Field) near Spokane. Major John T. "Jack" Fancher, a World War I veteran, would act as the units' first commander.
By early 1925, construction of the new hangars began with federally funded building materials, locally bought concrete and the squadron members themselves donating most of the labor. The 116th soon received its first airplanes, three Curtiss JN-6-A2
"Jenny" aircraft, a derivative of the Curtiss JN-4
. They arrived at the rail yards still in the crates; however, no funds were provided to transport or construct the planes for use. A few creative enlisted men managed to haul, assemble and fire up these planes with oil donated by local businesses and gasoline bought on Fancher's personal credit.
On 8 August 1926, the unit was redesignated as the 116th Observation Squadron, 41st Division Aviation, and expanded to include a photo section, medical detachment and transportation section. The 116th was the first National Guard unit to achieve full flight qualifications for every officer in the unit.
During the summer of 1927, Fancher, a local pioneer for both the development of the 116th and the growth of aviation, flew to New York to persuade officials for the National Air Races
to sponsor that year's race out of Spokane. He was successful and on his return flight, he continued to rally support for aviation in the Inland Empire by stopping off at the summer home of then President Calvin Coolidge
. As a result of the air races, the northern route from Minneapolis to Spokane was established and later became the route used by Northwest Airlines
.
In April 1928, Fancher was attempting to dispose of unexpended pyrotechnics left from an aerial demonstration at the Apple Blossom Festival
in Wenatchee. The ordnance detonated while Fancher was carrying it, resulting in his death a few hours later. Flight instructor Caleb V. Haynes
succeeded him in command of the 116th.
In the late 1930s, the unit, tasked by the federal government to perform an aerial survey
of the Columbia River
, provided invaluable information to geologists and engineers for the site selection
and construction of Grand Coulee Dam
, the largest dam in the world at the time.
with a dagger
driven through the center of the card scripted "Caveat hostis," Latin
for "Let the enemy beware," was approved on 18 July 1931 by the War Department
and is still in use today. One of the original sheet metal hand painted insignia from the fuselage of a Consolidated O-17 Courier can still be seen today in the squadron commander’s office. Current Air Force heraldry regulations require squadron emblems include circular background; however, the 116th's patch as worn today by its members is the ace and dagger with no circle.
at Fort Lewis
, Washington, flying anti-submarine patrols along the Pacific Coast. The squadron swelled in numbers as new draftees were added to the roster and it underwent a number of moves to various airfields. Finally, after being assigned to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma it would be deactivated in 1943. The experienced pilots and crews were split up to provide training and leadership to newer draftee units. The experiences and assignments of the unit members during the war were as varied as the men themselves which can be attested to in a few of these brief accounts:
-- The unit commander both before and after the deactivation, Hillford Wallace, would head up various Army Air Corp Reconnaissance Groups in the South Pacific.
-- Frank Frost, a future commander of the unit, was assigned to a bomber squadron in Central America to protect the strategically important Panama Canal.
-- Einar Malmstrom, a founding member of the squadron and the namesake for Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana, was commander of the 356th Fighter Group in the European Theater. On his 58th combat mission, he was shot down over France and became a Prisoner of War (POW) in a German Prison Camp for a year.
-- Spokane, Washington native and 116th flyer, Sam Grashio, chronicled his World War II experience in his book, "Return to Freedom: The War Memoirs of Colonel Sam C. Grashio USAF." Grashio had fought against the Japanese forces right from the outset of the war in the Philippines. After depleting much of their food and virtually all their military resources, he and his other U.S. and Filipino comrades under direction of General Wainwright surrendered to the Japanese on May 6, 1942. He then went on to endure the Bataan Death March and the struggle for life at Camp O'Donnell. Grashio and several others were later assigned to a smaller work camp set so far into the jungle the Japanese did not think prison walls were necessary to keep the weakened and sickly POWs from trying to escape through an "impassable" jungle, but by will power and planning they did indeed escape and became the only group of Japanese prisoners to ever do so by their own means during the entire war. After being returned to stateside, the Colonel continued to serve his country by participating in War Bond tours, drumming up support for the war effort by recounting the harsh treatment he saw while a prisoner of the Japanese Army.
After the war ended in 1946, the unit was reactivated back at Felts Field with P-51 Mustangs, beginning its new mission of fighter-interception. The 116th came under the 141st Air Defense Group headquartered in Spokane. In 1950, the squadron was the first Guard unit west of the Mississippi River to be equipped with jets. The need for more space and longer runways prompted a move from Felts Field to Geiger Field at the present day Spokane International Airport
.
, England, to bolster NATO forces in Europe. The move was the first time in aviation history a National Guard fighter squadron would cross over to the European Theater under its own power and only the second time such a move was ever attempted without air refueling. The unit was released from active duty November 1952, but the aircraft remained in England. The unit returned to Geiger Field and was later reequipped.
In 1955, they received their first Lockheed F-94B Starfire all-weather interceptor. With this new aircraft, the mission of the 116th Fighter Interceptor Squadron changed from day interceptor to day and night all-weather interceptor.
1967 was a "trophy" year for the 141st Fighter Group and the 116th. Trophies and awards received included the Spaatz Trophy for the most Outstanding Air National Guard Flying Unit, the Air National Guard Outstanding Unit Plaque, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Trophy and the Winston P. Wilson Award. In 1969, the unit accumulated an outstanding record, 37,900 accident-free flying hours, receiving the 25th Air Division Flying Safety Award five years in a row.
In July 1976, the 116th converted to the KC-135 Stratotanker
, becoming the fifth Air National Guard unit to join the Strategic Air Command
. The new air refueling squadron moved from Geiger Field to nearby Fairchild Air Force Base
to accommodate the larger aircraft.
, NATO mission enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. In May 1999, six KC-135E's deployed to Budapest, Hungary in support of Operation Allied Force
to deter ethnic aggressions in Yugoslavia.
On 13 January 1999, one of the unit's KC-135E's crashed at Geilenkirchen
Air Base, Germany, killing all four crew members. This was the first time the unit lost an aircraft or lives since beginning the aerial refueling mission in 1976. A monument was erected at the site the following year.
almost immediately. In 2002 a new digital navigation system, called Pacer CRAG, was added to the aircraft and crews trained to function without a navigator. Members of the 116th also joined the thousands of Guard and Reserve forces called up to deploy all over the world in support of America's "War on Terror."
When the first Guard KC-135 R-model landed on Fairchild AFB in January 2003, with its new engines, it became the 40th different airplane the 116th pilots had flown since it was created back in 1924. Each one of the four engines of the KC-135R produces over 21,000 pounds of thrust. The unit's first plane, the JN-6-A2 "Jenny," had a wooden body covered in fabric and only weighed 1,430 pounds.
At the time President George W. Bush
ordered coalition military units into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003, the 116th was in a training status to transition into the R model KC-135. Since then the 116th has supported continuous deployments including antiterrorism efforts abroad under Operation Enduring Freedom and air refueling missions over the US for homeland defense flights under Operation Noble Eagle
.
During a banquet ceremony in July 2003, the 141st Air Refueling Wing accepted the coveted Solano Trophy marking the wing as the best Air National Guard unit in the 15th Air Force.
Overseas deployments and homeland security refueling missions have dominated the tasking landscape for the squadron since 2004. In response to the Congress-mandated 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, the last of the KC-135 Stratotankers belonging to the 141st Air Refueling Wing were redirected to Iowa, and as of 1 October 2007 116th crew members now share aircraft with the active duty 92d Air Refueling Wing.
Today, 116th crews still deploy around the world to fulfill Air Expeditionary Force commitments much the same as during the First World War.
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
. It is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard
Washington Air National Guard
The Washington Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Washington. It is, along with the Washington Army National Guard, an element of the Washington National Guard...
. Its parent unit is the 141st Air Refueling Wing
141st Air Refueling Wing
The 141st Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Washington. It is part of the Washington Air National Guard , and operates the KC-135 Stratotanker and the RC-26 Metroliner....
.
Federal mission
As an Air National Guard unit, the 116th Air Refueling Squadron has both a federal and state mission. When gained by Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
, the federal mission is to train, equip and deploy quality mobility forces to forward operating locations in support of specific contingency plans and other short-notice taskings. Since the flying unit received federal recognition in 1924, its been activated during World War II, the Korean War
Korean 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...
, Desert Storm, Allied Force, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and the global war on terrorism. Aside from presidential call-ups, many personnel throughout the squadron have voluntarily deployed in support of the Air Expeditionary Force and other contingency operations. Since 1999, the squadron's members have deployed to locations such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, Iceland and Hungary.
State mission
Under order of The Governor of the State of Washington and the 141st Air Refueling Wing Commander, the squadron provides protection of life and property and preserves peace, order and public safety. Members of the squadron served on state active duty following the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 cleaning up ash in many of the smaller communities of eastern Washington and during fire storms, floods, and ice storms. More recently, members of the squadron assisted in the removal of 2008's record snowfall from the roofs of local schools and other public buildings.Origins
During World War I, the 116th Aero Squadron was first organized on 19 August 1917, and began flying in France on 30 December 1917. The squadron was renumbered the 637th Aero Squadron (Supply) on 1 February 1918 and served as such until the end of World War I. The unit was then demobilized and mustered out of military service.In 1924, the Adjutant General for the Washington National Guard
Washington National Guard
The Washington National Guard is headquartered at Camp Murray, Washington and is defined by its state and federal mission. At the call of the Governor, the Washington National Guard will mobilize and deploy during times of state emergency to augment local jurisdictions and responders in their...
, who was traveling through Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, made a simple proposal to the city fathers. Whichever city, Spokane, Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
or Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, could raise $10,000 dollars first for building hangars would get an Observation Squadron. As the General's westward train pulled out of the station and was approaching the city limits, a telegraph wire sent out ahead of the train stated, "The $10,000 has been raised. We want the squadron."
On 6 August 1924 the 116th Observation Squadron, Washington National Guard, received federal recognition. They established their unit headquarters at the former Parkwater Municipal Golf Course (now Felts Field) near Spokane. Major John T. "Jack" Fancher, a World War I veteran, would act as the units' first commander.
By early 1925, construction of the new hangars began with federally funded building materials, locally bought concrete and the squadron members themselves donating most of the labor. The 116th soon received its first airplanes, three Curtiss JN-6-A2
Curtiss JN-6H
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-904597-22-9....
"Jenny" aircraft, a derivative of the Curtiss JN-4
Curtiss JN-4
The Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" was one of a series of "JN" biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for the U.S...
. They arrived at the rail yards still in the crates; however, no funds were provided to transport or construct the planes for use. A few creative enlisted men managed to haul, assemble and fire up these planes with oil donated by local businesses and gasoline bought on Fancher's personal credit.
On 8 August 1926, the unit was redesignated as the 116th Observation Squadron, 41st Division Aviation, and expanded to include a photo section, medical detachment and transportation section. The 116th was the first National Guard unit to achieve full flight qualifications for every officer in the unit.
During the summer of 1927, Fancher, a local pioneer for both the development of the 116th and the growth of aviation, flew to New York to persuade officials for the National Air Races
National Air Races
The National Air Races were a series of pylon and cross-country races that took place in the United States from 1920 to 1949. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew rapidly during this period; the National Air Races were both a proving ground and...
to sponsor that year's race out of Spokane. He was successful and on his return flight, he continued to rally support for aviation in the Inland Empire by stopping off at the summer home of then President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
. As a result of the air races, the northern route from Minneapolis to Spokane was established and later became the route used by Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
.
In April 1928, Fancher was attempting to dispose of unexpended pyrotechnics left from an aerial demonstration at the Apple Blossom Festival
Washington State Apple Blossom Festival
The Washington State Apple Blossom Festival is a festival held annually in Wenatchee, Washington, self-proclaimed the "Apple Capital of the World" due to the valley's many apple orchards...
in Wenatchee. The ordnance detonated while Fancher was carrying it, resulting in his death a few hours later. Flight instructor Caleb V. Haynes
Caleb V. Haynes
Caleb Vance Haynes was a United States Air Force major general. The grandson of a famous Siamese Twin, he was used by the Air Force as an organizer, able to create air units from scratch...
succeeded him in command of the 116th.
In the late 1930s, the unit, tasked by the federal government to perform an aerial survey
Aerial survey
Aerial survey is a geomatics method of collecting information by using aerial photography, LiDAR or from remote sensing imagery using other bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as infrared, gamma, or ultraviolet. It can also refer to the chart or map made by analysing a region from the air...
of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, provided invaluable information to geologists and engineers for the site selection
Site selection
Site Selection indicates the practice of new facility location, both for business and government. Site selection involves measuring the needs of a new project against the merits of potential locations...
and construction of Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation. It was constructed between 1933 and 1942, originally with two power plants. A third power station was completed in 1974 to increase its energy...
, the largest dam in the world at the time.
Insignia
The squadron insignia, the ace of spadesAce of Spades
At least in English-speaking countries, the ace of spades is traditionally seen as the highest card in the deck of playing cards, although the actual value of the card varies from game to game...
with a dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
driven through the center of the card scripted "Caveat hostis," Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "Let the enemy beware," was approved on 18 July 1931 by the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
and is still in use today. One of the original sheet metal hand painted insignia from the fuselage of a Consolidated O-17 Courier can still be seen today in the squadron commander’s office. Current Air Force heraldry regulations require squadron emblems include circular background; however, the 116th's patch as worn today by its members is the ace and dagger with no circle.
World War II
In response to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 8530, the 116th went into federal active duty effective 16 September 1940. The unit's first prominent World War II duties occurred immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese when the unit was assigned to Gray Army AirfieldGray Army Airfield
Gray Army Airfield , also known as Gray AAF, is a military airport located at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington, USA. It is located within Fort Lewis.It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.-Overview:...
at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington, flying anti-submarine patrols along the Pacific Coast. The squadron swelled in numbers as new draftees were added to the roster and it underwent a number of moves to various airfields. Finally, after being assigned to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma it would be deactivated in 1943. The experienced pilots and crews were split up to provide training and leadership to newer draftee units. The experiences and assignments of the unit members during the war were as varied as the men themselves which can be attested to in a few of these brief accounts:
-- The unit commander both before and after the deactivation, Hillford Wallace, would head up various Army Air Corp Reconnaissance Groups in the South Pacific.
-- Frank Frost, a future commander of the unit, was assigned to a bomber squadron in Central America to protect the strategically important Panama Canal.
-- Einar Malmstrom, a founding member of the squadron and the namesake for Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana, was commander of the 356th Fighter Group in the European Theater. On his 58th combat mission, he was shot down over France and became a Prisoner of War (POW) in a German Prison Camp for a year.
-- Spokane, Washington native and 116th flyer, Sam Grashio, chronicled his World War II experience in his book, "Return to Freedom: The War Memoirs of Colonel Sam C. Grashio USAF." Grashio had fought against the Japanese forces right from the outset of the war in the Philippines. After depleting much of their food and virtually all their military resources, he and his other U.S. and Filipino comrades under direction of General Wainwright surrendered to the Japanese on May 6, 1942. He then went on to endure the Bataan Death March and the struggle for life at Camp O'Donnell. Grashio and several others were later assigned to a smaller work camp set so far into the jungle the Japanese did not think prison walls were necessary to keep the weakened and sickly POWs from trying to escape through an "impassable" jungle, but by will power and planning they did indeed escape and became the only group of Japanese prisoners to ever do so by their own means during the entire war. After being returned to stateside, the Colonel continued to serve his country by participating in War Bond tours, drumming up support for the war effort by recounting the harsh treatment he saw while a prisoner of the Japanese Army.
After the war ended in 1946, the unit was reactivated back at Felts Field with P-51 Mustangs, beginning its new mission of fighter-interception. The 116th came under the 141st Air Defense Group headquartered in Spokane. In 1950, the squadron was the first Guard unit west of the Mississippi River to be equipped with jets. The need for more space and longer runways prompted a move from Felts Field to Geiger Field at the present day Spokane International Airport
Spokane International Airport
Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located about west of downtown Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is the primary airport for Spokane, eastern Washington, Coeur d'Alene, and northern Idaho...
.
Korean War
During the Korean War, the 116th was again called to active duty and received new F-86 Saber Jets. After only four months of training, the 116th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was ordered to RAF Shepherds GroveRAF Shepherds Grove
RAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force base in Suffolk England 9 miles NE of Bury St Edmunds.The base was built for the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force during World War II. However the facility was not used by the USAAF and was opened by 3 Group, RAF on 3 April 1944...
, England, to bolster NATO forces in Europe. The move was the first time in aviation history a National Guard fighter squadron would cross over to the European Theater under its own power and only the second time such a move was ever attempted without air refueling. The unit was released from active duty November 1952, but the aircraft remained in England. The unit returned to Geiger Field and was later reequipped.
In 1955, they received their first Lockheed F-94B Starfire all-weather interceptor. With this new aircraft, the mission of the 116th Fighter Interceptor Squadron changed from day interceptor to day and night all-weather interceptor.
1967 was a "trophy" year for the 141st Fighter Group and the 116th. Trophies and awards received included the Spaatz Trophy for the most Outstanding Air National Guard Flying Unit, the Air National Guard Outstanding Unit Plaque, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Trophy and the Winston P. Wilson Award. In 1969, the unit accumulated an outstanding record, 37,900 accident-free flying hours, receiving the 25th Air Division Flying Safety Award five years in a row.
In July 1976, the 116th converted to the KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
, becoming the fifth Air National Guard unit to join the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
. The new air refueling squadron moved from Geiger Field to nearby Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...
to accommodate the larger aircraft.
Operation Desert Storm
Aircrew, maintenance and support personnel responded to the Iraq invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990, and deployed to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield. Upon federal activation in December 1990, all eight of the unit’s KC-135's refueled coalition attack aircraft during Operation Desert Storm.Post-Cold War
Since that time 116th crew members have responded to every major military action taken by the United States. In December 1991, the unit responded with aircrew and support personnel for Operation Restore Hope, a United Nations relief mission to aid hunger victims in Somalia. June 1995, several rotations deployed to Pisa, Italy, for Operation Deny FlightOperation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, NATO mission enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. In May 1999, six KC-135E's deployed to Budapest, Hungary 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...
to deter ethnic aggressions in Yugoslavia.
On 13 January 1999, one of the unit's KC-135E's crashed at Geilenkirchen
Geilenkirchen
Geilenkirchen is a town in the district Heinsberg, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Wurm, approx. 15 km north-east of Heerlen and 20 km north of Aachen....
Air Base, Germany, killing all four crew members. This was the first time the unit lost an aircraft or lives since beginning the aerial refueling mission in 1976. A monument was erected at the site the following year.
Global War on Terror
After the 11 September 2001 attacks, the squadron began refueling flights supporting Operation Noble EagleOperation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
almost immediately. In 2002 a new digital navigation system, called Pacer CRAG, was added to the aircraft and crews trained to function without a navigator. Members of the 116th also joined the thousands of Guard and Reserve forces called up to deploy all over the world in support of America's "War on Terror."
When the first Guard KC-135 R-model landed on Fairchild AFB in January 2003, with its new engines, it became the 40th different airplane the 116th pilots had flown since it was created back in 1924. Each one of the four engines of the KC-135R produces over 21,000 pounds of thrust. The unit's first plane, the JN-6-A2 "Jenny," had a wooden body covered in fabric and only weighed 1,430 pounds.
At the time President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
ordered coalition military units into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003, the 116th was in a training status to transition into the R model KC-135. Since then the 116th has supported continuous deployments including antiterrorism efforts abroad under Operation Enduring Freedom and air refueling missions over the US for homeland defense flights under 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...
.
During a banquet ceremony in July 2003, the 141st Air Refueling Wing accepted the coveted Solano Trophy marking the wing as the best Air National Guard unit in the 15th Air Force.
Overseas deployments and homeland security refueling missions have dominated the tasking landscape for the squadron since 2004. In response to the Congress-mandated 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, the last of the KC-135 Stratotankers belonging to the 141st Air Refueling Wing were redirected to Iowa, and as of 1 October 2007 116th crew members now share aircraft with the active duty 92d Air Refueling Wing.
Today, 116th crews still deploy around the world to fulfill Air Expeditionary Force commitments much the same as during the First World War.
Lineage
- Organized as 116th Aero Squadron on 29 Aug 1917
- Re-designated 637th Aero Squadron on 1 Feb 1918.
- Demobilized on 20 May 1919
- Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 116th Observation Squadron which, having been allotted to Washington NG, was activated on 6 Aug 1924
- Ordered to active service on 16 Sept 1940
- Re-designated: 116th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 Jan 1942
- Re-designated: 116th Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942
- Re-designated: 116th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 Apr 1943
- Re-designated: 116th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Aug 1943
- Disbanded on 30 Nov 1943
- Reconstituted on 21 Jun 1945
- Re-designated 116th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Washington ANG, on 24 May 1946.
- Received federal recognition and activated, 1946
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 10 February 1951
- Re-designated: 116th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 10 February 1951
- Released from active duty and returned to Washington state control, 1 November 1952
- Re-designated: 116th Air Refueling Squadron, 1976-Present
Assignments
- Unknown, 29 August 1917-Feb 1918
- 1st Air Depot, Feb 1918-Apr 1919
- Unknown, Apr-20 May 1919
- Washington National GuardWashington Army National GuardThe Washington Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the Washington National Guard based in Washington. The history of the Washington Army National Guard dates back to 1854 with formation of the Washington Territorial Militia...
(divisional aviation, 41st Division), 6 Aug 1924 - Ninth Corps Area, 16 Sept 1940
- Fourth Army, 3 Oct 1940
- IX Army Corps, c. Nov 1940
- Fourth Air ForceFourth Air ForceThe Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, 1 Sept 1941 - IV Air Support CommandIV Air Support CommandThe VI Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Biggs Field, Texas...
, 3 Sept 1941 - 70th Observation (later Reconnaissance; Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 13 Sept 1941-30 November 1943
- Washington Air National GuardWashington Air National GuardThe Washington Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Washington. It is, along with the Washington Army National Guard, an element of the Washington National Guard...
, 24 May 1946
- 142d Air Defense Wing (ADC), 1946
- 142d Air Defense Wing (ConAC), 1 December 1948
- 142d Air Defense Wing (ADC), 1 January 1951
- Federalized and placed on active duty under Air Defense Command, 10 February 1951
- 81st Fighter-Interceptor Group, 10 February 1951
- Released from active duty and returned to Washington state control, 1 November 1952
- 141st Fighter-Interceptor Group (ADC), 1960
- 141st Air Refueling Group (SAC), 1976
- 141st Air Refueling Wing141st Air Refueling WingThe 141st Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Washington. It is part of the Washington Air National Guard , and operates the KC-135 Stratotanker and the RC-26 Metroliner....
(AMC), 1 June 1992-Present
Stations
- Kelly Field, TX, 29 Aug 1917
- Garden CityGarden City- Places :Australia:*Toowoomba, Queensland, nicknamed "Garden City"*Garden City, a locality within Port Melbourne, Victoria* Westfield Garden City, a Westfield shopping centre in Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane...
, NY, 31 Oct-7 Dec 1917 - St Maixent, France, 2 Jan 1918
- Romorantin, France, 18 Jan 1918
- Colombey-les-Belles, France, 6 Feb 1918-Apr 1919
- Mitchel Field, NY, c. 11–20 May 1919
- Felts Field, Parkwater, Wash, 6 Aug 1924
- Gray Field, Wash, 24 Sept 1940
- Detachments operated from Yakima, Wash, 16 Mar-1 May 1942
- Detachments operated from Hoquiam, Wash, 25 May 1942-
- Corvallis Army Airfield, Ore, 9 Mar 1943
- Redmond Army Airfield, Ore, 16 Aug 1943
- Corvallis Army Airfield, Ore, 30 Oct 1943
- Will Rogers Field, Okla, 14-30 Nov 1943.
- Felts Field, Washington, 1946
- Geiger Field, Washington, 1948
- Operated from Moses Lake AFB, Washington, 10 February 1951 (Federalized Service)
- Operated from RAF Shepherds GroveRAF Shepherds GroveRAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force base in Suffolk England 9 miles NE of Bury St Edmunds.The base was built for the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force during World War II. However the facility was not used by the USAAF and was opened by 3 Group, RAF on 3 April 1944...
, England, 3 September 1951-1 November 1952 (Federalized Service)- Geiger Field, Washington, 1952
- Fairchild AFB, Washington, 1976–Present
Aircraft
- RC-26B Metroliner (since 1994)
- KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(since 1976) - F-101 VoodooF-101 VoodooThe McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
(1965–1976) - F-102 Delta DaggerF-102 Delta DaggerThe 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...
(1960–1965) - F-89 ScorpionF-89 ScorpionThe Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
(1957–1960) - F-94 StarfireF-94 StarfireThe Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.-Design and development:...
(1955–1957) - T-33 Shooting StarT-33 Shooting StarThe Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
(1953–1955) - F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe 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...
(1951–1955) - F-84 ThunderjetF-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
(1950–1951) - L-5 SentinelL-5 SentinelThe Stinson L-5 Sentinel was a World War II era liaison aircraft used by all branches of the U.S. military and by the British Royal Air Force. Along with the Stinson L-1 Vigilant, the L-5 was the only other American liaison aircraft of WWII that was purpose-built for military use and had no...
(1946–1950) - B-26B Invader (1946–1950)
- C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1946–1950)
- P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(1946–1950) - AT-6 Texan (1946–1950)
- P-39 Airacobra (1943–1946)
- O-49 Vigilant (1940–1941)
- North American O-47North American O-47|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.* Fahey, James C. U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946. New York: Ships and Aircraft, 1946....
(1940–1946) - Douglas O-38Douglas O-38-References:*The complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, , 1152 pp.-External links:...
(1931–1940) - Consolidated O-17 (1928–1934)
- Consolidated PT-1Consolidated PT-1The Consolidated PT-1 Trusty was a biplane primary trainer used by the United States Army Air Service.-Design and development:...
(1927–1929) - Douglas O-2Douglas O-2The Douglas O-2 is a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.-Development:The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn...
(1926–1934) - TW-3 Chummy (1925–1928)
- DeHavilland DH-4 (1924–1928)
- JN-6 Jenny (1925–1926)
Past Commanders
- Major John T. Fancher (24 Jul 1924 – 29 Apr 1928)
- Captain Harold R. Neely (29 Apr 1928 – 18 May 1928)
- Major Caleb V. Haynes (19 May 1928 – 17 Jul 1931)
- Captain Warren Wadsworth (18 Jul 1931-17 Sept 1931)
- Major Robert G. Breene (18 Sep 1931 – 3 Jul 1934)
- Major Robert W. Owen (4 Jul 1934 – 14 Nov 1934)
- Major Robin A. Day (15 Nov 1934 – 1 Jun 1938)
- Major Hilford R. Wallace (2 Jun 1938 – 16 Sep 1940)