176th Wing
Encyclopedia
The 176th Wing is the largest unit of the Alaska Air National Guard
. It is a composite wing
— meaning a wing which operates more than one type of aircraft — operating out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
in Anchorage
, Alaska. It consists of an airlift
squadron, a complete pararescue package and the 176th Air Control Squadron
, which supports the Alaska NORAD
Region with around-the-clock operations and maintenance.
, the 176th Wing has several operational missions:
1. Tactical airlift. This is accomplished through the eight C-130H Hercules aircraft of the 144th Airlift Squadron
.
2. Strategic airlift. The wing's newly created 249th Airlift Squadron
is in what is called a "classic association" with the U.S. Air Force's 517th Airlift Squadron
. The Air Force owns the airframes—eight C-17 Globemaster III
cargo jets—which are flown by mixed aircrews comprising individuals from the 249th and the 517th.
3. Combat search and rescue. This is accomplished through three rescue squadrons: The 210th, which flies six HH-60G Pave Hawk Helicopters (highly modified versions of the UH-60 Blackhawk specialized for Combat Search & Rescue {CSAR}); made up of pararescuers (often called "PJs"); the 211th, which flies four HC-130
P/Ns specially equipped for search-and-rescue and aerial refueling missions; and the 212th, made up of enlisted pararescuemen (called PJs) who are airborne, freefall, scuba, and high angle rescue trained specialists. The 212th also has Combat Rescue Officers (known as CROs)
4. Aerospace defense. This function is performed by the 176th Air Control Squadron
, based on Elmendorf Air Force Base
.
5. Search and rescue coordination. The wing's 11th Rescue Coordination Center (also known as the Alaska RCC) serves as the hub of Alaska's search-and-rescue (SAR) activities both military and civilian. It coordinates not only the SAR/CSAR assets of the Alaska Air National Guard
, but also assets belonging to the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Army National Guard
, other active duty and reserve military units, the Civil Air Patrol
(CAP), National Park Service
, and the Alaska State Troopers
.
— were laid by Col. Lars L. Johnson.
Johnson came to Alaska in 1938, and was called to active duty when America entered World War II three years later. He served with distinction in Alaska and the Philippines, and when the war ended was assigned as a flight instructor in Bogotá
, Colombia
. In 1949 he returned to Alaska, intending to work as a miner and commercial fisherman. Those plans were set aside when then-Territorial Governor Ernest Gruening
named him the first official adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.
Alaska was the only U.S. state or territory without its own Air Guard unit. Almost immediately, Johnson and his aide, Lt. Lee Lucas of Juneau, set about changing that.
"There was some reluctance," Johnson would write years later. "The territorial legislature did not want to provide money. Some in the military felt the territory would not be able to support a squadron."
With support from Gruening and U.S. Senate territorial delegates Bill Egan
and Bob Bartlett
, Johnson made it his personal crusade to bring the doubters around to his point of view. He lobbied state and federal officials, and made several trips to Washington D.C. to make his case.
In July 1952, at a meeting for city officials and businessmen at the Anchorage YMCA
, National Guard Air Division Commander Maj. Gen. Earl Ricks announced that Johnson’s drive had paid off. He said the government was willing to invest $1.5 million to establish an Air Guard unit in Anchorage
, either at Anchorage International Airport
or on Elmendorf Air Force Base
. The only condition: that Johnson prove he could find enough people to man the unit.
A quick survey initiated by Johnson indicated widespread interest in the idea, and on 15 Sept. 1952, the federal government authorized and recognized the 8144th Air Base Squadron.
to accept a commission in the Air National Guard and simultaneous appointment as its commander and adjutant general), and no planes. Its headquarters were located in a small office above what was then a bus depot on Anchorage's Fourth Avenue. Because the office was so small, the men convened for their first training assembly in a nearby Quonset hut
.
Their first aircraft, a T-6G Texan
trainer, arrived in February 1953. In that month’s issue of the squadron's newsletter, "The Men in Blue," Lt. Lucas noted that the arrival provided the unit with their “first real wings” and that “pilots of the squadron will put the recent arrival from the sunny south to immediate use.”
Soon five more trainers arrived, operating out of Elmendorf’s Hangar #3. In keeping with the Air Guard’s mission to provide national air defense, the pilots began training in earnest for their planned transition to jet fighters. As that training progressed, the unit was re-designated the 144th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in July 1953.
The first jet, a T-33A
trainer, arrived in October, shortly followed by F-80C Shooting Star
jet fighters. By late fall of 1954 the growing unit was fully equipped with 14 F-80s, two T-33s, three T-6G trainers, two T-6 observation planes and a C-47A Skytrain
(commonly known as a “Gooney Bird”) transport.
First, a T-33 on a training flight over Point MacKenzie
, west of Anchorage, checked in with ground controllers then simply vanished. Neither the plane nor its occupants, Lt. Roger Pendleton and Capt. Lionel Tietze, were ever seen or heard from again.
Less than a half-hour later, a training flight of three F-80s led by 1st Lt. Albert Kulis passed in formation over the Goose Bay area, on the west side of Knik Arm. Lt. Kulis’ wing man watched as Kulis' fighter went into a steep, diving turn and vanished into a cloudbank. Two weeks later, wreckage belonging to Kulis’ jet was spotted in the mud at Goose Bay, but the fighter sank before it could be recovered.
That spring, the Alaska Air National Guard moved out of Elmendorf Air Force Base
and onto its new base near what was then called Anchorage International Airport
. After an informal vote, the base was dedicated in honor of Lt. Kulis.
Sadly, the tragedy was just the first of several the Air Guard unit would experience over the next few years.
In October 1955, a T-6 crash near Eagle River
killed 1st Lt. Clermont O’Born and an Army Guard observer, SFC Norman Henry. Six months later, Capt. Blinn Webster died following a mid-air collision with an Air Force trainer. In February 1957, Capt. Richard Otto was killed in a crash while participating in an Army National Guard training exercise north of Anchorage.
The lowest point came in November of that same year. Four Alaska National Guardsmen—Capt. Robert Kafader, 1st. Lt. Dennis Stamey, SSgt. David Dial and SSgt. Floyd Porter—died when their transport plane crashed near Gustavus
in Southeast Alaska
.
fighter jets. Along with new aircraft came the unit’s third designation in as many years, this time the 144th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.
That designation also proved short-lived. A decision was made at the national level to shift the Air Guard’s emphasis from air combat to airlift, and the newly rechristened 144th Transportation Squadron (Light) turned in its Sabres for C-47 “Gooney Birds” in 1957.
The new mission proved to be an ideal fit with the needs of the soon-to-be-recognized state of Alaska. The C-47s were old and slow, but they were strong, versatile and capable of taking an enormous amount of abuse—perfect for Alaska’s rugged geography and unpredictable weather.
tactical airlift transports. With the new aircraft, the 144th Air Transportation Squadron's "light" designation was upgraded to "medium."
The new C-123s were not only larger than the aircraft they replaced, but more powerful. Each was equipped with wingtip-mounted jets to augment their Pratt & Whitney
engines. Their 4600 hp and 2,000 pounds of additional thrust helped the C-123s offset the drag and additional weight of their most significant modification: skis.
Early 1964 found the 144th participating in Polar Siege, the largest training exercise ever conducted in Alaska. No one could have known that much greater test awaited.
struck Southcentral Alaska. Tsunamis devastated Valdez
, Seward
and Kodiak
. Gaping fissures, crumbled buildings and burst pipes dotted Anchorage.
In the immediate aftermath, the squadron's Maj. James Rowe arrived at Kulis
from Anchorage International Airport, reporting that the airport's control tower had been demolished. Two Air Guard members sped over with a wrecking truck, which they used to free three men trapped in the rubble. Rowe, meanwhile, fired up a C-123 and went aloft, serving as an emergency control tower and relaying what he could see to the rest of the world.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Carroll, the Alaska National Guard’s adjutant general, immediately directed Maj. John Podraza to assume command at Kulis and activate the Guard. Downed phone lines made communication difficult, but that didn’t matter—within 20 minutes after the quake ended, the Anchorage Times
reported, Guard members began streaming into Kulis without being called.
(Indeed, most phone lines were down, and for a time the area's only reliable communication with the outside world was through the powerful radios on board Maj. Rowe's C-123.)
Every resource at the Guard’s disposal was brought to bear in the disaster response effort. Personnel from the Motor Vehicle Section supplied electricity using emergency power units. Maintenance Squadron members took emergency steps to bring heat to strategic buildings, and the dispensary was prepared by medical technicians.
A warehouse on base was converted to a shelter for civilians rendered homeless by the quake, with a makeshift dining hall and over 100 beds. By midnight, 97 of those beds were occupied.
Over the next few weeks the 144th would fly 131,000 pounds of cargo and 201 passengers in support of earthquake relief efforts. The squadron's performance earned the 12-year-old organization the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
airport. Killed was the plane’s three-man crew, including the pilot, Lt. Col. Thomas Norris Sr.; the co-pilot, Maj. James Rowe (who, circling Anchorage in a C-123 a month earlier, had served as the eyes and ears of the world in the aftermath of the earthquake); and the flight engineer, TSgt. Kenneth Ayers. Also dead was Maj. Gen. Thomas Carroll, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.
A little over a year-and-a-half later, tragedy struck again, as an Air Guard C-123 went down near Cape Romanzof on the Bering Sea
coast. Killed were Lt. Col. John Podraza, Maj. Herb Bedrow, TSgts. Oscar Holland and Freddie Spradlin, and SSgt. Lewis Harris.
suddenly burst its banks in August 1967, flooding much of the Fairbanks
area. One woman whose home was flooded reported that her family didn’t even have time to put on their shoes as the waters rushed in.
Within five hours of the first call for assistance, the first of many C-123 flights began carrying supplies into Fairbanks and evacuating area residents. The homeless were flown to Anchorage, where they were offered shelter, food and medical attention, either at Kulis or the Alaska National Guard’s newly-named Camp Carroll on Fort Richardson.
During a non-stop nine-day period, the 144th accumulated 223 flying hours using its C-123s and one C-54 Skymaster
transport to fly 138 sorties. At the end of that period, the unit had ferried 2,371 people and more than 300,000 pounds of supplies. Less than three years after being presented its first Outstanding Unit Award, the 144th would win its second.
Just a year later, that description—part of it, anyway—would have to be changed as the chief nurse at Fort Richardson, Capt. Marjorie Paulson, became the first woman to join the Alaska Air National Guard. Paulson said that while the Guard took a year to decide whether to accept her application — "There certainly were people who didn't think women belonged in the Guard," she told the unit's newsletter, the Air Guardian, after retiring in 1997—her admission to the 176th Tactical Dispensary actually generated little noise around Kulis.
The media was another matter. "HURDLING THE MALE BARRIER" blared a large headline in the Anchorage Daily News
. "AIR GUARD GOES CO-ED" announced another.
"So that was my claim to fame," Paulson would joke years later.
It didn't take long for others to follow in her footsteps. The next year, Jenifer Huebner became the first female Alaska Air National Guard enlistee (Huebner was also the first woman in the country to join a National Guard civil engineering unit).
Another obvious sign of progress was the increasing extent to which the Alaska Air National Guard was integrating its operations with the U.S. Air Force and other Air National Guard units. In the Fall of 1971, Kulis hosted three “Prime BEEF” (Base Emergency Engineering Force) Air Guard teams from Colorado, Iowa and Nevada. Serving their two weeks of annual active duty, the visiting Guard members built a modular dormitory, a small arms target range, several parking areas and a base entry gate on Kulis. It was the first time such units were deployed to help another Guard unit outside their home states.
The next year, it would be the Alaskans’ turn to mobilize. The 176th Civil Engineer Flight sent their own Prime BEEF team first to Arizona
to work on several construction projects, then to Nellis Air Force Base
, Nev., to attend a five-day Prime BEEF exercise. 1973 found a 60-member Alaska Prime BEEF team in Osan Air Base
, Korea, helping to build a chapel, rebuild an ambulance facility and augment the base’s fire crew.
Even as America began to suffer through the post-Vietnam War
era, the Alaska Air National Guard continued to enjoy political and public support. In 1974 Kulis added a new Operations Center and a multipurpose building, and recruiting levels would increase steadily before dropping off somewhat toward the end of the decade.
as the “gaining” command in the event it was federalized for active duty. A mechanical upgrade was in order, and after 16 years of service the unit’s C-123s
were replaced with C-130E Hercules
transports, boasting increased speed, range and carrying capacity.
(The C-123s were returned to the Air Force, which was then to give them to the Republic of Korea Air Force
. Getting them to Korea, however, posed an unforeseen problem: The planes were so old no one in the USAF had any experience flying them. The problem was solved when one pilot and one mechanic from the group flew to Arizona—together with a load of out-of-print repair manuals and no-longer-manufactured parts—to teach their USAF counterparts how to fly and maintain the old birds.)
“In short, Total Force stresses a ‘shared responsibility’ among all service components of this nation,” Group Commander Lt. Col. Edward Belyea wrote in the Airlift newsletter. “No longer do these Reserve forces have to depend on obsolete equipment handed down to them by their “big brother” active duty force.”
With its new C-130s, the 176th Group began participating in the Total Force almost immediately, flying to Panama
, Germany, Korea and elsewhere to support U.S. military and humanitarian missions. It also began taking on greater responsibilities in the annual Brim Frost
joint force exercises, and took part in the Red Flag wargames program in Nevada
.
All this new activity would require a stronger support infrastructure, and in 1977 the Alaska Air National Guard kicked off one of its largest construction projects ever. More than $3 million was invested in a new composite maintenance building, an aerospace ground equipment (AGE) support building and a new petroleum operations facility on Kulis.
That being the case, it was perhaps no surprise when, at age 34, the organization spun off a new unit of its own.
The 168th Air Refueling Squadron
was reactivated in 1986 as the 176th Tactical Airlift Group’s Detachment 1, based at Eielson Air Force Base
. Its mission, under Lt. Col. Doug Clinton, was to build a tanker unit from the ground up.
In the spring of 1986, members of the unit—what few there were – began a 17-day tour of other Air National Guard tanker units. This trip had a dual purpose, one of its participants would recount later: “One, conduct interviews and make selection for the jobs ... and two, steal people.”
Evidently they were very persuasive, because the new unit was staffed by 16 officers and 65 enlisted personnel by September, when its first planes, four renovated KC-135 Stratotankers, arrived. The first refueling and rendezvous was conducted by Lt.Col Tom Gresch, formerly of Fairchild, AFB, with navigator Capt. Michael R. Stack in control, formerly of the 126th Air Refueling Wing of O'Hare IAP, Chicago, IL.
Obtained from the Arkansas Air National Guard
over vociferous objections from local politicians, the KC-135s were hand-me-downs, and the 168th’s other facilities were antiquated. Despite this, the unit still managed to supply 70 percent of the theater’s air refueling training needs in its first six months of operation. Only two years after being activated, its first Unit Effectiveness Inspection resulted in a rare “excellent” rating.
The early days of the 168th, like those of its Anchorage parent, were not without tragedy. On 25 September 1989, one of the unit’s aircraft exploded on the flightline, killing Master Sgts. Cheryl Helgerman and William Malico.
For its first four years of existence, the 168th was assigned to the 176th, which was redesignated the 176th Composite Group in recognition of its newly diversified components. By the end of the decade the 168th had already reached operational maturity. It was redesignated the 168th Air Refueling Group and began operating independently of the 176th (the 176th would retain its “composite” designation in anticipation of adding the 210th Rescue Squadron
). Under its new designation, the 168th would fly extensive hours in support of U.S. forces in Kuwait
, Saudi Arabia
, Egypt
and other Middle Eastern countries.
That weekend “will forever be one of the most important memories of my life,” she wrote in a letter of appreciation. “While you honor the Kulis family on such an occasion, you are also honoring my husband’s friends who were part of the original 16 men, pilots and crews, who laid the groundwork for ... the finest organization in the Air National Guard.”
The next few years would prove her assessment true, as the Guard became, more than ever, an integral part of Alaska's landscape.
In 1985, an explosion at the village oil storage tank in Gambell
destroyed not only their heating oil, but their primary fuel for power generation. The 144th brought the remote village a state emergency response team, along with portable generators to restore power.
The next year, heavy rains in Cordova
broke through a reinforced dike. The small town required a forty-foot section of large-diameter culvert pipe to divert the flood waters away from the town’s hospital. The wing quickly generated an aircraft and crew to supply the equipment, helping avert extensive property damage and evacuation of the hospital.
In the days after the March 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
, the 144th flew many sorties delivering oil containment booms, supplies and emergency personnel to Valdez
. Air Guard members remained in place in various support roles even after the actual airlift was handed over to civilian contractors. In particular, firefighters from the 176 Civil Engineer Squadron provided crash response and fire protection for the Valdez airport, where traffic had increased from 14 or so flights per day to well over 400.
On a somewhat lighter note came the effort to save a handful of Gray Whale
s trapped in the ice near Point Barrow
. Their plight captured the attention of the national media, and the 176th Group was asked to provide logistical support for the rescue attempt. The episode ended, the Airlift reported, with the whales “last seen headed south to vacation in the sun.”
Alaska Air National Guard
The Alaska Air National Guard is the component of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Alaska.-Overview:Alaska Air National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Air Force. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are...
. It is a composite wing
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
— meaning a wing which operates more than one type of aircraft — operating out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, Alaska. It consists of an airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
squadron, a complete pararescue package and the 176th Air Control Squadron
176th Air Control Squadron
The 176th Air Control Squadron is a part of the United States Air National Guard, which provides mission-ready personnel to operate and maintain the Alaskan Region Air Operations Center of the North American Aerospace Defense Command...
, which supports the Alaska NORAD
North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
Region with around-the-clock operations and maintenance.
Mission
As one of the largest and most complex wings in the Air National GuardAir National Guard
The 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...
, the 176th Wing has several operational missions:
1. Tactical airlift. This is accomplished through the eight C-130H Hercules aircraft of the 144th Airlift Squadron
144th Airlift Squadron
The 144th Airlift Squadron flies the C-130H2 Hercules. It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing.-Mission:...
.
2. Strategic airlift. The wing's newly created 249th Airlift Squadron
249th Airlift Squadron
The 249th Airlift Squadron flies the C-17 Globemaster III . It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing.-Mission:...
is in what is called a "classic association" with the U.S. Air Force's 517th Airlift Squadron
517th Airlift Squadron
The 517th Airlift Squadron is part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates C-12 Huron and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft providing airlfit in the Pacific theater.-Mission:...
. The Air Force owns the airframes—eight C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
cargo jets—which are flown by mixed aircrews comprising individuals from the 249th and the 517th.
3. Combat search and rescue. This is accomplished through three rescue squadrons: The 210th, which flies six HH-60G Pave Hawk Helicopters (highly modified versions of the UH-60 Blackhawk specialized for Combat Search & Rescue {CSAR}); made up of pararescuers (often called "PJs"); the 211th, which flies four HC-130
HC-130
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
P/Ns specially equipped for search-and-rescue and aerial refueling missions; and the 212th, made up of enlisted pararescuemen (called PJs) who are airborne, freefall, scuba, and high angle rescue trained specialists. The 212th also has Combat Rescue Officers (known as CROs)
4. Aerospace defense. This function is performed by the 176th Air Control Squadron
176th Air Control Squadron
The 176th Air Control Squadron is a part of the United States Air National Guard, which provides mission-ready personnel to operate and maintain the Alaskan Region Air Operations Center of the North American Aerospace Defense Command...
, based on Elmendorf Air Force Base
Elmendorf Air Force Base
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
.
5. Search and rescue coordination. The wing's 11th Rescue Coordination Center (also known as the Alaska RCC) serves as the hub of Alaska's search-and-rescue (SAR) activities both military and civilian. It coordinates not only the SAR/CSAR assets of the Alaska Air National Guard
Alaska Air National Guard
The Alaska Air National Guard is the component of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Alaska.-Overview:Alaska Air National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Air Force. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are...
, but also assets belonging to the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Army National Guard
Alaska Army National Guard
The Alaska Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard.Alaska Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United...
, other active duty and reserve military units, the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
(CAP), National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, and the Alaska State Troopers
Alaska State Troopers
The Division of Alaska State Troopers is the state police agency of Alaska. It is a division of the Alaska Department of Public Safety . The Alaska State Troopers are a full service law enforcement agency and handle both traffic and criminal law enforcement...
.
Foundation
The foundations for the 176th Wing—and for the entire Alaska Air National GuardAlaska Air National Guard
The Alaska Air National Guard is the component of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Alaska.-Overview:Alaska Air National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Air Force. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are...
— were laid by Col. Lars L. Johnson.
Johnson came to Alaska in 1938, and was called to active duty when America entered World War II three years later. He served with distinction in Alaska and the Philippines, and when the war ended was assigned as a flight instructor in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. In 1949 he returned to Alaska, intending to work as a miner and commercial fisherman. Those plans were set aside when then-Territorial Governor Ernest Gruening
Ernest Gruening
Ernest Henry Gruening was an American journalist and Democrat who was the Governor of the Alaska Territory from 1939 until 1953, and a United States Senator from Alaska from 1959 until 1969.-Early life:...
named him the first official adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.
Alaska was the only U.S. state or territory without its own Air Guard unit. Almost immediately, Johnson and his aide, Lt. Lee Lucas of Juneau, set about changing that.
"There was some reluctance," Johnson would write years later. "The territorial legislature did not want to provide money. Some in the military felt the territory would not be able to support a squadron."
With support from Gruening and U.S. Senate territorial delegates Bill Egan
William Allen Egan
William Allen Egan was an American Democratic politician. He served as the first Governor of the State of Alaska from January 3, 1959 to 1966, and the fourth Governor from 1970 to 1974...
and Bob Bartlett
Bob Bartlett
Edward Lewis "Bob" Bartlett was an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party.Bartlett was born in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from the University of Alaska in 1925, Bartlett began his career in politics...
, Johnson made it his personal crusade to bring the doubters around to his point of view. He lobbied state and federal officials, and made several trips to Washington D.C. to make his case.
In July 1952, at a meeting for city officials and businessmen at the Anchorage YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, National Guard Air Division Commander Maj. Gen. Earl Ricks announced that Johnson’s drive had paid off. He said the government was willing to invest $1.5 million to establish an Air Guard unit in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, either at Anchorage International Airport
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Inter-terminal:...
or on Elmendorf Air Force Base
Elmendorf Air Force Base
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
. The only condition: that Johnson prove he could find enough people to man the unit.
A quick survey initiated by Johnson indicated widespread interest in the idea, and on 15 Sept. 1952, the federal government authorized and recognized the 8144th Air Base Squadron.
Early days
At its creation the 8144th included 11 enlisted men, five officers (including Johnson, who shortly thereafter separated from the Army National GuardArmy National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
to accept a commission in the Air National Guard and simultaneous appointment as its commander and adjutant general), and no planes. Its headquarters were located in a small office above what was then a bus depot on Anchorage's Fourth Avenue. Because the office was so small, the men convened for their first training assembly in a nearby Quonset hut
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
.
Their first aircraft, a T-6G Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
trainer, arrived in February 1953. In that month’s issue of the squadron's newsletter, "The Men in Blue," Lt. Lucas noted that the arrival provided the unit with their “first real wings” and that “pilots of the squadron will put the recent arrival from the sunny south to immediate use.”
Soon five more trainers arrived, operating out of Elmendorf’s Hangar #3. In keeping with the Air Guard’s mission to provide national air defense, the pilots began training in earnest for their planned transition to jet fighters. As that training progressed, the unit was re-designated the 144th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in July 1953.
The first jet, a T-33A
T-33 Shooting Star
The 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...
trainer, arrived in October, shortly followed by F-80C Shooting Star
P-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...
jet fighters. By late fall of 1954 the growing unit was fully equipped with 14 F-80s, two T-33s, three T-6G trainers, two T-6 observation planes and a C-47A Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The 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...
(commonly known as a “Gooney Bird”) transport.
Move to Kulis Air National Guard Base
16 November 1954 was a dark day for the young organization.First, a T-33 on a training flight over Point MacKenzie
Point MacKenzie, Alaska
Point MacKenzie is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 111...
, west of Anchorage, checked in with ground controllers then simply vanished. Neither the plane nor its occupants, Lt. Roger Pendleton and Capt. Lionel Tietze, were ever seen or heard from again.
Less than a half-hour later, a training flight of three F-80s led by 1st Lt. Albert Kulis passed in formation over the Goose Bay area, on the west side of Knik Arm. Lt. Kulis’ wing man watched as Kulis' fighter went into a steep, diving turn and vanished into a cloudbank. Two weeks later, wreckage belonging to Kulis’ jet was spotted in the mud at Goose Bay, but the fighter sank before it could be recovered.
That spring, the Alaska Air National Guard moved out of Elmendorf Air Force Base
Elmendorf Air Force Base
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
and onto its new base near what was then called Anchorage International Airport
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Top destinations:-Scheduled cargo airlines:-Inter-terminal:...
. After an informal vote, the base was dedicated in honor of Lt. Kulis.
Sadly, the tragedy was just the first of several the Air Guard unit would experience over the next few years.
In October 1955, a T-6 crash near Eagle River
Eagle River, Alaska
Eagle River is a community within the Municipality of Anchorage situated on the Eagle River for which it is named, between Fort Richardson and Chugach State Park in the Chugach Mountains. Its ZIP code is 99577...
killed 1st Lt. Clermont O’Born and an Army Guard observer, SFC Norman Henry. Six months later, Capt. Blinn Webster died following a mid-air collision with an Air Force trainer. In February 1957, Capt. Richard Otto was killed in a crash while participating in an Army National Guard training exercise north of Anchorage.
The lowest point came in November of that same year. Four Alaska National Guardsmen—Capt. Robert Kafader, 1st. Lt. Dennis Stamey, SSgt. David Dial and SSgt. Floyd Porter—died when their transport plane crashed near Gustavus
Gustavus, Alaska
Gustavus is a city in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. At the 2000 census the population was 429.-Geography:Gustavus is located at ....
in Southeast Alaska
Alaska Panhandle
Southeast Alaska, sometimes referred to as the Alaska Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The majority of Southeast Alaska's area is part of the Tongass National Forest, the United...
.
Changing planes and missions
While other Air Guard units around the country were receiving surplus aircraft, in 1955 the 144th’s F-80s were exchanged for brand-new, top-of-the-line F-86 SabreF-86 Sabre
The 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...
fighter jets. Along with new aircraft came the unit’s third designation in as many years, this time the 144th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.
That designation also proved short-lived. A decision was made at the national level to shift the Air Guard’s emphasis from air combat to airlift, and the newly rechristened 144th Transportation Squadron (Light) turned in its Sabres for C-47 “Gooney Birds” in 1957.
The new mission proved to be an ideal fit with the needs of the soon-to-be-recognized state of Alaska. The C-47s were old and slow, but they were strong, versatile and capable of taking an enormous amount of abuse—perfect for Alaska’s rugged geography and unpredictable weather.
1960s
The new decade brought with it a new set of wings. The Alaska Air National Guard’s tough but aging C-47s were replaced by larger C-123J ProviderC-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
tactical airlift transports. With the new aircraft, the 144th Air Transportation Squadron's "light" designation was upgraded to "medium."
The new C-123s were not only larger than the aircraft they replaced, but more powerful. Each was equipped with wingtip-mounted jets to augment their Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
engines. Their 4600 hp and 2,000 pounds of additional thrust helped the C-123s offset the drag and additional weight of their most significant modification: skis.
Early 1964 found the 144th participating in Polar Siege, the largest training exercise ever conducted in Alaska. No one could have known that much greater test awaited.
Earth-shaking developments
On 27 March 1964, the most violent earthquake in the recorded history of North AmericaGood Friday Earthquake
The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage Earthquake and the Good Friday Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that began at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964...
struck Southcentral Alaska. Tsunamis devastated Valdez
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
, Seward
Seward, Alaska
Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,016....
and Kodiak
Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
. Gaping fissures, crumbled buildings and burst pipes dotted Anchorage.
In the immediate aftermath, the squadron's Maj. James Rowe arrived at Kulis
Kulis Air National Guard Base
Kulis Air National Guard Base was a National Guard of the United States facility in Anchorage, Alaska. The facility adjacent to and south of Ted Stevens International Airport was home to the 176th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard until that unit moved to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in...
from Anchorage International Airport, reporting that the airport's control tower had been demolished. Two Air Guard members sped over with a wrecking truck, which they used to free three men trapped in the rubble. Rowe, meanwhile, fired up a C-123 and went aloft, serving as an emergency control tower and relaying what he could see to the rest of the world.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Carroll, the Alaska National Guard’s adjutant general, immediately directed Maj. John Podraza to assume command at Kulis and activate the Guard. Downed phone lines made communication difficult, but that didn’t matter—within 20 minutes after the quake ended, the Anchorage Times
Anchorage Times
The Anchorage Times was a daily newspaper published in Anchorage, Alaska that became known for the pro-business political stance of longtime publisher and editor, Robert Atwood. Competition from the McClatchy-owned Anchorage Daily News forced it out of business in 1992.-History:The Anchorage Times...
reported, Guard members began streaming into Kulis without being called.
(Indeed, most phone lines were down, and for a time the area's only reliable communication with the outside world was through the powerful radios on board Maj. Rowe's C-123.)
Every resource at the Guard’s disposal was brought to bear in the disaster response effort. Personnel from the Motor Vehicle Section supplied electricity using emergency power units. Maintenance Squadron members took emergency steps to bring heat to strategic buildings, and the dispensary was prepared by medical technicians.
A warehouse on base was converted to a shelter for civilians rendered homeless by the quake, with a makeshift dining hall and over 100 beds. By midnight, 97 of those beds were occupied.
Over the next few weeks the 144th would fly 131,000 pounds of cargo and 201 passengers in support of earthquake relief efforts. The squadron's performance earned the 12-year-old organization the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
Guard mourns losses
On 27 April 1964—barely a month after the quake—an Alaska Air National Guard C-123 plunged into the ocean shortly after takeoff from the ValdezValdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
airport. Killed was the plane’s three-man crew, including the pilot, Lt. Col. Thomas Norris Sr.; the co-pilot, Maj. James Rowe (who, circling Anchorage in a C-123 a month earlier, had served as the eyes and ears of the world in the aftermath of the earthquake); and the flight engineer, TSgt. Kenneth Ayers. Also dead was Maj. Gen. Thomas Carroll, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.
A little over a year-and-a-half later, tragedy struck again, as an Air Guard C-123 went down near Cape Romanzof on the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
coast. Killed were Lt. Col. John Podraza, Maj. Herb Bedrow, TSgts. Oscar Holland and Freddie Spradlin, and SSgt. Lewis Harris.
The Fairbanks Flood
Swollen by rainfall three times heavier than normal, the Chena RiverChena River
The Chena River is a 100-mile-long river in the Interior region of the U.S. state of Alaska. It flows generally west from the White Mountains to the Tanana River near the city of Fairbanks, which is built on both sides of the river...
suddenly burst its banks in August 1967, flooding much of the Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
area. One woman whose home was flooded reported that her family didn’t even have time to put on their shoes as the waters rushed in.
Within five hours of the first call for assistance, the first of many C-123 flights began carrying supplies into Fairbanks and evacuating area residents. The homeless were flown to Anchorage, where they were offered shelter, food and medical attention, either at Kulis or the Alaska National Guard’s newly-named Camp Carroll on Fort Richardson.
During a non-stop nine-day period, the 144th accumulated 223 flying hours using its C-123s and one C-54 Skymaster
C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
transport to fly 138 sorties. At the end of that period, the unit had ferried 2,371 people and more than 300,000 pounds of supplies. Less than three years after being presented its first Outstanding Unit Award, the 144th would win its second.
Another milestone
By this time, it was becoming obvious that the Alaska Air National Guard was outgrowing its single-squadron status. Laying the groundwork for future expansion, the organization was officially designated the 176th Tactical Airlift Group in 1969. The Group retained the 144th Tactical Airlift Squadron as its flying unit.1970s
"Kulis Air National Guard Base is Manned and Commanded by Hometown Men," noted the 1969 revision of the Alaska Air National Guard Handbook. "A typical Air Guardsman is a young family man, carving a future for himself. He is vitally interested in Alaska and its future."Just a year later, that description—part of it, anyway—would have to be changed as the chief nurse at Fort Richardson, Capt. Marjorie Paulson, became the first woman to join the Alaska Air National Guard. Paulson said that while the Guard took a year to decide whether to accept her application — "There certainly were people who didn't think women belonged in the Guard," she told the unit's newsletter, the Air Guardian, after retiring in 1997—her admission to the 176th Tactical Dispensary actually generated little noise around Kulis.
The media was another matter. "HURDLING THE MALE BARRIER" blared a large headline in the Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage Daily News
The Anchorage Daily News is a daily newspaper based in Anchorage, Alaska, in the United States. It is often referred to colloquially as either "the Daily News" or "the ADN"...
. "AIR GUARD GOES CO-ED" announced another.
"So that was my claim to fame," Paulson would joke years later.
It didn't take long for others to follow in her footsteps. The next year, Jenifer Huebner became the first female Alaska Air National Guard enlistee (Huebner was also the first woman in the country to join a National Guard civil engineering unit).
Steady growth
The Alaska Air National Guard's reorganization as a group in 1969 had set the stage for future expansion. By the end of 1970 four squadrons had been organized to perform the group's flight operations, maintenance, supply and support functions. Along with the tactical dispensary had been added a communications flight and a civil engineering unit to give the Group the "total react capability" enjoyed by Guard units in the other 49 states. The 176th's focus on tactical airlift missions would not change, however. In fact, it was to be expanded, and the Group was authorized another 475 positions on top of its 275 existing slots.Another obvious sign of progress was the increasing extent to which the Alaska Air National Guard was integrating its operations with the U.S. Air Force and other Air National Guard units. In the Fall of 1971, Kulis hosted three “Prime BEEF” (Base Emergency Engineering Force) Air Guard teams from Colorado, Iowa and Nevada. Serving their two weeks of annual active duty, the visiting Guard members built a modular dormitory, a small arms target range, several parking areas and a base entry gate on Kulis. It was the first time such units were deployed to help another Guard unit outside their home states.
The next year, it would be the Alaskans’ turn to mobilize. The 176th Civil Engineer Flight sent their own Prime BEEF team first to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to work on several construction projects, then to Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
, Nev., to attend a five-day Prime BEEF exercise. 1973 found a 60-member Alaska Prime BEEF team in Osan Air Base
Osan Air Base
Osan Air Base , is a United States Air Force facility located in the Songtan section of Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is to the north. The base is the home of the Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant...
, Korea, helping to build a chapel, rebuild an ambulance facility and augment the base’s fire crew.
Even as America began to suffer through the post-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...
era, the Alaska Air National Guard continued to enjoy political and public support. In 1974 Kulis added a new Operations Center and a multipurpose building, and recruiting levels would increase steadily before dropping off somewhat toward the end of the decade.
Bigger planes for bigger things
The 144th Tactical Airlift Squadron’s mission was changed to worldwide airlift in 1976, and it was assigned to the Military Airlift CommandMilitary Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
as the “gaining” command in the event it was federalized for active duty. A mechanical upgrade was in order, and after 16 years of service the unit’s C-123s
C-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
were replaced with C-130E Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
transports, boasting increased speed, range and carrying capacity.
(The C-123s were returned to the Air Force, which was then to give them to the Republic of Korea Air Force
Republic of Korea Air Force
The Republic of Korea Air Force is the air force of South Korea...
. Getting them to Korea, however, posed an unforeseen problem: The planes were so old no one in the USAF had any experience flying them. The problem was solved when one pilot and one mechanic from the group flew to Arizona—together with a load of out-of-print repair manuals and no-longer-manufactured parts—to teach their USAF counterparts how to fly and maintain the old birds.)
Building the total force
By this time, the increasing integration between active duty and reserve-component military forces had progressed the point where the concept had a name of its own: the Total Force.“In short, Total Force stresses a ‘shared responsibility’ among all service components of this nation,” Group Commander Lt. Col. Edward Belyea wrote in the Airlift newsletter. “No longer do these Reserve forces have to depend on obsolete equipment handed down to them by their “big brother” active duty force.”
With its new C-130s, the 176th Group began participating in the Total Force almost immediately, flying to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Germany, Korea and elsewhere to support U.S. military and humanitarian missions. It also began taking on greater responsibilities in the annual Brim Frost
Northern Edge
Northern Edge is Alaska's premier military joint training exercise.Alaskan Command uses expansive Alaskan training ranges to conduct these joint training operations.Northern Edge 2008 was a joint training exercise running May 5–16, 2008...
joint force exercises, and took part in the Red Flag wargames program in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
All this new activity would require a stronger support infrastructure, and in 1977 the Alaska Air National Guard kicked off one of its largest construction projects ever. More than $3 million was invested in a new composite maintenance building, an aerospace ground equipment (AGE) support building and a new petroleum operations facility on Kulis.
1980s
By the 1980s, the Alaska Air National Guard had changed immensely from the early days of the 8144th Air Base Squadron. It had not only grown larger but evolved, gaining experience and taking on more responsibility as it matured.That being the case, it was perhaps no surprise when, at age 34, the organization spun off a new unit of its own.
The 168th Air Refueling Squadron
168th Air Refueling Squadron
The 168th Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135R Stratotanker. It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 168th Air Refueling Wing.-History:-Previous Designations:* 168th Air Refueling Squadron...
was reactivated in 1986 as the 176th Tactical Airlift Group’s Detachment 1, based at Eielson Air Force Base
Eielson Air Force Base
Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska....
. Its mission, under Lt. Col. Doug Clinton, was to build a tanker unit from the ground up.
In the spring of 1986, members of the unit—what few there were – began a 17-day tour of other Air National Guard tanker units. This trip had a dual purpose, one of its participants would recount later: “One, conduct interviews and make selection for the jobs ... and two, steal people.”
Evidently they were very persuasive, because the new unit was staffed by 16 officers and 65 enlisted personnel by September, when its first planes, four renovated KC-135 Stratotankers, arrived. The first refueling and rendezvous was conducted by Lt.Col Tom Gresch, formerly of Fairchild, AFB, with navigator Capt. Michael R. Stack in control, formerly of the 126th Air Refueling Wing of O'Hare IAP, Chicago, IL.
Obtained from the Arkansas Air National Guard
Arkansas Air National Guard
The Arkansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the US state of Arkansas. It is, along with the Arkansas Army National Guard, an element of the Arkansas National Guard.-Units:* 188th Fighter Wing: The 188th Fighter Wing is located in Ft...
over vociferous objections from local politicians, the KC-135s were hand-me-downs, and the 168th’s other facilities were antiquated. Despite this, the unit still managed to supply 70 percent of the theater’s air refueling training needs in its first six months of operation. Only two years after being activated, its first Unit Effectiveness Inspection resulted in a rare “excellent” rating.
The early days of the 168th, like those of its Anchorage parent, were not without tragedy. On 25 September 1989, one of the unit’s aircraft exploded on the flightline, killing Master Sgts. Cheryl Helgerman and William Malico.
For its first four years of existence, the 168th was assigned to the 176th, which was redesignated the 176th Composite Group in recognition of its newly diversified components. By the end of the decade the 168th had already reached operational maturity. It was redesignated the 168th Air Refueling Group and began operating independently of the 176th (the 176th would retain its “composite” designation in anticipation of adding the 210th Rescue Squadron
210th Rescue Squadron
The 210th Rescue Squadron is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing. It flies the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter.-Mission:...
). Under its new designation, the 168th would fly extensive hours in support of U.S. forces in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and other Middle Eastern countries.
176th increases operations tempo
Back in Anchorage, the 176th celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Alaska Air National Guard by welcoming back an old friend, as Ruth Kulis, widow of 1st Lt. Albert Kulis, came up from California to visit the base.That weekend “will forever be one of the most important memories of my life,” she wrote in a letter of appreciation. “While you honor the Kulis family on such an occasion, you are also honoring my husband’s friends who were part of the original 16 men, pilots and crews, who laid the groundwork for ... the finest organization in the Air National Guard.”
The next few years would prove her assessment true, as the Guard became, more than ever, an integral part of Alaska's landscape.
In 1985, an explosion at the village oil storage tank in Gambell
Gambell, Alaska
Gambell is a village on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 649.-Geography:Gambell is located on the northwest cape of St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, southwest of Nome...
destroyed not only their heating oil, but their primary fuel for power generation. The 144th brought the remote village a state emergency response team, along with portable generators to restore power.
The next year, heavy rains in Cordova
Cordova, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,454 people, 958 households, and 597 families residing in the city. The population density was 40.0 per square mile . There are 1,099 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile...
broke through a reinforced dike. The small town required a forty-foot section of large-diameter culvert pipe to divert the flood waters away from the town’s hospital. The wing quickly generated an aircraft and crew to supply the equipment, helping avert extensive property damage and evacuation of the hospital.
Save the whales
The Alaska Air National Guard would close out the decade with two of its highest-profile missions ever.In the days after the March 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled of crude oil. It is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused...
, the 144th flew many sorties delivering oil containment booms, supplies and emergency personnel to Valdez
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
. Air Guard members remained in place in various support roles even after the actual airlift was handed over to civilian contractors. In particular, firefighters from the 176 Civil Engineer Squadron provided crash response and fire protection for the Valdez airport, where traffic had increased from 14 or so flights per day to well over 400.
On a somewhat lighter note came the effort to save a handful of Gray Whale
Gray Whale
The gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of about , a weight of , and lives 50–70 years. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were...
s trapped in the ice near Point Barrow
Point Barrow
Point Barrow or Nuvuk is a headland on the Arctic coast in the U.S. state of Alaska, northeast of Barrow. It is the northernmost point of all the territory of the United States, at...
. Their plight captured the attention of the national media, and the 176th Group was asked to provide logistical support for the rescue attempt. The episode ended, the Airlift reported, with the whales “last seen headed south to vacation in the sun.”
Major Command
- 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...
/Pacific Air Forces (since 1990) - 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...
/Alaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1945 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct control of all active measures, and coordinate all passive means of...
(1947–1990)
Previous designations
- 176th Wing (since 1995)
- 176th Group (1993–1995)
- 176th Composite Group (1986–1993)
- 176th Tactical Airlift Group (1969–1986)
- 144th Transportation Squadron (Medium) (1960–1969)
- 144th Transportation Squadron (Light) (1957–1960)
- 144th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (1955–1957)
- 144th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1953–1955)
- 8144th Air Base Squadron (1952–1953)
Units assigned
-
- 176th Maintenance Group
- 176th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 176th Maintenance Operations Flight
- 176th Maintenance Squadron
- 176th Medical Group
- 176th Mission Support Group
- 176th Aerial Port Flight (????-2007)
- 176th Civil Engineer Squadron
- 176th Communications Flight
- 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 176th Mission Support Flight
- 176th Security Forces Squadron
- 176th Services Flight
- 206th Combat Communications Squadron (????-2008)
- 176th Operations Group
- 144th Airlift Squadron144th Airlift SquadronThe 144th Airlift Squadron flies the C-130H2 Hercules. It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing.-Mission:...
- 176th Air Control Squadron176th Air Control SquadronThe 176th Air Control Squadron is a part of the United States Air National Guard, which provides mission-ready personnel to operate and maintain the Alaskan Region Air Operations Center of the North American Aerospace Defense Command...
- 168th Air Refueling Squadron168th Air Refueling SquadronThe 168th Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135R Stratotanker. It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 168th Air Refueling Wing.-History:-Previous Designations:* 168th Air Refueling Squadron...
(1986–1990) - 176th Operational Support Squadron
- 210th Rescue Squadron210th Rescue SquadronThe 210th Rescue Squadron is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing. It flies the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter.-Mission:...
- 211th Rescue Squadron211th Rescue SquadronThe 211th Rescue Squadron flies the HC-130 Hercules. It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing.-Major Command:*Air National Guard/Air Force Special Operations Command...
- 212th Rescue Squadron212th Rescue SquadronThe 212th Rescue Squadron flies the HC-130 Hercules. It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing.-Major Command:*Air National Guard/Air Force Special Operations Command...
- 249th Airlift Squadron249th Airlift SquadronThe 249th Airlift Squadron flies the C-17 Globemaster III . It is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 176th Wing.-Mission:...
- 144th Airlift Squadron
- 176th Maintenance Group
Bases stationed
- Joint Base Elmendorf-RichardsonJoint Base Elmendorf-RichardsonJoint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
, Alaska (2011-Future) - Kulis Air National Guard BaseKulis Air National Guard BaseKulis Air National Guard Base was a National Guard of the United States facility in Anchorage, Alaska. The facility adjacent to and south of Ted Stevens International Airport was home to the 176th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard until that unit moved to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in...
, Alaska (1955-2011) - Elmendorf AFB, Alaska (1952–1955)
Aircraft operated
- HC-130HC-130The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
(since 1990) - MH-60/H-60H-60H-60 is often used as a general name for a wide family of U.S. military helicopters. However, they all use a modified mission symbol in addition to the 'H' vehicle type designator under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system . The mission prefix H-60 is often used as a...
(since 1990) - C-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
(since 1976) - 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...
(1986–1990) - C-123 (1960–1976)
- C-47 (1957–1960)
- T-33T-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...
(1955–1957?) - F-80 (1955–1957?)
- F-86 (1955–1957?)
- T-6 TexanT-6 TexanThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
(1952–1955)
External links
- 176th Wing website
- 176th Wing History at globalsecurity.org