Maine Air National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Maine Air National Guard is the air force
militia
of the U.S. state
of Maine
. It is, along with the Maine Army National Guard
, an element of the Maine National Guard
. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force
, as well as its state mission.
In December 1948 the command was transferred to the Continental Air Command. Two years later the 101st FG was reorganized into a Wing-Base in order to standardize the Guard units with their active duty counterparts. This provided for additional supporting medical, service, transportation and base operating elements.
The 101st FG was then called to active service in February 1950 for a period of 21 months to serve in the Korean War
. In March 1952 the Maine ANG created its own headquarters to facilitate returning ANG units. The Maine State Headquarters, Camp Keyes, Augusta was organized and federally recognized on 19 March 1952.
On 15 April 1956 the 101st FG was put on duty in New Hampshire until December 1960, when it was reassigned and reactivated in the State of Maine. The first nurses were assigned to the Maine Air National Guard in June 1956. Four years later the responsibility for training and inspection of the ANG was transferred from the Continental Air Command to the Air Defense Command. When the USAF Air Defense Command reorganized its Continental Air Defense forces to a numbered Air Force/Air Division Organization in April 1966, the 101st Air Defense Wing was assigned to the 36th Air Division located at Topsham Air Force Station, Maine and to Headquarters, First Air Force located at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. In September 1967 the number of aircraft was reduced from 25 to 18.
In April 1976, the first KC-135A Stratotankers were assigned to the unit and the gaining command was changed from Air Defense Command to Strategic Air Command
.
In August 1990 selected Maine ANG units were mobilized in support of the Operation Desert Storm. Two years later the gaining command changed from SAC to the Air Mobility Command
. The 101st ARW was then intregrated into the Northeast Tanker Task Force (NTTF) in September 1994.
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. It is, along with the Maine Army National Guard
Maine Army National Guard
The Maine Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
, an element of the Maine National Guard
Maine National Guard
The Maine Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management is a government agency of Maine. It comprises the two components of the Maine National Guard, the Maine Army National Guard and the Maine Air National Guard, the Bureau of Veterans' Affairs, and the Maine Emergency Management...
. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, as well as its state mission.
History
The first Air National Guard Unit to be organized in Maine was the Headquarters, 101st Fighter Group, which was a component of the 67th Fighter Wing with headquarters at Logan Airport, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). The 101st FG was federally recognized on 4 February 1947 with station at Camp Keyes, Augusta, Maine. Additional units of the 101FG were organized and federally recognized on 5 February 1947 and stationed at Dow Air Force Base, Bangor, Maine. These units were:- 132nd Fighter Squadron
- 132nd Weather Station
- 201st Air Service Group
- 201st Air Service Group, Det. A
In December 1948 the command was transferred to the Continental Air Command. Two years later the 101st FG was reorganized into a Wing-Base in order to standardize the Guard units with their active duty counterparts. This provided for additional supporting medical, service, transportation and base operating elements.
The 101st FG was then called to active service in February 1950 for a period of 21 months to serve in 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...
. In March 1952 the Maine ANG created its own headquarters to facilitate returning ANG units. The Maine State Headquarters, Camp Keyes, Augusta was organized and federally recognized on 19 March 1952.
On 15 April 1956 the 101st FG was put on duty in New Hampshire until December 1960, when it was reassigned and reactivated in the State of Maine. The first nurses were assigned to the Maine Air National Guard in June 1956. Four years later the responsibility for training and inspection of the ANG was transferred from the Continental Air Command to the Air Defense Command. When the USAF Air Defense Command reorganized its Continental Air Defense forces to a numbered Air Force/Air Division Organization in April 1966, the 101st Air Defense Wing was assigned to the 36th Air Division located at Topsham Air Force Station, Maine and to Headquarters, First Air Force located at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. In September 1967 the number of aircraft was reduced from 25 to 18.
In April 1976, the first KC-135A Stratotankers were assigned to the unit and the gaining command was changed from Air Defense Command to 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...
.
In August 1990 selected Maine ANG units were mobilized in support of the Operation Desert Storm. Two years later the gaining command changed from SAC to the Air Mobility Command
Air 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 101st ARW was then intregrated into the Northeast Tanker Task Force (NTTF) in September 1994.
Units
Today, the Maine Air National Guard consists of three units:- 101st Air Refueling Wing101st Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 101st Air Refueling Wing is an Air National Guard aerial refueling unit located at Bangor International Airport, Maine.-Mission:Federal...
, at Bangor IAP (the former Dow Air Force BaseDow Air Force Base-History:Dow Air Force Base began as "Godfrey Field" in 1927, on land owned by local attorney Edward Rawson Godfrey . Commercial flights began at the field in 1931 under Northeast Airlines...
) which operates the KC-135R. - 243rd Engineering and Installation Squadron and
- 265th Combat Communications Squadron, both based at South Portland, ME.