104th Fighter Wing
104th Fighter Wing | |
---|---|
Active | 1956–present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | Massachusetts |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | Wing |
Role | Fighter/Air Defense |
Part of | Massachusetts Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (Barnes ANGB), Westfield, Massachusetts |
Nickname(s) | Barnestormers |
Tail Code | "MA" Red tail stripe |
Commanders | |
Commander | Col. David Halasi-Kun |
Command Chief Master Sergeant | Chief Master Sergeant Stephen Jeffers |
Insignia | |
104th Fighter Wing emblem | |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | F-15C/D |
The 104th Fighter Wing (104 FW) is a unit of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, stationed at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (Barnes Air National Guard Base), Westfield, Massachusetts. When activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
In its dual state mission, the 104th Fighter Wing is an Air Force component of the Massachusetts National Guard.
Overview
The 104th Fighter Wing flies the F-15 Eagle and supports Air Force wartime contingency requirements, performing a variety of missions to include a 24/7 active Air Control Alert (ACA) to protect the Northeast corridor of the United States.
In addition to the ACA mission, the highly decorated Wing provides operationally ready combat units, combat support units and qualified personnel for active duty. Its goal is to organize, train and equip assigned personnel to provide an operationally ready squadron to the Air Combat Command that flies, fights and wins.
The 104th Fighter Wing was selected for replacement of the aging F-15 Eagle with the F-35A Lightning II.[1] Replacement is supposed to occur after approval of the ROD, expected to occur in summer of 2024.
Units
The 104th Fighter Wing is composed of the:
- 104th Operations Group
- 104th Maintenance Group
- 104th Mission Support Group
- 104th Medical Group
Heraldry
The 104th Fighter Wing has nine
The multi-color 104th Emblem is proudly worn by both the 131st Fighter Squadron and the 104th Fighter Wing, and has a symbolic meaning as explained below:
- Blue and Yellow: the Air Force colors
- Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations
- Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel
- Aircraft in Cloud: Represents the primary mission - combat capability through air power
- Bolt of Lightning: Represents the eagerness to strike
- Five Stars: Represents the 131st Fighter Squadron, symbolized by their 1-3-1 configuration
- Crown & Crown Points: Represents the ethnic diversity of the men and women who founded the 104th
- Two Fleur-de-lis: Represents the unit deployments to and from France during the 1961 blockade of Berlin by the Soviet Union
Emblem designed by: MSgt. Robert J. Della Penna, Original artwork by: SSgt. Donald Bein, Computer Generated by: MSgt. Robert J. Sabonis
History
In 1946, the National Guard Bureau authorized an Air National Guard unit in Western Massachusetts. On 24 February 1947, the unit was federally recognized as the 131st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 131st Utility Flight, 131st Weather Flight, and Detachment B of the 202nd Air Services Group.
The unit received its first plane, the P-47 Thunderbolt I, in the winter of 1949, and was chosen to conduct a flyover for President Truman's inauguration. That year the first edition of the unit paper, called the "Thunderbolt" was also published. The paper was later named the "Airscoop" and has won three Department of Defense (DOD) awards in nationwide competitions since publication began.
The 131st FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 104th Headquarters, 104th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 104th Combat Support Squadron, and the 104th USAF Dispensary.
In 1950, the unit was awarded the Spaatz Trophy based on its accomplishments in maintenance, personnel, training, safety, supply, and overall proficiency. Then, in 1951, the 131st Fighter Squadron underwent its first of eight conversions and flew the P- 51 Mustang Fighter for three years until the F-94 Starfire Fighter permanently put the 131st into the jet business. The Guard Base at Barnes Airport was dedicated on 19 October 1952.
In 1954 the 131st stood up a dawn-to-dusk air defense alert with its F-94 jets, a rotation of pilots, and a 10-person support crew (a precursor of things to come). In April 1956 came the organization as the 104th Fighter Group, from the previous squadron-hierarchy.
The mission of the 104th Fighter Group was the air defense of Massachusetts.
Tactical Air Command
The air defense mission ended on 10 November 1958 when the Massachusetts Air Guard and its units were reassigned to
1961 Berlin Federalization
During the summer of 1961, as the
The mission was to reinforce the
Starting on 5 December, the Wing began deploying to Wheelus Air Base Libya for gunnery training. During its time in Europe, the 104th participated in several USAF and NATO exercises, including a deployment to Leck Air Base, West Germany near the Danish border. At Leck, ground and support crews from both countries exchanged duties, learning how to perform aircraft maintenance and operational support tasks.
On 7 May 1962, USAFE
Vietnam era
After the Berlin Crisis, the readiness status of the 104th Tactical Fighter Group greatly improved under the "gaining command concept", whereby the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command was responsible for overseeing the training of the Group. Operational readiness inspections also honed the edges of the wing.
In 1964, the 131st TFS was switched from F-86H Sabres to the
Close Air Support
The 104th remained as a tactical fighter unit flying the F-100 until July 1979 when the F-100s were retired and the unit was re-equipped with new
For most of its existence, the Air Guard had been a reserve force for use only in wartime. By the 1980s, the Air Guard was an integral part of daily Air Force operations. As a result, the Massachusetts Air Guard took on more missions. With the receipt of the A-10, the 104th began a commitment to the
As the Cold War was ending, the Massachusetts Air National Guard was called upon to meet new challenges. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 led to a U.S. response with air, ground and naval attacks during
Air Combat Command
In March 1992, with the end of the Cold War, the 104th adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan, and the unit was re-designated as the 104th Fighter Group. In June, Tactical Air Command was inactivated as part of the Air Force reorganization after the end of the Cold War. It was replaced by Air Combat Command (ACC). In 1995, in accordance with the Air Force "One Base-One Wing" directive, the 104th was changed in status back to a Wing, and the 131st Fighter Squadron was assigned to the new 104th Operations Group.
From August to October 1995, some 400 Airmen of the 104th Fighter Wing deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy as part of the NATO mission to repel Serbian forces in Bosnia. This was the first time that the 131st Fighter Squadron flew combat sorties. Four years later, in 1999, elements of the 104th mobilized and flew sorties over the skies of the former Republic of Yugoslavia. As part of an Air Guard A-10 group, the 131st attacked Serb forces in Kosovo.
In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, Expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation.
As a result of the
In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to Barnes Municipal Airport Air Guard Station and send its A-10s to the
In addition to the air defense mission, the men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing deploy on Air Expeditionary missions to the Middle East in support of combat operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The last such deployment was completed in July, 2012.
In May 2013, it was announced that one third of the 104th Fighter Wing's F-15 aircraft would be moving to Otis Air National Guard Base to take up an alert mission for four to six-month, as Barnes' runway underwent renovation.[2][3]
On 27 August 2014, a jet from the wing crashed into the ground near
On 4 February 2023, F-15s from the wing assisted
Lineage
- Established as the 104th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and allotted to the Air National Guard on 15 April 1956
- Activated in the Massachusetts Air National Guard on 1 May 1956 and federally recognized
- Redesignated 104th Tactical Fighter Group on 10 November 1958
- Redesignated 104th Fighter Group on 15 March 1992
- Redesignated 104th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1995
Assignments
Gaining Commands
- Air Defense Command, 1 May 1956
- Tactical Air Command, 10 November 1958
- Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992 - present
Past Commanders
1947-1956 Col. Lyle E. Halstead
1956-1963 Brig. Gen. John J. Stefanik
1963–1970, Col. Edward D. Slasienski
1970–1973, Col. John J. Sevila
1973–1978, Col. Bruno J. Grabovsky
1978–1981, Col. Myrle B. Langley
1981–1986, Col. David R. Cummock
1986–1990, Col. Alan T. Reid
1990–1995, Maj. Gen. Richard A. Platt
1995–1997, Col. David W. Cherry
1997–1999, Col. Daniel P. Swift
1999–2005, Col. Michael Boulanger
2005–2008, Col. Marcel E. Kerdavid Jr.
2008–2012, Brig. Gen. Robert T. Brooks Jr.
2012–2016, Col. James J. Keefe
2017-June 2018, Col. James M. Suhr
June 2018 - June 2020, Col. Peter T. Green
June 2020 – June 2022, Col. William T. Bladen
June 2022 - Present, Col. David Halasi-Kun
Components
- 104th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – present
- 131st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron(later Tactical Fighter Squadron, Fighter Squadron), 1 May 1956 – 1 October 1995
Stations
- Barnes Municipal Airport (later Barnes Air National Guard Base), Massachusetts, 1 May 1956 – present
Aircraft
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References
Notes
- ^ "Air Force selects Westfield's 104th Fighter Wing to get the F-35A". 104th Fighter Wing. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- Springfield Republican. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Brennan, George (29 May 2013). "F-15s returning to Cape base, for now". Falmouth, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Bacon, John; Stanglin, Doug (27 August 2014). "F-15 fighter jet crashes in Virginia forest". USA Today. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ Mai-Duc, Christine (27 August 2014). "Pilot made emergency call shortly before F-15 crashed in Virginia". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ Kinney, Jim (28 August 2014). "F-15 crash: Barnes officials expect updates from investigators at crash site". The Republican. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ LeForge, Jeanette (7 September 2014). "Pilot in F-15 crash remembered as 'difference maker'". The News Leader. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
- ^ Garamone, Jim (4 February 2023). "F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast". United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 104th Fighter Wing history
- Massachusetts ANG History
- 131st Fighter Squadron lineage and history
- Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0
- McLaren, David. Republic F-84 Thunderjet, Thunderstreak & Thunderflash: A Photo Chronicle. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military/Aviation History, 1998. ISBN 0-7643-0444-5.