145th Air Refueling Squadron
145th Air Refueling Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1956-2014[1] |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | Ohio |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | Squadron |
Role | Air Refueling |
Part of | Ohio Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio |
Nickname(s) | Tazz |
Tail Code | "Ohio" Red Tail Stripe |
Insignia | |
145th Air Refueling Squadron emblem |
The 145th Air Refueling Squadron (145 ARS) is an inactive unit of the
History
The 145th Air Transport Squadron was allotted to the
The 145th ATS was a new Air National Guard organization, not having any prior USAF history or lineage. The 145th ATS, gained by the
Initially assigned
Tactical Air Command
The mission of the squadron was realigned to air refueling of
In 1965, the KC-97Gs were upgraded to KC-97Ls with addition of jet engine pods mounted to the outboard wings. 1967 saw the beginning of Operation Creek Party, a continuous rotational mission flying from
The Group Commander at the time, Colonel Frank Cattran, considered aircraft tail number 52-2630 to be "his" bird and often flew it in preference to any of the others. This aircraft became involved in a "Sister City" ceremony with Zeppelinheim, Germany - a small town near Rhein-Main AB - near the end of the Creek Party operation. Upon the Unit's conversion from KC-97s to KC-13's this aircraft was transferred to the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio, where it can be seen today with its Ohio Air National Guard and Zeppelinheim markings.
In 1971,
A second
Strategic Air Command
In December 1974 Tactical Air Command transferred its Air Refueling units to Strategic Air Command. Later in 1975, the 160th ARG became the first Air National Guard unit to convert to the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker all jet tanker aircraft as part of SAC's Eighth Air Force. The group was the first ANG unit to perform the SAC 24-hour Alert mission and pass a SAC Operational Readiness Inspection in July 1976.
The 160th also participated in SAC overseas Tanker Task Forces and other priority missions worldwide. In 1984, the KC-135As were re-engined and redesignated as KC-135Es. The upgrade to turbofan engines provided a significant increase in performance, safety and reliability.
In August 1990, the 160th was one of the first Air Guard units to deploy aircraft to the Middle East after Iraq's invasion of
Combat flying missions for
September 1991 brought the stand down of the SAC Alert mission which the 160th ARG had maintained continuously for more than 15 years. The 145th ARS began the conversion to KC-135R aircraft in October 1991, and in June 1992, the Strategic Air Command was inactivated with 160th ARG becoming part of the new Air Mobility Command.
Air Mobility Command
In September 1993, the 145th Air Refueling Squadron's parent 160th ARG was inactivated when budget reductions forced a reorganization of the Ohio Air National Guard units at Rickenbacker AGB. The 145th ARS was reassigned to the new 121st Operations Group under the re-organized
Under the 120th ARW, the squadron began flying from bases in southern France to support strike aircraft during
After the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the 121st Air Refueling Wing launched into immediate action supporting armed aircraft over the United States during Operation Noble Eagle. The 121st ARW had the distinction of flying more missions than any other unit during this time. The 121st ARW has also deployed and participated in War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), as well as in the Iraq War after 2003.
In addition to the combat deployments, the unit has also been very heavily tasked with airlift missions during national emergencies. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the 121ARW was one of the first units to send aircraft into Louisiana filled with supplies and troops. Similar missions were flown in September 2005, after Hurricane Rita.
The squadron conducted its final KC-135R flight on 24 September 2013.[2] The 145th stood down during 2014.[1]
Lineage
- Designated: 145th Air Transport Squadron, and allotted to Ohio ANG, in 1956
- Extended federal recognition on 17 March 1956
- Re-designated: 145th Aeromedical Transport Squadron, 1 July 1958
- Re-designated: 145th Air Refueling Squadron, 8 July 1961
- Federalized and ordered to active service on: 20 December 1990
- Released from active duty and returned to Ohio state control, 15 March 1991
- Components designated as: 145th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron when deployed as part of an Air and Space Expeditionary unit after June 1996.
Assignments
- 121st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 17 March 1956
- 121st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 November 1957
- 160th Air Refueling Group, 8 July 1961
- Elements detached to: 1709th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional), 20 December 1990 – 15 March 1991
- 121st Operations Group, 1 October 1993 – Present
Stations
- Akron-Canton Airport, Ohio, 17 March 1956
- Clinton County Air Force Base, Ohio, 1 July 1961
- Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, 1 October 1971
- Re-designated: Rickenbacker Air Force Base, 18 May 1974
- Re-designated: Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, 1 April 1980-Present
Aircraft
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Aircraft flying in this unit
KC-135
60-0341(R) (Jun'92)
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ a b c d "121ST AIR REFUELING WING". Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ "End of an Era". Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- Ohio Air National Guard 60 Year History, Copyright 1988, Published by Headquarters Ohio Air National Guard;
- Crossroads of Liberty, Copyright 2008 by Robert M. Stroup II, Published by Pictorial Histories Publishing Co, Inc. ISBN 978-1-57510-133-0.
- Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0