132nd Fighter Wing

132d Fighter Wing
132d Fighter Wing emblem
Active	19??-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Wing
Role	Fighter Support
Part of	Air National Guard/Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Des Moines International Airport, Iowa

The 132d Fighter Wing (132 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Iowa Air National Guard and located at Des Moines International Airport, Iowa.

Overview

The 132d Fighter Wing's primary mission is to provide combat aircraft and trained personnel to the nation and the State of Iowa by motivating, organizing, training, and equipping a force capable of conducting effective and sustained operations in support of national, state and community objectives. As part of the United States Air Force's Air Reserve Component, the 132d Fighter Wing's operational mission is to deploy worldwide and execute directed tactical fighter sorties to destroy enemy forces, supplies, equipment, communications systems and installations with conventional weapons.

History

The 132d Fighter Wing, located at the Des Moines International Airport, is an Air National Guard fighter unit operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC). It can trace its roots back to February 1941 with the establishment of the 124th Observation Squadron. The unit at that time had 110 men, 27 officers (15 pilots), and 5 aircraft.

Over the last 68 years, the 132d Fighter Wing has participated in numerous actions including World War II, the Korean Conflict, and many of the support functions of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom.

The unit first entered the jet age in 1953 with the F-80 Shooting Star. Several conversions followed with the unit flying the F-84 Thunderstreak, F-86 Sabre, F-89 Scorpion, F-100 Super Sabre, A-7 Corsair II, and the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The latest conversion to the F-16C aircraft occurred in 1992.

For over six decades, the 132d Fighter Wing has demonstrated its dedication to excellence and professionalism. The unit has received numerous awards, including eight Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, and has participated in exercises and deployments worldwide.

The 132d also played a key role in the recovery efforts during the 1993 and 2008 flooding in the Des Moines area, providing logistics and personnel support to the relief operations. With over 900 enlisted personnel and 100 officers, the 132d Fighter Wing is ready to meet the challenges of a changing world, well into the 21st century.

Lineage

• Constituted as 365th Fighter Group on 27 April 1943

Activated on 15 May 1943

Inactivated on 22 September 1945

• Re-designated 132d Fighter Group, and allotted to Iowa Air National Guard on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition on 23 Aug 1946

Ordered into active service on 1 April 1951

Re-designated 132d Fighter-Bomber Group 1 June 1951

Relieved from active service and returned, less personnel and equipment, to Iowa ANG, 1 January 1953

Assignments

• I Fighter Command, 15 May 1943

Attached to: Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 19 July – 4 December 1943

• 70th Fighter Wing

Attached to: IX Air Service Command, 22 December 1943

• 84th Fighter Wing

Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1944

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• 70th Fighter Wing

Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1944

• XIX Tactical Air Command, 16 January 1945
• IX Tactical Air Command, 1 February – 11 September 1945
• Army Service Forces (for inactivation), 20–22 September 1945
• Iowa Air National Guard, 23 August 1946

Gained by: Tactical Air Command

• Strategic Air Command, 1 April 1951
• Tactical Air Command, 1 November 1951
• Iowa Air National Guard, 1 January 1953

Gained by: Tactical Air Command

Components

• 132d Operations Group
• 124th Fighter Squadron 24 May 1946-Present
• 174th Fighter Squadron 24 May 1946-
• 173d Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron, 24 May 1946-1 Jul 1960 (Nebraska ANG)

• 386th Fighter Squadron (D5), 15 May 1943 – 22 September 1945
• 387th Fighter Squadron (B4), 15 May 1943 – 22 September 1945
• 388th Fighter Squadron (C4), 15 May 1943 – 22 September 1945

Stations

• Richmond AAB, Virginia, 15 May 1943
• Langley Field, Virginia, 19 July 1943
• Dover AAFld, Delaware, ; 11 August 1943
• Richmond AAB, Virginia, 18 November – 4 December 1943
• RAF Gosfield (AAF-154), England, 22 December 1943
• RAF Beaulieu (AAF-408), England, 5 March 1944
• Azeville Airfield (A-7), France, 28 June 1944
• Lignerolles Airfield (A-12), France, 15 August 1944
• Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, 3 September 1944

• Juvincourt Airfield (A-68), France, 15 September 1944
• Chievres Airfield (A-84), Belgium, 4 October 1944
• Metz Airfield (Y-34), France, 27 December 1944
• Florennes/Juzaine Airfield (A-78), Belgium, 30 January 1945
• Aachen Airfield (Y-46), Germany, 16 March 1945
• Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, 13 April 1945
• Suippes, France, (Ground Echelon) c. 29 July 1945
• Antwerp, Belgium, (Ground Echelon) c. 22 August – 11 September 1945
• Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 20–22 September 1945

Aircraft

• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1945

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links

Official website