137th Special Operations Wing

137th Air Refueling Wing
137th Air Refueling Wing emblem
Active	1943-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Oklahoma Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Carroll W. McColpin

137th Air Refueling Wing Boeing KC-135R 58-0121

The 137th Air Refueling Wing (137 ARW) is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

Overview

The 137th Air Refueling Wing's KC-135 Stratotanker mission is to provide the core aerial refueling capability for the U.S. Air Force and the Air Guard. This unique aircraft enhances the Air Force's capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied nation aircraft. The KC-135 is capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.

The wing is associated with the Air Force Reserve Command's (AFRC) 507th Air Refueling Wing (507 ARW). Under this Air Force Reserve Command - Air National Guard Guard associate organization, the 507 ARW is the host wing with all 12 KC-135 aircraft owned by AFRC. The Oklahoma Air National Guard maintains separate administrative and operational control, but is associated with the 507 ARW, working together to fly and maintain all aircraft. For deployable tasking, both the 507 ARW and 137 AW will function with six primary aircraft assigned.

Units

The 137th Air Refueling Wing consists of the following units:

• 137th Operations Group

185th Air Refueling Squadron

• 137th Maintenance Group
• 137th Mission Support Group
• 137th Medical Group

History

World War II

506th Fighter Squadron - P-47 Thunderbolts Photo likely taken at Kelz Airfield (Y-54) or Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, spring 1945

During World War II the unit was assigned to Ninth Air Force in England, flying its first combat mission on 1 May 1944. The group was one of the most decorated units of IX Fighter Command, being awarded both a Distinguished Unit Citation as well as the French Croix de guerre with Palm. It flew its last combat mission in May 1945.

Trained with P-39, P-47, and other aircraft. Moved to England, March— April 1944. Assigned to Ninth Air Force's 84th Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command. It flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.

The group began operations by bombing and strafing targets in France. The squadrons provided top cover for landings in Normandy on 6 and 7 June 1944. On 6 July the 404th moved across the Channel to its Advanced Landing Ground at Chippelle (ALG A-5), France.

507th Fighter Squadron P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27234 parked at Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, April 1945

On the continent, the 404th operated in close support of ground troops until the end of the war, supporting the Allied breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July 1944, the drive through Holland in September 1944, Allied operations during the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945), and the establishment of the Remagen bridgehead and the subsequent crossing of the Rhine in March 1945.

The group also flew interdictory and escort missions, strafing and bombing such targets as troop concentrations, railroads, highways, bridges, ammunition and fuel dumps, armored vehicles, docks, and tunnels, and covering the operations of B-17s, B-24s, and B-26s that bombed factories, airdromes, marshaling yards, and other targets.

Reassigned back to United States and assigned to Third Air Force, being programmed for deployment to Okinawa to take part in planned Invasion of Japan. Training plans discontinued after Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the sudden end of the Pacific War. Most personnel either separated or reassigned to other units, with a skeleton staff arriving at Drew Field, Florida on 1 September. Unit inactivated on 9 November 1945.

Lineage

World War II 404th Fighter-Bomber Group emblem

• Constituted as 404th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 25 January 1943

Activated on 4 February 1943

Re-designated 404th Fighter-Bomber Group in August 1943

• Inactivated on 9 November 1945.
• Re-designated 137th Fighter Group, and allotted to Oklaholma ANG, on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition on: 18 December 1947

Federalized and ordered to active service on: 26 October 1950

Re-designated: 137th Fighter-Bomber Group, 26 October 1950

Released from active duty and returned to Oklahoma state control, 10 July 1952

Re-designated: 137th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 May 1958

Status changed from Group to Wing, 1 April 1961

Re-designated: 137th Air Transport Wing, 1 April 1961

Re-designated: 137th Military Airlift Wing, 8 January 1966

Re-designated: 137th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 July 1975

Re-designated: 137th Airlift Wing, 16 May 1992

Re-designated: 137th Air Refueling Wing, 1 October 2008-Present

Assignments

• III Fighter Command, 4 February 1943
• IX Fighter Command, 4 April 1944
• 84th Fighter Wing,

Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1944

• XXIX Tactical Air Command, 26 October 1944
• IX Tactical Air Command, 16 January – 2 August 1945
• III Fighter Command, 1 September – 9 November 1945
• Oklahoma Air National Guard, 18 December 1947

Gained by Tenth Air Force, Continental Air Command

• 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing*, 26 October 1950
• Oklahoma Air National Guard, 10 July 1952-Present

Gained by: Central Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command

Gained by: Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, 1 January 1960

Gained by: Western Transport Air Force, (WESTAF), Military Air Transport Service, 1 April 1961

Gained by: Twenty-Second Air Force, Military Airlift Command, 8 January 1966

Gained by: Air Mobility Command, 1 June 1992

Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 October 1993

Gained by: Air Mobility Command, 1 April 1997-Present

*Note: The 137th Fighter Bomber Wing was established and activated by Tactical Air Command when the unit was federalized on 26 October 1950. It was assigned to Ninth Air Force on 26 October 1950, and then attached to the United States Air Forces in Europe, 5 May 1952. It was inactivated on 10 July 1952 when the unit was returned to Oklahoma state control. There is no lineage or history to the 137th FBW beyond the period of the Korean War federalization.

Components

• 506th (formerly 620th Bombardment) Fighter Squadron (4K): 1 December 1943 – 12 February 1944
• 507th (formerly 621st Bombardment) Fighter Squadron (Y8): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945
• 508th (formerly 622d Bombardment) Fighter Squadron (7J): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945
• 455th Fighter Squadron:* 1 December 1943– 12 February 1944
• 623d Bombardment Squadron:* 4 February – 15 August 1943

Note* Third Air Force Operational Training Units (OTU) which were attached to the group in the United States; did not deploy to overseas combat area.

Stations

• Key Field, Mississippi, 4 February 1943
• Congaree Army Airfield, South Carolina, 5 July 1943
• Burns Army Airfield, Oregon, 4 September 1943
• Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, South Carolina, 13 November 1943 – 12 March 1944
• RAF Winkton (AAF-414), England, 4 April 1944
• Chippelle Airfield (A-5), France, 6 July 1944
• Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, 29 August 1944
• Juvincourt Airfield (A-68), France, 13 September 1944
• Sint-Truiden Airfield (A-92), Belgium, 4 October 1944
• Kelz Airfield (Y-54), Germany, 30 March 1945
• Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, 12 April 1945

• AAF Station Stuttgart/Echterdingen, Germany, 23 June – 2 August 1945
• Drew Field, Florida, 1 September – 9 November 1945
• University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport, Norman, Oklahoma, 18 December 1947
• Will Rogers Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 6 September 1949

Operated from: Alexandria AFB, Louisiana, 27 November 1950-4 May 1952

Operated from: Chaumont-Semoutiers AB, France, 13 May 1952-10 July 1952

Designated: Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma, 1991

• Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 October 2008-Present

Aircraft

• A-35 Vengeance (1943)
• A-24 Banshee (1943)
• P-39 Airacobra (1943)
• P-47 Thunderbolt (1944–1945)
• F-51D Mustang, 1947-1951
• RF-51D Mustang, 1951-1952
• RF-80A Shooting Star, 1952-1953
• F-51D Mustang, 1953

• F-80C Shooting Star, 1953-1958
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1958-1959
• F-86L Sabre Interceptor, 1959-1961
• C-97G Stratofreighter, 1961-1968
• C-124C Globemaster II, 1968-1975
• C-130A Hercules, 1975-1979
• C-130H Hercules, 1979-2008
• KC-135R Stratotanker, 2008-Present

Citations and Decorations

• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

• The 404th Fighter Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for three armed reconnaissance missions flown on 10 September 1944 when, despite bad weather and antiaircraft fire, the group attacked enemy factories, rolling stock, and communications centers to aid the advance of ground forces.

• The 404th Fighter Group received a French Croix de guerre with Palm for assisting the US First Army at Saint-Lô on 29, 30, and 31 July 1944 when the group, although suffering severe losses from flak, continuously provided cover for four armored divisions. The group was also cited by the Belgian government for operations contributing to the liberation of its people.

References

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

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

External links

• The 404th Fighter Group pages at www.winkton.net
• 404th Fighter Group memorial in France