121st Air Refueling Wing

121st Air Refueling Wing
A pair of specially painted F-117 Nighthawks fly off from their last refueling by the Ohio National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing.
Active	1942-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Ohio Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio
Tail Code	"Ohio" Blue/Red Tail Stripe
Insignia
121st Air Refueling Wing emblem

The 121st Air Refueling Wing (121 ARW) is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

Overview

The 121st 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 National 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.

Units

The 121st Air Refueling Wing consists of the following units:

• 121st Operations Group

166th Air Refueling Squadron

145th Air Refueling Squadron

• 121st Maintenance Group
• 121st Mission Support Group
• 121st Medical Group

History

World War II

See 357th Fighter Group for extended World War II history

Used P-39's in preparing for duty overseas. Moved to England in Nov 1943 and became part of Eighth AF. Trained with P-51's and began operations on 11 Feb 1944 by making a fighter sweep over Rouen. Served primarily as an escort organization, providing penetration) target) and withdrawal support for bombers that attacked strategic objectives on the Continent. Participated in the assault against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944.

Received a DUC for two escort missions in which heavy opposition was encountered from enemy fighters: on 6 Mar 1944 provided target and withdrawal support during the first attack that heavy bombers of Eighth AF made on Berlin; on 29 Jun 1944 protected bombers that struck targets at Leipzig. Received second DUC for operations on 14 Jan 1945 when the group, covering bombers on a raid to Derben, broke up an attack by a large force Of interceptors and in the ensuing aerial battle destroyed a number of the enemy planes. In addition to escort the group conducted counter-air patrols, made fighter sweeps, and flew strafing and dive-bombing missions in which it attacked airdromes, marshalling yards, locomotives, bridges, barges, tugboats, highways, vehicles, fuel dumps, and other targets. Participated in the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944; the breakthrough at St Lo in Jul; the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945; and the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Flew its last mission, an escort operation, on 25 Apr 1945.

Moved to Germany in Jul and assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe for duty with the army of occupation. Inactivated in Germany on 20 Aug 1946.

Lineage

• Constituted as 357th Fighter Group on 1 December 1942 and activated the same day

Inactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946

• Re-designated: 121st Fighter Group, and allotted to Ohio ANG, on 21 August 1946

Extended federal recognition on 26 June 1948

• Established as 121st Fighter Wing, 1 November 1951

Re-designated: 121st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 16 October 1952

Re-designated: 121st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1 November 1952

Re-designated: 121st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 November 1957

Re-designated: 121st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 September 1961

Federalized and ordered to active service on: 1 October 1961

Operated as: 7121st Tactical Wing, 4 November 1961-9 August 1962

Released from active duty and returned to Ohio state control, 20 August 1952

Re-designated: 121st Air Refueling Wing, 16 January 1993

Assignments

• IV Fighter Command, 1 December 1942
• 66th Fighter Wing, 31 January 1944-20 August 1946
• 55th Fighter Wing, 26 June 1948
• Ohio Air National Guard, 1 November 1951

Gained by: Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command

Components

• 121st Fighter (later Fighter-Bomber, Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter) Group, 1 November 1951-30 June 1974
• 160th Air Refueling Group, 8 July 1961-1 October 1993
• 178th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter) Group, 15 October 1962-1 October 1995
• 179th Tactical Fighter (later Tactical Airlift, Airlift) Group, 15 October 1962-11 October 1995
• 180th Tactical Fighter (later Fighter) Group, 15 October 1962-11 October 1995

• 112th Fighter Squadron, 2 December 1946-2 December 1946; 10 July 1952-1 October 1961; 1 September-15 October 1962
• 145th Air Transport (later Aeromedical Airlift, Air Refueling) Squadron, 17 March 1956-8 July 1961; 1 October 1993-Present
• 162d Fighter Squadron, 26 June 1948-15 October 1962
• 164th Fighter Squadron, 26 June 1948-15 October 1962
• 166th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Fighter-Bomber, Tactical Fighter, Fighter) Squadron, 26 June 1948-26 January 1968; 18 June 1969-Present

• 362d Fighter Squadron: 1 December 1942-20 August 1946
• 363d Fighter Squadron: 1 December 1942-20 August 1946
• 364th Fighter Squadron: 1 December 1942-20 August 1946

Stations

• Hamilton Field, California, 1 Dec 1942
• Tonopah Army Airfield, Nevada, 6 Mar 1943
• Santa Rosa Army Airfield, California, 3 Jun 1943
• Oroville Army Airfield, California, 18 Aug 1943
• Casper Army Airfield, Wyoming, 7 Oct-9 Nov 1943
• RAF Raydon (AAF-157), England, 1 Dec 1943
• RAF Leiston (AAF-373), England, 1 Feb 1944
• AAF Station Neubiberg, Germany, 20 Jul 1945-20 Aug 1946
• Lockbourne Army Airfield, Ohio, 10 November 1947

Re-designated: Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, 13 January 1948

• Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio, 31 October 1952
• Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, 1 March 1960

Operated from: Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France, 4 November 1961-9 August 1962

Operated from: Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, 2 July 1968–14 June 1970

Re-designated: Rickenbacker Air Force Base, 18 May 1974

Re-designated: Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, 1 April 1980-Present

Aircraft

• P-39 Aircobra, 1943
• P-51B/C/D/K Mustang, 1943-1946
• F-51D Mustang, 1947-1948
• F-51H Mustang, 1948-1950; 1952-1954
• F-84C Thunderjet, 1950-1952
• F-80C Shooting Star, 1954-1955

• F-84E Thunderjet, 1955-1958
• F-84F Thunderjet, 1957-1962
• F-100C Super Sabre, 1962-1971
• F-100D/F Super Sabre, 1971-1974
• A-7D/K Corsair II, 1974-1993
• KC-135R Stratotanker, 1993-Present

References

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

External links

• http://www.121arw.ang.af.mil/