138th Attack Squadron: Difference between revisions
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===New York Air National Guard=== |
===New York Air National Guard=== |
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The wartime 505th Fighter Squadron was re-designated as the '''138th Fighter Squadron''', and was allotted to the [[New York Air National Guard]], on 24 May 1946. It was organized at [[Hancock Field Air National Guard Base|Hancock Field]], Syracuse, New York, and was extended federal recognition on 28 October 1947 by the [[National Guard Bureau]]. The 138th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 505d Fighter Squadron and all predecessor units. It was the first New York Air National Guard squadron that was extended federal recognition. |
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The squadron was equipped with [[F-47D Thunderbolt]]s and was assigned initially to the New York ANG [[52d Fighter Wing (Air National Guard)|52d Fighter Wing]], then in December 1948 to the [[107th Fighter Group]], operationally gained by [[Continental Air Command]]. |
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The mission of the 138th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Central and Northern New York. Aircraft parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an aircraft and go flying. However, the unit also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score at least as well or better than active-duty USAF units, given the fact that most ANG pilots were World War II combat veterans. |
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===Lineage=== |
===Lineage=== |
Revision as of 15:01, 28 November 2012
138th Attack Squadron | |
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Active | 1942-Present |
Country | United States |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | Wing |
Role | UAV ISR/Attack |
Part of | New York Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, New York. |
Nickname(s) | The Boys from Syracuse |
Tail Code | "NY" |
Insignia | |
138th Fighter Squadron emblem | |
Aircraft flown | |
Attack | General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper |
The 138th Attack Squadron (138 ATS) is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 174th Attack Wing located at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, New York. The 138th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
History
World War II
Formed at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, as a Third Air Force Operational Training Unit (OTU), equipped with A-24 Banshee dive bombers. Moved to California in September 1943 as part of Desert Training Center in Mojave Desert.
After the A-24 was taken out of combat service, trained with P-39 Aircobras and became combat ready, being reassigned to VIII Fighter Command in England, April 1944. Re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs, with a mission for escorting B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator heavy bombers during its first five weeks of operations, and afterwards flew many escort missions to cover the operations of medium and heavy bombers that struck strategic objectives, interdicted the enemy's communications, or supported operations on the ground.
The group frequently strafed airfields and other targets of opportunity while on escort missions. Provided fighter cover over the English Channel and the coast of Normandy during the invasion of France in June 1944. Strafed and dive-bombed vehicles, locomotives, marshalling yards, anti-aircraft batteries, and troops while Allied forces fought to break out of the beachhead in France. Attacked transportation targets as Allied armies drove across France after the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July. Flew area patrols during the airborne attack on Holland in September. Escorted bombers to, and flew patrols over the battle area during the German counter attack in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), December 1944 – January 1945. Provided area patrols during the assault across the Rhine in March 1945.
Returned to the US in October and inactivated on 17 October 1945 as an administrative unit
New York Air National Guard
The wartime 505th Fighter Squadron was re-designated as the 138th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the New York Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Hancock Field, Syracuse, New York, and was extended federal recognition on 28 October 1947 by the National Guard Bureau. The 138th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 505d Fighter Squadron and all predecessor units. It was the first New York Air National Guard squadron that was extended federal recognition.
The squadron was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts and was assigned initially to the New York ANG 52d Fighter Wing, then in December 1948 to the 107th Fighter Group, operationally gained by Continental Air Command.
The mission of the 138th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Central and Northern New York. Aircraft parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an aircraft and go flying. However, the unit also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score at least as well or better than active-duty USAF units, given the fact that most ANG pilots were World War II combat veterans.
Lineage
- Constituted 484th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 3 Aug 1942
- Activated on 10 Aug 1942
- Re-designated: 505th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 Aug 1943
- Re-designated: 505th Fighter Squadron on 30 May 1944
- Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945
- Re-designated: 138th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to New York ANG, on 24 May 1946.
- Received federal recognition and activated on 28 October 1947
- Re-designated: 138th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 December 1952
- Re-designated: 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 10 November 1958
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 October 1961
- Released from active duty and returned to New York state control, 31 August 1962
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 13 May 1968
- Released from active duty and returned to New York state control, 20 December 1968
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 20 November 1990
- Released from active duty and returned to New York state control, 31 March 1991
- Re-designated: 138th Fighter Squadron, 16 March 1992
- Components designated as: 138th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron when deployed as part of an Air and Space Expeditionary unit after June 1996.
- Re-designated: 138th Attack Squadron, 9 September 2012
Assignments
- 339th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber; Fighter) Group, 10 Aug 1942-17 Oct 1945.
- 52d Fighter Wing, 28 October 1947
- 107th Fighter Group, 8 December 1948
- 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 December 1952
- 107th Fighter Group (Air Defense), 1 May 1956
- 107th Tactical Fighter Group, 10 November 1958
- 102d Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 October 1961
- 174th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 September 1962
- 175th Tactical Fighter Group, 13 May 1968
- 174th Tactical Fighter Group, 20 December 1968
- 174th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1979
- Elements attached to: 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), 20 November 1990-31 March 1991
- 174th Operations Group, 16 March 1992-Present
Stations
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New York Air National Guard Deployments
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Aircraft
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References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
External links