126th Air Refueling Wing | |
|---|---|
 126th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 59–1500 taking off to a forward deployed location in support of Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, 24 March 2011 | |
| Active | 1950–1953; 1953–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Allegiance |  Illinois |
| Branch |  Air National Guard |
| Type | Wing |
| Role | Aerial refueling |
| Part of | Illinois Air National Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Scott Air Force Base, Illinois |
| Mottos | Anytime, Anywhere[citation needed] |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Nicolas Henschel |
| Insignia | |
| 126th Air Refueling Wing emblem |  |
| Tail stripe |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Tanker | KC-135R |
The126th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of theIllinois Air National Guard. It is stationed atScott Air Force Base, Belleville, Illinois. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by theUnited States Air ForceAir Mobility Command.
The108th Air Refueling Squadron, assigned to the Wing's 126th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of theWorld War I108th Aero Squadron, established on 27 August 1917. It was reformed on 1 July 1927, as the108th Observation Squadron, and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United StatesArmy National Guard formed beforeWorld War II.
The primary mission of the 126th Air Refueling Wing is to provide air refueling support to major commands of theUnited States Air Force, as well as other U.S. military forces and the military forces of allied nations. Additionally, the unit can support airlift missions. The unit is also tasked with supporting the nuclear strike missions of the Single Integrated Operational Plan.
During peacetime, the 126th ARW receives direction through the adjutant general of Illinois, the governor of Illinois and theNational Guard Bureau. Upon federal mobilization, the wing is assigned toAir Mobility Command and the15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force.
The 126 ARW also has two associate partners: the Active Associate906th Air Refueling Squadron with the 126 ARW serving as the host organization for this Total Force Initiative association, and the Classic Associate 126th Supply Chain Management Squadron as part of a regionalized Air Mobility Command supply facility.
For associated history, see126th Operations Group
Thewing was activated as the126th Composite Wing on 1 November 1950, as theAir National Guard converted to theWing Base Organization model of the regular Air Force. The wing lost its fighter unit and became the126th Bombardment Wing in February 1951. The unit was ordered to active service on 1 April 1951 as a result of theKorean War. The unit was initially assigned toTactical Air Command atLangley Air Force Base, Virginia.
The wing moved toBordeaux-Merignac Air Base, France with the first elements arriving in November 1951. It was assigned toTwelfth Air Force. By 10 November, Bordeaux was considered an operational base. The 126th was assigned the108th,168th and180th Bombardment Squadrons. The aircraft were marked by various color bands on the vertical stabilizer and rudder. Black/Yellow/Blue for the 108th; Black/Yellow/Red for the 168th, and Black/Yellow/Green for the 180th. It flew B-26's for training and maneuvers and stayed at Bordeaux until moving toLaon-Couvron Air Base, France on 25 May 1952 where it remained for the balance of the year. The 126th was relieved from active duty and inactivated on 1 January 1953, transferring its personnel and equipment to the38th Bombardment Wing, which was simultaneously activated. It was activated in theIllinois Air National Guard the same day as the126th Fighter-Bomber Group. It flewNorth American F-86 Sabres. In 1955, it was redesignated the126th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, and equipped with F-86Ds. In 1958, it was reorganized along the lines of active dutyAir Defense Command units, becoming the126th Air Defense Wing.
On 1 July 1961, the 126th's mission was changed toair refueling one and it was redesignated the126th Air Refueling Wing, flyingBoeing KC-97 Stratofreighter aircraft. The 126th flew KC-97Ls for a brief time before converting toBoeing KC-135A Stratotankers. In 1978 the KC-97s were sent to AMARC. Many of the 126th's KC-97Ls became gate guards and one is on the field of the formerGrissom Air Force Base, Indiana, where the 126th conducted many hours of transition practice.
In 1983 the wing began receiving the KC-135E as a replacement for the KC-135A model "water-wagons", a named used because of 110 seconds of water injection, used to increase thrust for take-off power. With the inactivation of SAC, the group was gained byAir Mobility Command on 1 June 1992.
The 126th moved from the former Air Reserve Station atO'Hare International Airport in 1999 as recommended by theBase Realignment and Closure Commission's Report to Congress in conjunction with the closure of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard facilities at O'Hare. In 2000, the unit's KC-135E aircraft were upgraded with the new Pacer CRAG (Compass, Radar & GPS) avionics systems. In 2008, the unit completed a transition to KC-135R aircraft as the KC-135E fleet was retired.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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