| 133d Airlift Wing | |
|---|---|
133d Airlift Wing shield |
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| Active | 1921–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Wing |
| Role | Airlift |
| Part of | Air National Guard/Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Motto | "Citizen's Serving America - Airmen Defending Freedom" |
| Anniversaries | January 17th, 1921 (Federal Recognition) |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Greg Haase |
The 133d Airlift Wing (133 AW) is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard and Minnesota National Guard, part of the United States Air Force. It's located at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport in St. Paul, Minnesota. Operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC), the 133 AW flies the C-130 H3 Hercules aircraft. The wing's 109th Airlift Squadron is one of the oldest Air National Guard units in the country. The 109th Aero Squadron, MN National Guard (34th ID) was federally recognized by the War Department on January 17, 1921. It was the first National Guard aviation squadron to receive federal recognition following World War I.
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The 133rd Airlift Wing provides the U.S. Air Force with tactical airlift of troops, cargo, and medical patients anywhere in the world. Additionally, the 133 AW is prepared to support the State of Minnesota with troops and aircraft assets capable of assisting in a disaster or state of emergency.
The first National Guard flying unit in the nation was the 109th Observation Squadron, Minnesota National Guard, passing muster inspection on 17 January 1921. This unit was, however, assigned to the (Army) National Guard, as the Air National Guard was not formed in the U.S. before 1946. The 109th Observation Squadron was send to Europe, initially flying the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.V, and later reconnaissance missions with the North American F-6 Mustang.
During the Korean War Minnesota's Air Guard was also activated, contributing pilots to active wings in Korea.
In the 1950s and early 1960 both units of the 179th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Duluth and 109th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in St. Paul were providing active air defense commitments with 24 hour alert status. Threats by the Soviet Union to oust Western troops from West Berlin in 1961 prompted the Berlin Crisis and a call-up of selected National Guard forces throughout the U.S. Included in this mobilization were members of the 133rd Air Transport Wing, who served in federal active service for 11 months while operating out of their home station at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport.
During the Vietnam War, although never officially mobilized, the Air Guard flew hundreds of supply and transport missions to Southeast Asia.
The Minnesota Air National Guard was also activated in the Global War On Terror since 11 September 2001. Immediately after the attack on New York City and Washington, D.C., F-16s from the 148th Fighter Wing were providing combat air patrols over key locations. The 133rd Airlift wing also provided airlift in Afghanistan.[1]
During the Korean War Minnesota's Air Guard was also activated, contributing pilots to active wings in Korea.
Both Minnesota squadrons flew the F-89 on active air defense missions beginning in the late 1950s. In January 1958, the 109th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron took over the F-89H all-weather interceptors of a deactivated Air Force squadron, along with the alert hangars that now house the museum. The Northrop F-89H was a subsonic fighter designed to serve as an all-weather interceptor. It served during the Korean War and the early days of the Cold War. The 109th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Minneapolis flew the F-89H in 1957-59, until its mission changed from air defense to air transportation flying the C-97s.
The Minnesota Air National Guard’s 133rd Fighter Interceptor Wing converted from fighters to transport aircraft in 1960. At that time, its mission went global. The first missions were to carry military troops and cargo related to the Berlin and Cuba crises. Later that decade, the Minnesota Air Guard hauled high priority supplies to US troops in Vietnam and re-supplied the U-2 mission out of Taiwan. Throughout those 10 years, they flew many humanitarian flights, carrying food, medical supplies and blankets to victims of natural disasters and foreign government unrest.
The museum’s C-130A was flown by the 109th TAS. In the summer of 1970 the C-130As assigned to the 109th TAS where given by the U. S. government to the South Vietnam Air Force. Some may even be flying today by the Vietnamese government. The 109th has since flown the C-130E model and are currently flying the C-130 H3 model. The C-130 has a crew of 4-6: at least 2 pilots,1 flight engineer and 1 loadmaster; an additional loadmaster and navigator are usually part of the crew.
**133d Fighter-Interceptor Wing (Air Defense Command)
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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