139th Airlift Wing

139th Airlift Wing

139th Airlift Wing emblem
Active 1946-Present
Country United States
Branch Air National Guard
Role Tactical Airlift
Part of Air National Guard/Air Mobility Command
Garrison/HQ Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, Missouri
Motto Always ready, ever willing

The 139th Airlift Wing (AMC) is located at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is the home of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. The 139th AW is one of the two flying wings currently in the Missouri Air National Guard. The flying unit is the 180th Airlift Squadron which operationally flies the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Contents

Mission

The 139th Airlift Wing provides the State of Missouri and the nation with immediately deployable, combat-ready C-130 model aircraft. The 139th remains globally engaged in continuing operations.

History

The 139th Airlift Wing has its roots in the formation of the 180th Bombardment Squadron (Light) which was one of the first federally recognized Air National Guard units in the nation. The 180th BS(L) received federal recognition on 22 August 1946 by an inspection team from 2nd Air Force. The 180th BS was assigned the Douglas B-26B/C "Invader" light bomber. Lt Col John B. Logan, who was instrumental in forming the unit, was named as the first Squadron Commander and would be later named the Base Commander. He had accumulated more than 250 combat hours in 22 combat missions as a B-17 pilot and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters and campaign ribbons representing the Northern France, Central Europe and Normandy theaters of operation. The 180th BS (L) flew the B-26 until 1958.

Lineage

Photos of the Wing Past and Present

Assignments

Major command

Previous designations

Units assigned

Bases Stationed

Aircraft operated

References

External links

See also

United States Air Force portal
Military of the United States portal
Flag of the United States.svg portal
65 portal