| 142d Fighter Wing | |
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142d Fighter Wing emblem |
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| Active | 19??-Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force/Air National Guard |
| Type | Wing |
| Role | Fighter Patrol |
| Part of | Colonel John E. Kent |
| Garrison/HQ | Portland International Airport |
| Nickname | Redhawks |
The United States Air Force's 142d Fighter Wing is a unit located in Oregon.
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To serve the nation, State, and community by providing mission-ready units, personnel and equipment for:
The Oregon Air National Guard and 142d Fighter Wing's history begins just prior to the United States entering World War II, as the U.S. government, monitoring the war in Europe and China, began focusing less on neutrality and more on preparedness. Answering the call to arms, Major G. Robert Dodson, an Oregonian serving with the 321st Observation Squadron Reserve at Pearson Field, Vancouver, Washington, requested the National Guard Bureau's authorization to form an Oregon flying unit. His short, official request – "We've got people, we've got a place, and we're ready!" – launched the 123d Observation Squadron on 18 April 1941.
Five months later the squadron was federally activated under different unit designations flying the O-47, BC-1A and later the F-5 reconnaissance version of the P-38 in the China-Burma theatre and with others serving in Europe. At the war's end, the unit regrouped as the 123d Fighter Squadron. By 1946, the ever-expanding unit was redesignated the 142d Fighter Interceptor Group.
In 1951, the group mobilized in support of the Korean War. After supporting the war, it remained active in air defense matters through the intervening Cold War years, eventually becoming a Fighter Wing in 1995. Since its creation the wing has flown the O-47, BC-1A, F-5, F-51, B-25J, F-86, F-94, F-89, F-102, F-101, F-4C, T-33 and a host of support aircraft. Today the fighting "Redhawks" continue service as a component of the Total Force flying the F-15A/B, providing air defense and air superiority capabilities. With more than 1,000 officers and airmen, the unit guards the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canadian border, on 24-hour alert as part of the North American Air Defense (NORAD) system.
As an asset to Air Combat Command and Air Expeditionary Force structures, the 142d Fighter Wing participates around the globe supporting drug interdiction where needed, USAFE air defense, as well as contingency operations over Iraq for both Operations Northern Watch in Turkey and Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia.
The base was selected by the 2005 BRAC to close. 11th hour negotiations between the political delegations from the states of Washington and Oregon saved the base from closure. Ironically the argument made by several groups to save the base was that of the NORAD mission it performed and the air cover it provided for the Pacific Northwest was essential to Homeland Security. However the 2005 BRAC commission recommended keeping a small detachment in place at the base in order to support NORAD but close all other operations. As part of the recommendations of the 2005 BRAC, the Air Force Reserve Command's 939th Air Refueling Wing, which flew KC-135 aircraft and was collocated on the Portland Air National Guard Station, terminated operations.
On 26 June 2007, an F-15 Eagle from the 142d Fighter Wing crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a simulated dogfight. Four F-15s from the 142d were flying with four F/A-18 Hornets from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base performing dissimilar air combat training. The United States Coast Guard performed a search using two HH-60 Jayhawks, two Coast Guard Cutters, and one HC-130 Hercules. The night of the crash, the pilot, Major Gregory Young's body was found 40 miles west of Cannon Beach, Oregon.[1] The crash was deemed due to pilot error.
The Portland, Oregon Air National Guard Base is also host to several major tenant units. The Air National Guard tenant units located at Portland are:
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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