154th Training Squadron

The 154th Training Squadron flies the C-130H2 as part of the Arkansas Air National Guard's 189th Airlift Wing. The 154th Training Squadron is one of the most highly decorated Air National Guard units in the nation. The unit is currently converting to
C-130H aircraft modified under the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP).^[1]

Mission

Mission The mission of the 154th Training Squadron is to train C-130 aircrew instructor candidates to become instructors in their respective crew positions, so that they may return to their units and help keep their unit members combat ready. In addition, the wing operates the Air National Guard Enlisted Aircrew Academic School, which trains all the Air Force’s C-130 entry-level loadmasters before they are sent across base to the 314th Airlift Wing for initial and mission qualification training. Additionally, the academic school is one of two flight engineer schools to provide entry-level flight engineer training for Air Force flight engineers.^[2]

History

Organized as 154th Aero Squadron on 8 Dec 1917. Demobilized on 1 Feb 1919. Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 154th Observation Squadron which, having been allotted to NG, was activated on 24 Oct 1925. Ordered to active service on 16 Sep 1940. Redesignated: 19th observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 Jan 1942; 154th Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942; 154th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 31 May 1943; 13th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943; 154th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron ( Medium) on 12 May 1944; 63d Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range, Weather) on 4 Sep 1945. Inactivated on 12 Dec 1945. Redesignated 154th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to ANG, on 24 May 1946. activated 27 May 46, redesignated 154th Fighter-Bomber Squadron 26 Oct 50, inactivated 10 Jul 52. Redesignated 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, activated 10 Jul 52, redesignated 154th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy 1 Jan 76, 154th Tactical Airlift Training Squadron 1 Oct 86, 154th Training Squadron 16 Apr 92.^[3]

Flood Relief

The great Mississippi River flood of 1927 was one of the worst natural disasters in American history. It inundated 27,000 square miles, an area about the size of New England, killing as many as 1,000 people and displacing 700,000 more. At a time when the entire budget of the federal government was barely $3 billion, the flood caused an estimated $1 billion in damage. Although National Guard aviation units had been regularly called upon to assist civil authorities since early in that decade, the 1927 flood marked the first time that an entire Guard flying unit and its government-issued aircraft had been mobilized to help deal with a major natural disaster.^[4]

Governor John E. Martineau called up the 10 officers and 50 enlisted members of the 154th Observation Squadron, Arkansas National Guard, to help locate stranded flood victims as well as to deliver food, medicines and supplies to them and relief workers. The unit also conducted aerial patrols along the Mississippi River scouting for weakened or broken levees. Its JN-4 Jenny aircraft flew some 20,000 miles during the mobilization which lasted from 18 April through 3 May 1927. Members of the unit also worked to strengthen and repair river levees.^[5]

Flood relief operations took a toll on the 154th. Two aircraft crashed and at least three aviators were injured. The unit’s remaining aircraft were grounded for maintenance and repairs at one point. Because of the heavy burden of flight operations, five of the unit’s aging JN-4s had to be replaced by PT-1 trainer aircraft in mid-May 1927. The flood relief work of the 154th underscores the long-standing but little understood history of Air National Guard units and their pre-World War II antecedents in supporting civil authorities.^[6]

World War II

The 154th Observation Squadron was activated for one year of training on September 16, 1940. The unit completed its one-year training and returned to state control, but was recalled to active duty on December 7, 1941. The unit received extensive stateside training before deploying to North Africa. Most of the squadron sailed from the United States in September 1942 on the HMS Queen Mary, with its first overseas station in Wattisham, England, 4–21 October 1942. From there it boarded ship and sailed to be part of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, going ashore on the second day (9 November 1942) of the invasion in Oran, Algeria. Over the next 2 ½ years the squadron would be stationed in St Leu, Tafaraoui, and Blida, Algeria; Oujda, French Morocco; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria; Thelepte, Sbeitla, Le Sers, and Korba, Tunisia; Nouvion and Oran, Algeria; with final station in Bari, Italy (3 February 1945. 1 July 1945).^[7]

During the period of overseas deployment the 154th operated A-20 Havocs, P-39 Airacobras, P-38/F-4 Lightnings, and was the first unit to operate P-51 Mustangs in the Mediterranean Theatre. A total of 1495 missions and 2522 sorties were flown.

The 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 68th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, was attached to the Fifteenth Air Force for the purpose of flying weather reconnaissance, a duty which had been handled by a P-38 unit called the Fifteenth Air Force Weather Reconnaissance Detachment. Personnel and equipment of the 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the Weather Reconnaissance Detachment were subsequently integrated, and the unit was re-designated the 154th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 12 May 44. Operations were limited to weather reconnaissance.

The Squadron was awarded a (Presidential) Distinguished Unit Citation: Rumania, 17, 18, 19 August 1944.

Korean War

October 2, 1950, the 154th Fighter Squadron, along with detachment B, 237th Air Services Group and the 154th Utility Flight reported to active duty for service in Korea. The unit went to Langley Air Force Base, VA where it was re-equipped with the F-84E fighter and completed transition training. The 154th flew its first combat sortie May 2, 1951. Initially operating out of Itaeke, Japan the unit later moved to Taegu, Korea. The 154th returned to Arkansas and was relieved from active duty July 1, 1952. While in Korea the 154th flew 3,790 combat sorties and was awarded the Presidential Korean Citation for its service ^[8]

Assignments

Major Command

• Air National Guard/Air Education and Training Command (1997–Present)
• Air National Guard/Air Combat Command (1992–1997)
• Air National Guard/Military Airlift Command (1986–1992)
• Air National Guard/Strategic Air Command (1976–1986)
• Air National Guard/Tactical Air Command (1962–1976)
• Air National Guard/Air Defense Command (1950–1962)

Previous Designations^[9]

• 154th Airlift Squadron (1992–Present)
• 154th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1986–1992)
• 154th Air Refueling Squadron (1976–1986)
• 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (1962–1976)
• 154th Fighter Squadron (1945–1962)
• 154th Observation Squadron (1925–1945)

Bases Stationed

• Little Rock Air Force Base, (???-Present)

Aircraft Operated^[10]

• C-130 Hercules (1986–present)
• KC-135 Stratotanker (1976–1986)
• RF-101 Voodoo (1965–1976)

References

External links