190th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 190th Fighter Squadron flies the A-10 Thunderbolt II
. It is a unit of the Idaho Air National Guard
. Its parent unit is the 124th Fighter Wing. The squadron was deployed to the Middle-East in 2003 to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. Two of the 190th's pilots were involved in a friendly fire
incident during the invasion on March 28, 2003, in which a British
soldier was killed and five others wounded.
(Lt Col) Thomas G. Lanphier, who was one of the pilots involved with shooting-down and killing
Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
during World War II
. Having no aircraft at first, the squadron met in a "small" building on Fort Street in downtown Boise, Idaho
.
In 1947 the squadron received its first aircraft, the P-51 Mustang
, and relocated to nearby Gowen Field
. In 1950 the squadron was called to active duty by the United States Air Force
to replace Air Force units in the United States (U.S.) that had been deployed to the Korean War
. In 1953 the unit began operating the F-86 Sabre
. Over the next 23 years, the squadron changed aircraft four more times to fly the F-94 Starfire
, F-89 Scorpion
, F-86L Sabre Jet, and the F-102 Delta Dagger
.
In 1975 the squadron changed its name to the 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and changed aircraft to the RF-4C Phantom II. The squadron operated this aircraft for the next 20 years. With this aircraft, the squadron provided aerial photography support during the Teton Dam
disaster as well as deploying to support NATO missions from Canada
and Norway
.
In 1991 the squadron changed aircraft to the F4G Wild Weasel
and with its parent unit, the 124th Fighter Group, became a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command
. In this capacity, the squadron deployed to Southwest Asia
several times between 1993 and 1995 in support of Operation Southern Watch
and Operation Provide Comfort
.
In 1995 the unit began operating the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. With these aircraft, the squadron deployed to support Operation Allied Force
in 1999 and the invasion of Iraq
in 2003. A 190th pilot, Major Mark Moynihan
, was killed in a training accident in a squadron A-10 aircraft on January 20, 2000.
The 190th won top honors during the 2008 Hawgsmoke
A-10 gunnery competition and will be hosting Hawgsmoke 2010 in Boise, Idaho. The Hawgsmoke 2010 exercise will be held Oct 13 thru Oct 16 with the unit taking top honors to host Hawgsmoke 2012.
, on March 28, 2003 two 190th A-10 Thunderbolt II
aircraft, flown by an unidentified Major
and Lieutenant Colonel
Gus Kohntopp
, flew a mission to destroy artillery and rocket launchers from Iraq's 6th Armor Division, dug in 25 miles (40.2 km) north of Basra
. During the mission, the two A-10 aircraft mistakenly attacked a patrol of four armored vehicles from D Squadron of the British
Blues and Royals
of the Household Cavalry
that were supporting the 16 Air Assault Brigade in Operation Telic. As a result of the attack by the 190th A-10 aircraft, British Lance-Corporal of Horse
Matty Hull was killed and five of his colleagues were injured, four seriously.
The aftermath of the attack caused controversy, especially in the United Kingdom
(UK), as some, including Hull's family, complained of a lack of cooperation into the British inquest of the incident by the United States government and the UK's Ministry of Defense (MoD). The United States and UK MoD denied for a period of time that a video existed of the incident and then later admitted that a video existed but couldn't be released because it was "classified." On February 6, 2007 The Sun
tabloid newspaper obtained a copy of the cockpit video from the A-10 aircraft, which they released to the public on their website.
In a statement, Lt. Tony Vincelli, spokesman for the 190th Fighter Squadron said the U.S. Air Force had conducted its own investigation into the incident in 2003, but the results of that investigation or the names of the two 190th pilots involved were not publicly released. He added that the investigation, "did not result in a court-martial." In a further statement, Vincelli apologized for the incident and stated that no adverse action was taken against either pilot involved. On February 6, 2007 the Sun named one of the 190th pilots involved as "Colonel" Gus Kohntopp
. "Sources" within the 190th Fighter Squadron have told reporters that they have been "threatened with court martial" if they speak about the friendly fire incident without permission.
Gus Kohntopp, a 190th pilot identified by the media as one of the pilots involved in the friendly fire incident in Iraq.
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
. It is a unit of the Idaho Air National Guard
Idaho Air National Guard
The Idaho Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is, along with the Idaho Army National Guard, an element of the Idaho National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as its state mission....
. Its parent unit is the 124th Fighter Wing. The squadron was deployed to the Middle-East in 2003 to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. Two of the 190th's pilots were involved in a friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
incident during the invasion on March 28, 2003, in which a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
soldier was killed and five others wounded.
History
The squadron was established on October 13, 1946 under the command of Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
(Lt Col) Thomas G. Lanphier, who was one of the pilots involved with shooting-down and killing
Death of Isoroku Yamamoto
Operation Vengeance was carried out to assassinate Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto on April 18, 1943, during the Solomon Islands campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, was killed on Bougainville Island when...
Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Having no aircraft at first, the squadron met in a "small" building on Fort Street in downtown Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
.
In 1947 the squadron received its first aircraft, the P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, and relocated to nearby Gowen Field
Boise Airport
Boise Airport , also known as Boise Air Terminal or Gowen Field, is a joint civil-military, commercial and general aviation airport located three nautical miles south of downtown Boise in Ada County, Idaho, USA...
. In 1950 the squadron was called to active duty by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
to replace Air Force units in the United States (U.S.) that had been deployed to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. In 1953 the unit began operating the F-86 Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
. Over the next 23 years, the squadron changed aircraft four more times to fly the F-94 Starfire
F-94 Starfire
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.-Design and development:...
, F-89 Scorpion
F-89 Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
, F-86L Sabre Jet, and the F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
.
In 1975 the squadron changed its name to the 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and changed aircraft to the RF-4C Phantom II. The squadron operated this aircraft for the next 20 years. With this aircraft, the squadron provided aerial photography support during the Teton Dam
Teton Dam
The Teton Dam was a federally built earthen dam on the Teton River in southeastern Idaho, set between Fremont and Madison counties, USA, which when filling for the first time suffered a catastrophic failure on June 5, 1976. The collapse of the dam resulted in the deaths of 11 peopleand 13,000 head...
disaster as well as deploying to support NATO missions from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
In 1991 the squadron changed aircraft to the F4G Wild Weasel
Wild Weasel
A Wild Weasel is an aircraft specially equipped with radar seeking missiles, and tasked with destroying the radars and SAM installations of enemy air defence systems....
and with its parent unit, the 124th Fighter Group, became a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
. In this capacity, the squadron deployed to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
several times between 1993 and 1995 in support of Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
and Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
.
In 1995 the unit began operating the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. With these aircraft, the squadron deployed to support Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
in 1999 and the invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
in 2003. A 190th pilot, Major Mark Moynihan
Mark Moynihan
Vincent Knightley is a Gaelic footballer from Camp, County Kerry, Ireland. He played with Kerry during the 90's. He played minor football with Kerry but had little success before joining the Under 21 team in 1995 when he won an All Ireland...
, was killed in a training accident in a squadron A-10 aircraft on January 20, 2000.
The 190th won top honors during the 2008 Hawgsmoke
Hawgsmoke
Hawgsmoke is a biennial United States Air Force bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition for A-10 Thunderbolt II units. It is hosted by the winners of the previous competition and provides both skills competition and an opportunity to share in the camaraderie and fellowship within the...
A-10 gunnery competition and will be hosting Hawgsmoke 2010 in Boise, Idaho. The Hawgsmoke 2010 exercise will be held Oct 13 thru Oct 16 with the unit taking top honors to host Hawgsmoke 2012.
Invasion of Iraq friendly fire incident
As part of the invasion of Iraq and supporting the British portion of that operation called Operation TelicOperation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
, on March 28, 2003 two 190th A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
aircraft, flown by an unidentified Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Gus Kohntopp
Gus Kohntopp
Gus Kohntopp is an A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter pilot with the Idaho Air National Guard of the United States. He currently holds the rank of colonel and is also a commercial pilot with Southwest Airlines...
, flew a mission to destroy artillery and rocket launchers from Iraq's 6th Armor Division, dug in 25 miles (40.2 km) north of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
. During the mission, the two A-10 aircraft mistakenly attacked a patrol of four armored vehicles from D Squadron of the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals
The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
of the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
that were supporting the 16 Air Assault Brigade in Operation Telic. As a result of the attack by the 190th A-10 aircraft, British Lance-Corporal of Horse
Lance-Corporal of Horse
Lance-corporal of horse is an appointment unique to the Household Cavalry of the British Army, equivalent to lance sergeant in the Foot Guards. It was introduced in 1971...
Matty Hull was killed and five of his colleagues were injured, four seriously.
The aftermath of the attack caused controversy, especially in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(UK), as some, including Hull's family, complained of a lack of cooperation into the British inquest of the incident by the United States government and the UK's Ministry of Defense (MoD). The United States and UK MoD denied for a period of time that a video existed of the incident and then later admitted that a video existed but couldn't be released because it was "classified." On February 6, 2007 The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
tabloid newspaper obtained a copy of the cockpit video from the A-10 aircraft, which they released to the public on their website.
In a statement, Lt. Tony Vincelli, spokesman for the 190th Fighter Squadron said the U.S. Air Force had conducted its own investigation into the incident in 2003, but the results of that investigation or the names of the two 190th pilots involved were not publicly released. He added that the investigation, "did not result in a court-martial." In a further statement, Vincelli apologized for the incident and stated that no adverse action was taken against either pilot involved. On February 6, 2007 the Sun named one of the 190th pilots involved as "Colonel" Gus Kohntopp
Gus Kohntopp
Gus Kohntopp is an A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter pilot with the Idaho Air National Guard of the United States. He currently holds the rank of colonel and is also a commercial pilot with Southwest Airlines...
. "Sources" within the 190th Fighter Squadron have told reporters that they have been "threatened with court martial" if they speak about the friendly fire incident without permission.
Major command
- Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(1992–Present) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(1975–1992)
Previous designations
- 190th Fighter Squadron (1992–1995)
- 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (1975–1992)
Aircraft operated
According to the World Airpower Journal, the Squadron operated the following aircraft:- A-10A Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
(1996–Present) - F-4G Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
(1991–1996) - RF-4C Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
(1975–1992) - F-102A Delta DaggerF-102 Delta DaggerThe Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
(1964–1975) - F-86L SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
(until 1964) - F-89 ScorpionF-89 ScorpionThe Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
(from 1956) - F-94 StarfireF-94 StarfireThe Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.-Design and development:...
(until 1956) - F-86A SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
(from 1953) - F-51D MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(1946–1953)
Web
- Article on ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Gus Kohntopp, a 190th pilot identified by the media as one of the pilots involved in the friendly fire incident in Iraq.