Des Moines Air National Guard Base
Encyclopedia
- See: Des Moines International AirportDes Moines International AirportDes Moines International Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Des Moines, a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The airport serves the Des Moines metropolitan area with 19 connections to major airline hubs...
for civil airport information
Des Moines Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Iowa Air National Guard
Iowa Air National Guard
The Iowa Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Iowa. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard.-Units:The Iowa Air National Guard consists of the following units:...
132d Fighter Wing
132d Fighter Wing
The 132d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Des Moines International Airport, Iowa.-Major Command:*Air National Guard/Air Combat Command *Air National Guard/Tactical Air Command -Previous designations:...
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Overview
The 132d Fighter Wing132d Fighter Wing
The 132d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Des Moines International Airport, Iowa.-Major Command:*Air National Guard/Air Combat Command *Air National Guard/Tactical Air Command -Previous designations:...
, located at the Des Moines Air National Guard Base, can trace its roots back to February, 1941 with the establishment of the 124th Observation Squadron. The unit at that time had 110 men, 27 officers (15 pilots), and 5 aircraft. Over the last 68 years, the 132d Fighter Wing has participated in numerous actions including 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...
, 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...
, and many of the support functions of Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom.
The unit first entered the jet age in 1953 with the F-80. Several conversions followed with the unit flying the F-84, F-86, F-89, F-100, and the A-7 aircraft. The latest conversion to the F-16C aircraft occurred in 1992. For over six decades, the 132d Fighter Wing has demonstrated its dedication to excellence and professionalism. The unit has received numerous awards, including eight Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, and has participated in exercises and deployments worldwide.
The 132d also played a key role in the recovery efforts during the 1993 and 2008 flooding in the Des Moines area, providing logistics and personnel support to the relief operations.
The BRAC 2005 Commission recommended the establishment of 18 F-16s at Des Moines Air National Guard Base. With over 900 enlisted personnel and 100 officers, the 132d Fighter Wing is ready to meet the challenges of a changing world, well into the century.