New Castle Air National Guard Base
Encyclopedia
- For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see New Castle AirportNew Castle AirportNew Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
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...
base, located at New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
in New Castle County, Delaware.
Overview
The base is the home of the 166th Airlift Wing166th Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 166th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at the New Castle County Airport, Delaware.-History:On 7 April 1962 the Delaware Air National Guard, with the 142nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, enlarged to "group status" as the 166th Air Transport Group and the was...
, Delaware Air National Guard
Delaware Air National Guard
The Delaware Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is, along with the Delaware Army National Guard, an element of the Delaware National Guard...
. Operating eight permanently assigned, Lockheed C-130 H2 Hercules transport aircraft, the wing provides the U.S. Air Force with tactical airlift and air and land drop of troops, cargo and passengers and aeromedical evacuation of patients anywhere in the world.
The installation is located on 79.6 acres and includes 44 buildings totaling 256,534 square feet. The normal population of the installation is 290 personnel but surges to 900 personnel one weekend per month. The aircraft of the 166th have seen duty in Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990/1991), Operation Just Cause in Panama (1989), Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia (1995), and as part of the Global War on Terrorism.
Additionally, the wing has a civil engineer function and a network warfare unit (the 166th Network Warfare Squadron).
166th Airlift Wing, Delaware Air National Guard
World War II
Previously called the Wilmington Airport and the Greater Wilmington Airport, the property was taken over by the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
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...
. Under USAAF control, the airport was renamed New Castle Army Air Base.
Opened in May 1943, New Castle AAB was assigned to the Air Corps Ferrying Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
2d Ferrying Group with the 552d Army Air Forces Base Unit being the host unit in charge of the base and its facilities. The primary mission of the airfield was to facilitate the movement of aircraft overseas for delivery to the British and other Allies.
Members of the historic Women Airforce Service Pilots
Women Airforce Service Pilots
The Women Airforce Service Pilots and its predecessor groups the Women's Flying Training Detachment and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron were pioneering organizations of civilian female pilots employed to fly military aircraft under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces...
(WASP). WASPs served as test and ferry pilots and towed targets for student gunners. There is a statue today at the airport that honors the women of WASP that served their country in the time of need. On 30 June 1945, the 1596th AAF Base Unit replaced the 552d AAFBU and the 2d Ferrying group was replaced by the 2d Foreign Transport Group. The mission of the base was changed to being responsible for overseas air transport of passengers and air cargo.
Continental Air Command
With the general drawdown of the Air Force after the war, New Castle Airport became a joint-use base, with civilian aircraft operating from the airfield as an airport. The 328th Troop Carrier squadron was activated at the base on 1 July 1946. It operated C-47 transports from the airfield.On 1 September 1949, the military facilities at the airport were assigned to Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
(ConAC) and the Air Force Reserve 512th Air Base Group became the host unit, remaining so until 31 January 1951 when it was reassigned to Reading Municipal Airport
Reading Regional Airport
Reading Regional Airport , also known as Carl A. Spaatz Field, is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Reading, a city in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
,. During its tenure as host unit, the Air Force Reserve and the 512th Troop Carrier Group operated C-46 Commando
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
es (325th, 326th, 327th and 328th Troop Carrier Squadrons) returned from Reading after it closed as a reserve facility. The 512th was activated to Federal Service on 1 April 1951 due 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...
. It's personnel and aircraft were reassigned as fillers to active-duty units and the group was inactivated two weeks later.
The 512th ABG was replaced by the Federalized Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The 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...
's 113th Air Base Group becoming the host unit on 1 February 1951. The mission of the 113th was to organize, administer, equip, train and prepare assigned personnel for combat and to maintain a level of operational effectiveness. With its activation ended in 1952, the 113th was replaced by the 82d Air Base squadron on 2 January 1952.
The 512th TCG was re-formed in the reserve on 14 June 1952, being at New Castle Airport as a reserve until 20 Jul 1958 when it was reassigned to Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania.
Air Defense Command
In 1950 the facility was renamed "New Castle Air Force Base" and Eastern Air Defense ForceEastern Air Defense Force
The Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
(EADF), Air Defense Command (ADC) assumed jurisdiction of New Castle AFB on 1 September.
On 8 September, the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
4th Fighter Wing
The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit....
, equipped with the F-86A Sabre was reassigned to New Castle, giving the airfield an air-superiority mission. The 4th FIW was deployed to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on 10 November 1950, with a mission to counter the MiG threat in the skies of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. The 4th FIW became the top MiG-killing organization during 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 addition to the 4th FIW, the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was activated on the base in 1950, initially flying F-80 Shooting Stars, and in 1952, being replaced by 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:...
s. In 1952, the 334th was involved in a UFO incident when its interceptors were scrambled to intercept unknown objects detected flying over Washington, D.C.
On 10 February 1951 the Federalized DC Air National Guard 113th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was moved to the base from Andrews AFB, Maryland. the 113th Air Base Group was designated as the host unit at New Castle. The 113th FIG controlled the Delaware ANG 142d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which operated F-84C Thunderjet interceptors. The 142d was upgraded to the F-94B Starfire on 1 October 1951. The National Guard unit was returned to state Control 1 November 1952.
With the departure of the Federalized ANG, ADC activated the 4710th Air Defense Wing
4710th Air Defense Wing
The 4710th Air Defense Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 37th Air Division, being stationed at New Castle Airport, Delaware...
on 1 February 1952. With its activation, the base was assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Force
Eastern Air Defense Force
The Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...
26th Air Division In addition, plans were made to elevate the base to a full USAF installation. The 96th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron replaced the 142d FIS on 1 November, inheriting the Starfires used by the guardsmen. The 525th Air Defense Group became the operational component of the 4710th ADW on 16 February 1953. A second F-94C squadron, the 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, joined the group on 27 March 1953.
In 1955, under "Project Arrow", the 525th ADG was re-designated the 82d Fighter-Interceptor Group. This was an ADC program to re-activate notable World War II combat units. The squadrons were redesignated as the 95th and 96th Fighter-Interceptor squadron
96th Flying Training Squadron
The 96th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the Reserve associate to the 47th Flying Training Wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas...
s, and were upgraded to the F-94Cs.
Delaware Air National Guard
In 1957, it was announced that Air Defense Command would be reducing its forces at New Castle, with the air defense mission at the base being turned over to the Delaware Air National GuardDelaware Air National Guard
The Delaware Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is, along with the Delaware Army National Guard, an element of the Delaware National Guard...
. The 96th and 97th FIS were inactivated on 30 November, with the 82d FIG being inactivated on 8 January 1958.
The base was re-designated an Air National Guard facility, with the facility being turned over to Delaware state control. New Castle came under the control of the 142nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron, which flew F-86F Sabres. On 10 November 1958 the unit was redesignated the 142nd Tactical Fighter Squadron and was reassigned from Air Defense Command to Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical 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...
.
On 7 April 1962 the Delaware Air National Guard enlarged to "group status" as the 166th Air Transport Group and was reassigned from the Tactical Air Command to the Military Air Transport Service. The Delaware Air National Guard gave up its F-86 jets for the four engine C-97 Stratocruiser cargo planes. On 22 October 1962 a new unit "142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Flight," was added to the Delaware Air National Guard.
During the period from 1964-1974 the Delaware Air National Guard flew missions to Vietnam. In September 1965, only three years after receiving the C-97, the Delaware Air National Guard received the McCallister Trophy as the Air National Guard Outstanding Transport Unit.
On April 9, 1968, the Delaware Air National Guard was called to state duty to quell civil disturbance and violence in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. The unit was released from state duty after several weeks. However, many individuals remained on state duty through 20 January 1969.
On 12 May 1971 the Delaware ANG changed its name from the 166th Military Airlift Group to the 166th Tactical Airlift Group and replaced its C-97s with C-130A "Hercules" prop-jet cargo plane, and began transition from the Military Airlift Command to the Tactical Airlift Command.
During the period August 16, 1990 through October 1990 three aircraft, with supporting crews and many volunteers of the Delaware Air National Guard, participated in Operation Desert Shield. On January 25, 1991 selected units of the Delaware Air National Guard were activated for the Persian Gulf War known as "Operation Desert Storm," (8 planes with crews and maintenance and support personnel.) A majority of the unit was stationed at Al Kharj Air Base, Saudi Arabia. Over 150 personnel deployed to six other locations in Europe and two stateside bases. On June 30, 1991 the units/personnel were released from active duty performed in support of the Persian Gulf War.
Another name change occurred on March 16, 1992 - the 166th Tactical Airlift Group was redesignated the 166th Airlift Group and the 142nd Tactical Airlift Squadron was redesignated the 142nd Airlift Squadron. In conjunction, the unit's gaining command (Military Airlift Command) was redesignated the Air Mobility Command.
In the mid-1990s, the Base appeared on the federal Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
list in a context which would have grounded the 166th Airlift Wing. Further, the Base was among those targeted for closure by the Pentagon as of May 2005. However, by the late 1990s a reversal in the fate of the Base had been realized and in excess of $130 million in federal funds had been allocated for capital projects for Base improvement.
On April 1, 1997 the Gaining Command of the Delaware Air National Guard changed from Air Combat Command to Air Mobility Command.
Major units assigned
- Delaware Air National Guard, 1946-Present
- 328th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1946-1949
- 512th Troop Carrier Group, 1949-1951; 1952-1958
- 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1950
- 113th Fighter-Interceptor 1951-1952
- 4710th Air Defense Wing, 1952-1957
- 525th Air Defense Group, 1952-1955
- 82d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1955-1957
See also
- Aerospace Defense Command Fighter SquadronsAerospace Defense Command Fighter SquadronsThe second iteration of Aerospace Defense Command was established on 21 March 1946 as a component of the United States Army Air Forces, with the mission of planning for and executing the air defense of the United States...
- Delaware World War II Army AirfieldsDelaware World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, Delaware was a United States Army Air Force training center for pilots and aircrews.The USAAF established Two major airfields under the command of First Air Force, headquartered at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York between 1942 and 1945...