126th Air Refueling Wing


The 126th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Illinois Air National Guard. It is stationed at Scott [Air Force Base], Belleville, Illinois. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 108th Air Refueling Squadron, assigned to the Wing's 126th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the World War I 108th Aero Squadron, established on 27 August 1917. It was reformed on 1 July 1927, as the 108th Observation Squadron, and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.
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Mission

The primary mission of the 126th Air Refueling Wing is to provide air refueling support to major commands of the United States Air Force, as well as other U.S. military forces and the military forces of allied nations. Additionally, the unit can support airlift missions. The unit is also tasked with supporting the nuclear strike missions of the Single Integrated Operational Plan.
During peacetime, the 126th ARW receives direction through the adjutant general of Illinois, the governor of Illinois and the National Guard Bureau. Upon federal mobilization, the wing is assigned to Air Mobility Command and the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force.

Units

  • 126th Operations Group
  • 126th Maintenance Group
  • 126th Mission Support Group
  • 126th Medical Group
  • 126th Comptroller Flight
The 126 ARW also has two associate partners: the Active Associate 906th Air Refueling Squadron with the 126 ARW serving as the host organization for this Total Force Initiative association, and the Classic Associate 126th Supply Chain Management Squadron as part of a regionalized Air Mobility Command supply facility.

History

''For associated history, see 126th Operations Group''

Cold War

[Image:Bor-b26b-180lbs.jpg|thumb|B-26C as flown by the wing]
The wing was activated as the 126th Composite Wing on 1 November 1950, as the Air National Guard converted to the Wing Base Organization model of the regular Air Force. The wing lost its fighter unit and became the 126th Bombardment Wing in February 1951. The unit was ordered to active service on 1 April 1951 as a result of the Korean War. The unit was initially assigned to Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
The wing moved to Bordeaux-Merignac Air Base, France with the first elements arriving in November 1951. It was assigned to Twelfth Air Force. By 10 November, Bordeaux was considered an operational base. The 126th was assigned the 108th, 168th and 180th Bombardment Squadrons. The aircraft were marked by various color bands on the vertical stabilizer and rudder. Black/Yellow/Blue for the 108th; Black/Yellow/Red for the 168th, and Black/Yellow/Green for the 180th.
It flew B-26's for training and maneuvers and stayed at Bordeaux until moving to Laon-Couvron Air Base, France on 25 May 1952 where it remained for the balance of the year.
The 126th was relieved from active duty and inactivated on 1 January 1953, transferring its personnel and equipment to the 38th Bombardment Wing, which was simultaneously activated. It was activated in the Illinois Air National Guard the same day as the 126th Fighter-Bomber Group. It flew North American F-86 Sabres. In 1955, it was redesignated the 126th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, and equipped with F-86Ds. In 1958, it was reorganized along the lines of active duty Air Defense Command units, becoming the 126th Air Defense Wing.
On 1 July 1961, the 126th's mission was changed to air refueling one and it was redesignated the 126th Air Refueling Wing, flying Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter aircraft. The 126th flew KC-97Ls for a brief time before converting to Boeing KC-135A Stratotankers. In 1978 the KC-97s were sent to AMARC. Many of the 126th's KC-97Ls became gate guards and one is on the field of the former Grissom Air Force Base, Indiana, where the 126th conducted many hours of transition practice.
In 1983 the wing began receiving the KC-135E as a replacement for the KC-135A model "water-wagons", a named used because of 110 seconds of water injection, used to increase thrust for take-off power. With the inactivation of SAC, the group was gained by Air Mobility Command on 1 June 1992.

Post Cold War

The 126th moved from the former Air Reserve Station at O'Hare International Airport in 1999 as recommended by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission's Report to Congress in conjunction with the closure of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard facilities at O'Hare. In 2000, the unit's KC-135E aircraft were upgraded with the new Pacer CRAG avionics systems. In 2008, the unit completed a transition to KC-135R aircraft as the KC-135E fleet was retired.

Lineage

  • Established as the 126th Composite Wing and allotted to the Air National Guard on 31 October 1950
  • Redesignated 126th Fighter-Bomber Wing and activated in the Air National Guard on 1 January 1953

Assignments

Components

; Groups
; Operational Squadrons

Stations

Aircraft