137th Operations Group
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The 137th Special Operations Group is an associate unit of the
Oklahoma Air National Guard The Oklahoma Air National Guard (OK ANG) is the aerial militia of the Oklahoma, State of Oklahoma, United States, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Oklahoma Army National Guard an element o ...
stationed at
Will Rogers Air National Guard Base Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
. If activated for federal service, the
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
is gained by
Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...
. The group was first activated during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
as the 404th Fighter Group flying
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
s. The group served in the
European Theater of Operations The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater (warfare), theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It command ...
from May 1944 until the end of the war. It provided close air support to ground troops following
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
, the Normandy landings. It earned a
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and
Belgian Fourragere Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct language ...
before inactivating in the fall of 1945. The group was redesignated the 137th Fighter Group and allotted to the
National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...
in 1946, with squadrons in Oklahoma and Kansas. During the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
, it was activated and deployed to France as the 137th Fighter-Bomber Group, where it opened
Chaumont Air Base Chaumont can refer to: Places Belgium * Chaumont-Gistoux, a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant France * Chaumont-Porcien, in the Ardennes ''département'' * Chaumont, Cher, in the Cher ''département'' * Chaumont-le-Bois, in the Côt ...
. The unit was replaced in France by a regular unit and returned without personnel or equipment to state control. In 1955, it converted from the
fighter bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...
to the fighter interceptor mission, and two years later lost its squadrons in
Tulsa Tulsa ( ) is the second-most-populous city in the state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tul ...
and in Kansas to new fighter groups. From 1961 until it was inactivated in 1975, the group engaged in strategic and tactical
airlift An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...
. The group was activated again in 1992 and converted to the air refueling mission in 2008.


Mission


Units

The 137th Special Operations Group consists of the following units: * 137th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron * 137th Special Operations Support Squadron * 185th Special Operations Squadron * 189th Intelligence Squadron * 285th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron * 138th Combat Training Flight


History


World War II


Training in the United States

The
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
was first activated at
Key Field Meridian Regional Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport located at Key Field, a joint-use public/military airfield. It is located southwest of Meridian, a city in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. The Meridian Airp ...
, Mississippi as the 404th Bombardment Group (Dive) with the 620th, 621st, 622d Bombardment Squadron and 623d Bombardment Squadrons assigned. The group drew its initial cadre from the 48th Bombardment Group, and was equipped with a mix of
Vultee A-35 Vengeance The Vultee A-31 Vengeance is an American dive bomber of World War II that was built by Vultee Aircraft. A modified version was called A-35. The Vengeance was not used operationally by the United States but was operated as a front-line aircraft ...
and
Douglas A-24 Banshee The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive ...
dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...
s and (briefly) Bell P-39 Airacobra
fighter-bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...
s. In July, the group moved to
Congaree Army Air Field McEntire Joint National Guard Base or McEntire JNGB is a military airport located in Richland County, South Carolina, United States, 10 miles (16 km) west of the town of Eastover and approximately 15 miles southeast of the city of Colu ...
, South Carolina, where, along with all other single engine dive bomber units of the
Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
, it reorganized in August, becoming the 405th Fighter-Bomber Group.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 609Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 610Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 611Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 689 Fighter groups were organized with three squadrons, rather than the four of bombardment groups, so the 623d Squadron was disbanded. Between November 1943 and January 1944, most of the aircrew assigned to the group were detached for training on fighter aircraft and replaced by fighter qualified pilots, many of whom had been serving as instructors in various fighter training units. On 22 March 1944, the group departed
Camp Shanks Camp Shanks was a United States Army installation in the Orangeburg, New York area. Named after Major General David C. Shanks, it was situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River. The camp was the largest U.S. Army embark ...
, New York for the European Theater on board the , arriving in
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
on 3 April.


Combat in Europe

Upon arrival in the
European Theater of Operations The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater (warfare), theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It command ...
the group became part of
IX Fighter Command The IX Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces formation. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany, where it was inactivated on 16 November 1945. IX Fighter Command was the primary tactical fight ...
. The group's station in England was
RAF Winkton Royal Air Force Winkton, or more simply RAF Winkton, is a former Royal Air Force Advanced Landing Ground previously in Hampshire but now, due to County boundary changes, in Dorset, England. The airfield is located approximately north of Chri ...
, an unimproved field, where it received 75
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
s by 16 April. By 1 May, it was ready to fly its first combat mission, a fighter sweep over Normandy. Later in the month, it began to fly Noball missions, strikes on
V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb ( "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry () name was Fieseler Fi 103 and its suggestive name was (hellhound). It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug a ...
launching sites. For the rest of the month, the 404th helped prepare for
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
, the Normandy invasion by
bombing A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...
and
strafing Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such a ...
targets in northern France. The group's squadrons provided top cover for landings in Normandy on 6 and 7 June 1944. On 6 July the 404th moved across the Channel to an Advanced Landing Ground at
Chippelle Airfield Chippelle à Cartigny-L’Épinay (Chippelle) Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the Communes of France, commune of Cartigny-l'Épinay in the Calvados (department), Calvados in the Normandy Regions of F ...
, France. The group also flew
interdiction Interdiction is interception of an object prior to its arrival at the location where it is to be used in military, espionage, and law enforcement. Military In the military, interdiction is the act of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy f ...
and escort missions, strafing and bombing such targets as troop concentrations, railroads, highways, bridges, fuel and
ammunition dump {{Commons cat Logistics Logistics logistics Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (ec ...
s, armored vehicles, docks, and tunnels, and covering the operations of
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
es,
Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
s, and
Martin B-26 Marauder The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in ...
s that bombed factories, airdromes, marshaling yards, and other targets. On 6 and 7 June, the group provided top cover for the Normandy landings. The 404th provided
close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
to ground troops, supporting the Allied breakthrough at
Saint-Lô Saint-Lô (, ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy.armored division A division is a large military unit or Formation (military), formation, usually consisting of between 10,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically mak ...
s despite severe losses. For this action the group received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm from the French government. On 10 September 1944 the group flew three armed reconnaissance missions, attacking
factories A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...
,
rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, Railroad car#Freight cars, freight and Passenger railroad car, passenger cars (or coaches) ...
and
communications center In telecommunications, the term communications center has the following meanings: # An agency charged with the responsibility for handling and controlling communications traffic. The center normally includes a message center, and transmitting and ...
s despite adverse weather and heavy
flak Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...
, for which it was awarded the
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
. On 28 September 1944, 2/Lt John W. Wainwright was credited with destroying six enemy aircraft on a single mission, three of which were knocked down in a midair collision during a dogfight. The 404th provided close air support to ground troops, supporting the drive through Belgium and the Netherlands in September 1944. For its actions supporting the liberation of Belgium, the group was thrice cited in the
Order of the Day To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...
by the Belgian government, earning it the
Belgian Fourragere Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct language ...
. From 21 to 25 January 1945, it attacked German armor and transportation withdrawing from the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
, and claimed to have destroyed or damaged over 1000 enemy vehicles. During February 1945, it assisted with the reduction of German forces west of the Rhine and the widening of the
Remagen bridgehead The Battle of Remagen was an 18-day battle during the Western Allied invasion of Germany, Allied invasion of Germany in World War II. It lasted from the 7th to the 25th of March 1945 when American forces unexpectedly captured the Ludendorff Bri ...
east of the
Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
during March 1945. When the war in Europe ended, the group assisted with the disarming of the
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
and dismantling of the German aircraft industry Following its return to the United States, the unit was reassigned to the
Third Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a Numbered Air Force, numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U ...
in the United States and prepared for deployment to
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
to take part in planned
Invasion of Japan An invasion is a military offensive of combatants of one geopolitical entity, usually in large numbers, entering territory controlled by another similar entity, often involving acts of aggression. Generally, invasions have objectives o ...
. When the
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki On 6 and 9 August 1945, the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, during World War II. The aerial bombings killed between 150,000 and 246,000 people, most of whom were civili ...
took place and the
Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
suddenly ended, these plans were canceled. Most personnel either separated from the military or were reassigned to other units, while a skeleton staff arrived at
Drew Field Tampa International Airport is an international airport west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA)., effective May 15, 2025. The airp ...
, Florida on 1 September. The unit was inactivated on 9 November 1945.


Oklahoma Air National Guard

The 404th Fighter-Bomber Group was redesignated as the 137th Fighter Group and allotted to the
National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...
on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Westheimer Airport, Norman, Oklahoma and was extended federal recognition on 18 December 1947. It was assigned to the Tenth Air Force of
Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
. The 137th Fighter Group was assigned the
185th Fighter Squadron 185th may refer to: *185th (2/1st West Riding) Brigade, formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army *185th Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135 Stratotanker *185th Air Refueling Wing (ARW), unit located at Sioux Gateway Airport, Iowa ...
at Westheimer, the
125th Fighter Squadron The 125th Fighter Squadron (125 FS) is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard 138th Fighter Wing located at Tulsa Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma. The 125th is equipped with the Block 42 F-16C Fighting Falcon. The squadron is a descendan ...
at
Tulsa Municipal Airport Tulsa International Airport is a civil-military airport five miles (8 km) northeast of Downtown Tulsa, in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It was named Tulsa Municipal Airport when the city acquired it in 1929 ...
and the 127th Fighter Squadron at Wichita Municipal Airport, Kansas as its operational units, all equipped with
North American F-51D Mustang Over twenty variants of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after World War II, some of which were employed also in the Korean War and in several other conflicts. Allison-engined Mustangs NA- ...
fighters. The Group's mission was
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
. In April 1949, a tornado struck the Westheimer. The damage was considered too extensive for economical repair and the decision was made to move the 137th Fighter Group and its 185th Fighter Squadron to
Will Rogers World Airport OKC Will Rogers International Airport , also known as Will Rogers Airport or simply Will Rogers, is a passenger airport located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, about 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the city's downtown Oklahoma Cit ...
in Oklahoma City in an area used as an
Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
station during World War II. The move was accomplished on 6 September 1949. In 1950 the 125th traded its old Mustangs for
Republic F-84 Thunderjet The Republic F-84 Thunderjet is an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thunde ...
s.


Korean War federalization

The 137th was federalized on 10 October 1950 due to the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. The group was assigned to
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
, and redesignated 137th Fighter-Bomber Group. Under the wing base organization, the 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated and the group was assigned to it. The 125th and 127th Fighter Squadrons (flying different models of the F-84) were activated with the group, while the 128th Fighter Squadron of the
Georgia Air National Guard The Georgia Air National Guard (GA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Georgia, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force, and along with the Georgia Army National Guard, an element of the Georgia National ...
, with P-47s, took the place of the 185th Fighter Squadron, which remained under state control until the following year. The 137th was programmed to reinforce
United States Air Forces Europe United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
(USAFE) at
Chaumont Air Base Chaumont can refer to: Places Belgium * Chaumont-Gistoux, a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant France * Chaumont-Porcien, in the Ardennes ''département'' * Chaumont, Cher, in the Cher ''département'' * Chaumont-le-Bois, in the Côt ...
, France once the wing initially programmed to be stationed there. the 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing, was diverted to Korea. However, it was August 1951 before France gave permission to establish an "interim tent camp" at Chaumont, which had runways built in 1944 and a limited parking area. By 27 November, the group's squadrons assembled at
Alexandria Air Force Base Alexandria International Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) west of the central business district of Alexandria, in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. The airport is operated by the E ...
, Louisiana, for conversion training in newer F-84G Thunderjets. The need to transfer pilots and support personnel to Korea and delays in deliveries of the group's F-84Gs required the complete training cycle to be repeated twice and the group did not complete its transition to the G model of the Thunderject until February 1952. While at Alexandria, the group's pilots participated in USAF Project 7109, which sent them temporarily to
Far East Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at the Hickam AFB portion of Join ...
, where they acquired actual combat experience before returning to the States. Due to the delays, most of the activated National Guard airmen remained behind when the group deployed to Europs and were released from active duty without shipping overseas.McAuliffe, p. 226 With mostly regular Air Force personnel and all the delays behind them, the group's planes departed Louisiana on 5 May 1952 for Europe. The air echelon ferried brand new F-84Gs across the Atlantic. The ground echelon sailed from
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
on the on 13 May. The 137th's aircraft diverted at the last moment to
Landstuhl Air Base Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Rhineland-Palatinate, southwestern Germany. It serves as the headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO Allied ...
and
Neubiberg Air Base Neubiberg Air Base is a former German Air Force and United States Air Force airfield which was closed in 1991. It is located 9 km south of the city of Munich, Germany. Today the former base area holds the campus of Bundeswehr University of ...
in West Germany arriving on 13 May. The official explanation for this change was that repairs to the Chaumont runway were needed, but the F-84G was capable of carrying
nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear exp ...
s, which were opposed by some French political parties and it was not until 25 June that the French government permitted the group to move to Chaumont. It was first USAF fighter group to be based permanently in France (and the only F-84G unit). The 137th ended its active-duty tour in France two weeks later in July 1952 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 48th Fighter Group, which was simultaneously activated.


Fighter-Interceptor mission

Reforming after their active duty service, the group was reformed with both the 125th and 185th squadrons being released from Federal Service and being reassigned by 1 January 1953. The 137th was gained by
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
(TAC), and the squadrons were again equipped with Mustangs again, due to the shortage of jet aircraft in the United States (almost all were in Korea). In the spring of 1953 they received reworked F-80A Shooting Star aircraft, brought up to F-80C standards. In 1955 the group became the 137th Fighter-Interceptor Group and was given a fighter-interceptor mission in
Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
(ADC). On 1 August 1957 the 137th Wing reorganized to mirror ADC's active duty organization as the 137th Air Defense Wing, while at each location with a subordinate squadron became a Fighter Group (Air Defense), adding support units to the fighter squadron at the location. The 137th was equipped with
North American F-86D Sabre The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog") is an American transonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was ...
s in 1958. Their F-80s were transferred to the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
(FAA) for various experimental testing activities. The group also assumed ADC runway alert program on a 24-hour basis. In June 1959 the squadron traded their F-86Ds for the upgraded F-86L Sabre with uprated engines and new electronics.


Strategic airlift

In April 1961,
Military Air Transport Service The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is an inactive United States Department of Defense, Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy's Naval Air Transport Service (NA ...
became the gaining command for the 137th, trading in its Sabres for
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter is a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, B-29 and Boeing B-50 Superfortress, B-50 bombers. Design work began in 1942, the first of three prototype XC-97s flew on ...
transports. The unit was redesignated the 137th Air Transport Group. Throughout the 1960s, the 125th flew long-distance transport missions in support of Air Force requirements, frequently sending aircraft to the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines. During the
Berlin Crisis of 1961 The Berlin Crisis of 1961 () was the last major European political and military incident of the Cold War concerning the status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of History of Germany (1945–90), post–World War II Germany. The crisis cul ...
, the group flew missions to Europe, although it was not called to active duty as a unit. It flew missions to the Dominican Republic during the
Dominican Civil War The Dominican Civil War (), also known as the April Revolution (), took place between April 24, 1965, and September 3, 1965, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It started when civilian and military supporters of the overthrown democraticall ...
there in 1965 and with the increasing American involvement also began flying missions to
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
. Part of the 137th Air Transport Group mission was a specially equipped C-97E, 51-0224, the "Miss Oklahoma City" also known as the "Talking Bird". From 1961 though 1963 the aircraft was used as an airborne command post to maintain constant secure communications between the nation's capital and President
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
during his visits to foreign countries. The C-97s were retired in February 1968 replaced by Douglas C-124C Globemaster II transports.


Tactical airlift

In 1975 the group became the 137th Tactical Airlift Wing and re-equipped with
Lockheed C-130A Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
tactical airlifters. It was inactivated in February 1975 and its units assigned directly to the 137th Tactical Airlift Wing. In subsequent years the 137th served in humanitarian missions worldwide. During the 1990s the 185th provided Counter-drug support coordinated through the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. As of mid-2001, numerous drug enforcement operations have resulted in the destruction of 7.2 million marijuana plants, estimated 4.1 billion dollars in destroyed drugs, 814 arrests, 165 seized weapons, and 1.1 million dollars in currency and assets seized. The 137th provided operational support during the
1991 Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
, and contributed logistical assistance in Bosnia in the late 1990s. Group personnel from the 137th Airlift Wing aided New Mexico ranchers faced with livestock devastation after severe winter storms covered the grasslands with snow, averting near disaster to New Mexico's livestock industry.


Current status

In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, the
Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
relocating the group to
Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, adjacent to Del City and Midwest City. The ba ...
as an associate of the 507th Operations Group of
Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
as the 137th Operations Group. The 137th's C-130H aircraft were distributed to the
Texas Air National Guard The Texas Air National Guard (TX ANG) is the aerial militia of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and part of the Texas National Guard, alongside the Texas Army National Guard. No element of the Texas Air Nati ...
's
136th Airlift Wing The 136th Airlift Wing (136 AW) is a unit of the Texas Air National Guard, stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force's Air ...
at
NAS JRB Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (abbreviated NAS JRB Fort Worth) includes Carswell Field, a military airbase located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military a ...
, Texas, and the
Missouri Air National Guard The Missouri Air National Guard (MO ANG) is the aerial militia of the Missouri, State of Missouri, United States, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Missouri Army National Guard an element o ...
's
139th Airlift Wing The 139th Airlift Wing (139 AW) is a unit of the Missouri Air National Guard, stationed at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility ...
at
Rosecrans Air National Guard Base Rosecrans Air National Guard Base or Rosecrans ANGB, is located on a portion of the Rosecrans Memorial Airport , Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA. It is the home of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard and the Advanced Airlift Tactics ...
, Missouri. From October 2008 until 2015, 137th Group aircrews jointly operated the
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...
aircraft at Tinker with the aircrews of the Air Force Reserve
465th Air Refueling Squadron The 465th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 507th Operations Group, 507th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The squadron operates the KC-135R aircraft condu ...
. The 137th Air Refueling Wing is planned to transition from
Air Mobility Command The Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri, ...
claimancy as a KC-135R unit at
Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, adjacent to Del City and Midwest City. The ba ...
, to
Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...
flying the
MC-12W Liberty The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States United States Air Force, Air Force, Unit ...
surveillance variant of the
Beechcraft C-12 Huron The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. ...
, returning flight operations to
Will Rogers Air National Guard Base Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
at
Will Rogers World Airport OKC Will Rogers International Airport , also known as Will Rogers Airport or simply Will Rogers, is a passenger airport located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, about 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the city's downtown Oklahoma Cit ...
. The wing was planned to be renamed the 137th Special Operations Wing.


Lineage

* Constituted as the 404th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 25 January 1943 : Activated on 4 February 1943 * Redesignated 404th Fighter-Bomber Group on 10 August 1943 * Redesignated 404th Fighter Group, Single Engine on 30 May 1944 : Inactivated on 9 November 1945 * Redesignated 137th Fighter Group, Single Engine and allotted to the National Guard : Organized on 1 September 1947 : Extended federal recognition on 18 December 1947 * 10 October 1950: Federalized and ordered to active service * Inactivated, released from active duty and returned to Oklahoma state control on 10 July 1952 : Activated on 10 July 1952 * Redesignated 137th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 1 July 1955 * Redesignated 137th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 1 August 1957 * Redesignated 137th Air Transport Group, Heavy on 1 April 1961 * Redesignated 137th Military Airlift Group on 1 January 1966 * Redesignated 137th Tactical Airlift Group on 10 December 1974 : Inactivated on 9 February 1975 * Redesignated 137th Operations Group : Activated 16 March 1992 : Redesignated 137th Special Operations Group''


Assignments

*
III Fighter Command The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946. History Background GHQ Air Force (GHQ, AF) had been established with two major comba ...
, 4 February 1943 * IX Fighter Command, 4 April 1944 * 84th Fighter Wing, : Attached to:
IX Tactical Air Command The IX Tactical Air Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It fought in the European theater of World War II. Its last assignment was at Camp Shanks, New York, where it was inactivated on 25 October 1945. History Formed ...
, 1 August 1944 * XXIX Tactical Air Command, 26 October 1944 *
64th Fighter Wing The 64th Fighter Wing was a World War II tactical air control wing of the Twelfth Air Force, operating in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II, Mediterranean and European theatre of World War II, European theaters. From its ...
, 16 January – 2 August 1945 * III Fighter Command, 1 September – 9 November 1945 *
71st Fighter Wing The 71st Fighter Wing (71 FW) is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri. It was withdrawn from the Missouri Air National Guard (MO ANG) and inactivated on 31 October 1950. This wing ...
, 18 December 1947 *
63d Fighter Wing The 63d Fighter Wing (63 FW) is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas. It was withdrawn from the Texas Air National Guard (TX ANG) and inactivated on October 11, 1950. This wing is no ...
, 23 May 1948 *
137th Fighter-Bomber Wing 137th may refer to: *137th (Calgary) Battalion, CEF, unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War * 137th Air Reconnaissance Regiment, air reconnaissance and guidance regiment, part of the SFR Yugoslav Air Force * 137th Speci ...
, 26 October 1950 – 10 July 1952 * 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 137th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 137th Air Defense Wing, 137th Air Transport Wing, 137th Military Airlift Wing, 137th Tactical Airlift Wing), 10 July 1952 – 9 February 1975 * 137th Airlift Wing (later 137th Air Refueling Wing), 16 March 1992 – 30 September 2015 * 137th Special Operations Wing, 1 October 2015 – present


Components


World War II

* 455th Fighter Squadron: 1 December 1943 – 12 February 1944 * 620th Bombardment Squadron (later 506th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 506th Fighter Squadron): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945 * 621st Bombardment Squadron (later 507th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 507th Fighter Squadron): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945 * 622d Bombardment Squadron (later 508th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 508th Fighter Squadron): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945 * 623d Bombardment Squadron: 4 February – 15 August 1943


Air National Guard

* 117th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 23 February 1957 – 10 April 1958 *
125th Fighter Squadron The 125th Fighter Squadron (125 FS) is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard 138th Fighter Wing located at Tulsa Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma. The 125th is equipped with the Block 42 F-16C Fighting Falcon. The squadron is a descendan ...
(later 125th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 125th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron): 18 December 1947 – 10 July 1952, 10 July 1952 – 1 August 1957 * 127th Fighter Squadron (later 127th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 127th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron): 1 September 1947 – 10 July 1952; 10 July 1952 – 1 August 1957 * 128th Fighter Squadron (later 128th Fighter-Bomber Squadron): 10 October 1950 – 10 July 1952 * 154th Fighter Squadron: 1 September 1947 – 10 October 1950 * 185th Fighter Squadron (later 185th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 185th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 185th Air Transport Squadron, 185th Military Airlift Squadron, 185th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 185th Air Refueling) Squadron): 18 December 1947 – 10 October 1950; 1 January 1953 – 9 February 1975, 16 March 1992 – 2015 * 185th Special Operations Squadron: 1 October 2015 – present


Stations

* Key Field, Mississippi, 4 February 1943 *
Congaree Army Air Field McEntire Joint National Guard Base or McEntire JNGB is a military airport located in Richland County, South Carolina, United States, 10 miles (16 km) west of the town of Eastover and approximately 15 miles southeast of the city of Colu ...
, South Carolina, 5 July 1943 * Burns Army Air Field, Oregon, 4 September 1943 * Myrtle Beach Army Air Field, South Carolina, 13 November 1943 – 12 March 1944 * RAF Winkton (AAF-414),Station number in Anderson England, 4 April 1944 * Chippelle Airfield (A-5),Station number in Johnson France, 6 July 1944 * Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, 29 August 1944 *
Juvincourt Airfield Juvincourt Airfield is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the commune of Juvincourt-et-Damary in the Aisne department of northern France. Built originally as a grass airfield by the French Air Force before World War II, Ju ...
(A-68), France, 13 September 1944 * Sint-Truiden Airfield (A-92), Belgium, 4 October 1944 *
Kelz Airfield Kelz Airfield is a former World War II military airfield in Germany. It was located about 2 miles north of Vettweiß (Nordrhein-Westfalen); approximately 315 miles southwest of Berlin. The airfield was built by the United States Army Air Forces ...
(Y-54), Germany, 30 March 1945 * Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, 12 April 1945 * AAF Station Stuttgart/Echterdingen (R-50), Germany, 23 June – 2 August 1945 *
Drew Field Tampa International Airport is an international airport west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA)., effective May 15, 2025. The airp ...
, Florida, 1 September – 9 November 1945 * Westheimer Airport, Oklahoma, 18 December 1947 *
Will Rogers World Airport OKC Will Rogers International Airport , also known as Will Rogers Airport or simply Will Rogers, is a passenger airport located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, about 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the city's downtown Oklahoma Cit ...
, Oklahoma, 6 September 1949 *
Alexandria Air Force Base Alexandria International Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) west of the central business district of Alexandria, in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. The airport is operated by the E ...
, Louisiana, 27 November 1950 – 4 May 1952 * Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France, 13 May 1952 – 10 July 1952 * Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma, 10 July 1952 * Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma, 16 March 1992 *
Tinker Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, adjacent to Del City and Midwest City. The ba ...
, Oklahoma, 1 October 2008 – 30 September 2015 * Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma, 1 October 2015 – present


Aircraft

* Vultee A-35 Vengeance (1943) * Douglas A-24 Banshee (1943) * Bell P-39 Airacobra (1943) * Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1944–1945) * North American F-51D Mustang, 1947–1951, 1953 * RF-51D Mustang, 1951–1952 * Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star, 1952–1953 * Lockheed F-80C Shooting Star, 1953–1958 * North American F-86D Sabre, 1958–1959 * North American F-86L Sabre, 1959–1961 * Boeing C-97C Stratofreighter, 1961–1963 * Boeing C-97G Stratofreighter, 1961–1968 * Douglas C-124C Globemaster II, 1968–1975 * Lockheed C-130A Hercules, 1975–1979 * Lockeed C-130H Hercules, 1979–2008 * Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker, 2008 – 2015 * Beechcraft MC-12W, 2015 – present


Awards and campaigns


See also

* 502d Air Service Group Support Organization for 404th Fighter Group


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * ; Further reading *


External links

* * (Memorial at Saint-Martin-de-Blagny to fallen 404th pilots. In French.) {{Oklahoma Groups of the United States Air National Guard Military units and formations in Oklahoma Military units and formations established in 1943 Operations groups of the United States Air Force