138th Attack Squadron
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The 138th Attack Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard's
174th Attack Wing The 174th Attack Wing (174 ATKW) is a unit of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, New York. The 174th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gaine ...
located at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York. The 138th is equipped with the
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomi ...
remotely piloted aircraft. The squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 484th Bombardment Squadron, a
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 ...
unit. After converting to
fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...
as the 505th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. The squadron deployed to 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 ...
, where it participated in combat, earning 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 ...
and destroying 55 enemy aircraft in air to air combat. Following
V-E Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...
, it returned to the United States, where it was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation in October 1945. In 1946, it was 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. ...
and in 1947 was activated in the
New York National Guard New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 19 ...
as the 138th Fighter Squadron. In 1950, it became one of the first
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
squadrons to be equipped with et fighters, but with the onset of 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 ...
its jets were transferred to the active duty Air Force and it reverted to propeller driven fighters. It returned to flying jets in 1954 and maintained an
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 ...
mission until 1958, when it became a tactical fighter unit. During the 1961 Berlin Crisis, the squadron was called into federal service and deployed to France to reinforce
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
. The squadron was called to active duty a second time in 1968. It moved to
Cannon Air Force Base Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) also known as "The Steadfast Line". It is under the jurisdi ...
, where it served as a training unit until returning to state control at the end of the year. It continued to fly fighters, deploying aircraft and
aircrew Aircrew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions In commercial aviatio ...
to the Middle East during
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. In 2012, the squadron converted to
unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...
operations as the 138th Attack Squadron''


History


World War II


Organization and training

The squadron was formed in August 1942 as the 484th Bombardment Squadron at Hunter Field, Georgia, one of the original four squadrons of the 339th Bombardment Group.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 216-18 It was equipped with Douglas A-24 Banshee dive bombers. In July 1943, it moved to Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, where it re-equipped with
Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by th ...
s. The following month, along with all other single engine 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 ...
(AAF), it was redesignated as a
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 ...
unit, becoming the 505th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. It moved to Rice Army Air Field, California in September 1943, where in addition to training with its P-39s, it participated in maneuvers. It departed Rice for 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 ...
on 9 March 1944, sailing from the New York Port of Embarkation on the on 22 March.Freeman, p. 249


Combat in the European Theater

The squadron landed in England on 4 April and arrived at its combat station, RAF Fowlmere, the next day. Its first airplane arrived on 12 April, a
North American P-51B 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- ...
. It quickly converted to the new fighter, and flew its first combat mission, a fighter sweep, on 30 April. In May, it dropped the "Bomber" from its name, becoming the 505th Fighter Squadron. It flew escort for
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 ...
and
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 ...
heavy bombers during its first five weeks of operations, and afterwards flew escort missions to cover operations of
medium Medium may refer to: Aircraft *Medium bomber, a class of warplane * Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Medium'' (1921 film), a German silent film * ''The Medium'' (1951 film), a film vers ...
and
heavy bomber Heavy bombers are bomber Fixed-wing aircraft, aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually Aerial bomb, bombs) and longest range (aeronautics), range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy ...
s that struck strategic objectives, interdicted enemy
lines of communication A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Therefore, a secure and open line of communicat ...
, and provided
air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as Strafing, strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS r ...
for ground forces. In June 1954, it began to receive updated P-51D models of the Mustang. The 339th Group was also the first AAF unit to be equipped with
g-suit A g-suit, or anti-''g'' suit, is a flight suit worn by aviators and astronauts who are subject to high levels of acceleration force ( g). It is designed to prevent a black-out and g-LOC (g-induced loss of consciousness) caused by the blood poo ...
s, which enabled its fighters to make tighter turns in dogfights. On
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
It provided fighter cover over the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
and the coast of
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
for the landing forces. It
strafe 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 ...
d and dive bombed vehicles, locomotives, marshaling yards,
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 ...
batteries, and troops while Allied forces fought to break out of the beachhead in France. It attacked transportation targets during
Operation Cobra Operation Cobra was an offensive launched by the First United States Army under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy campaign of World War II. The intention was to take advantage of the dis ...
, the July breakout at Saint Lo, and the subsequent Allied drive across France. It flew area patrols during Operation Market-Garden, the airborne landings attempting to secure a bridgehead across 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 ...
in the Netherlands in September. The squadron frequently strafed airfields and other targets of opportunity while on escort missions. 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 ...
for its actions on escort missions on 10 and 11 September 1944. On the first day, after escorting bombers attacking a target in Germany, it attacked Erding Airfield, destroying or damaging enemy aircraft despite intense fire from antiaircraft guns and small arms. The following day it escorted a formation of bombers attacking
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
that was attacked by enemy
interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are c ...
, in the strongest defense put up by
Luftflotte Reich Luftflotte ReichFor an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet ''Reich'') was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II World War II or the Second Wor ...
since May. The 339th Group shot down fifteen enemy fighters and drove off the remaining attacking aircraft, while other elements attacked an airfield near
Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...
, encountering heavy fire, but damaging or destroying numerous aircraft parked on the field. The squadron escorted bombers to, and flew patrols over the battle area during 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 ...
, the German counterattack in the
Ardennes The Ardennes ( ; ; ; ; ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, extending into Germany and France. Geological ...
in December 1944 through early January 1945. In March 1945 it supported Operation Varsity, the assault across the Rhine in Germany, patrolling the area to prevent German air attacks. It flew its last combat mission on 21 April 1945. The squadron was credited with 55 air to air victories during its year in combat. In August and September 1945, the squadron transferred its planes to depots and many of its personnel were reassigned. The remaining squadron members sailed on the in October. It was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation on 17 October 1945.


New York Air National Guard

The 505th Squadron was redesignated the 138th Fighter Squadron, and was 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 Hancock Field, Syracuse, New York, and extended federal recognition on 28 October 1947. The squadron was equipped with Republic F-47D Thunderbolts and was assigned initially to the 52d Fighter Wing, then in December 1948 to the 107th Fighter Group, with its training overseen by
Continental Air Command Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary aug ...
. The mission of the 136th Fighter Squadron was to train and equip to be capable of immediate
mobilization Mobilization (alternatively spelled as mobilisation) is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the ...
to perform its Federal mission and to function efficiently when called on by the State of New York to preserve peace, order and public safety. In January 1950 the 138th became the first New York National Guard unit to receive jet aircraft, replacing its Thunderbolts with Republic F-84B Thunderjets over the next three months, Most of these planes came from the regular 20th Fighter Group at
Shaw Air Force Base Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdict ...
, South Carolina. With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, most of the nation's Air National Guard was federalized and placed on active duty. The 138th was retained by the State of New York to continue its federal mission to prepare for mobilization and its state missions as well. In 1951,
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 ...
was authorized to bring Air National Guard squadrons with an
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 ...
mission, like the 138th, on active duty within four hours of notice through newly installed "scramble lines". Between December 1950 and January 1951, the 138th transferred several F-84Bs to the
Arizona Air National Guard The Arizona Air National Guard (AZ ANG) is the aerial militia of the Arizona, state of Arizona, United States, United States of America. It is, along with the Arizona Army National Guard, an element of the Arizona National Guard. As state militia ...
's 197th Fighter Squadron at
Luke Air Force Base Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States., effective 20 December 2007 It is located west of the central business district of Glendale, Arizona, Glendale, and west of Phoenix, Arizona, P ...
, and at the end of 1951 the remainder were transferred to the federalized 127th Pilot Training Group, also at Luke. The Thunderjets were used for jet pilot transition training for pilots being deployed to Korea. In return, the 138th received F-51H Mustangs with were capable of extended
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 ...
flights over all of New York state. In 1952, the 138th became one of the first Air National Guard squadrons to commence standing daylight runway alert. At least two aircraft from the squadron with pilots in their cockpits stood alert at the end of runway from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset every day of the year. The air defense mission remained after 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 ...
armistice and the unit resumed normal peacetime training and drills. In 1954, the Mustang was ending its service life and
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) was re-equipping its fighter-interceptor squadrons with jet aircraft. The 138th received Lockheed F-94B Starfires, however the F-94 required a two-man aircrew, a pilot and an air observer to operate its radar equipment. The additional recruitment of guardsmen led to the units having a manning and capabilities problem. It was not until 1955 that a regular flow of graduates from the radar observer school began. The squadron also added two North American TB-25 Mitchells to its strength to act as trainers for its radar observers. In 1956, the 107th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was reorganized and redesignated the 107th Air Defense Wing. The 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group was redesignated the 107th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and moved from Niagara Falls Municipal Airport to Hancock Field on 1 May, with the 138th FIS being assigned. The North American F-86H Sabre replaced the F-94B Starfires in 1957.


Tactical Air Command

A major change to the squadron in 1958 was its transition from an air defense mission to a tactical fighter mission, with
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) becoming its gaining command on mobiliation. The 138th was redesignated the 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The new assignment involved a change in the squadron's training mission to include high-altitude interception, air-to-ground rocketry, ground strafing and tactical bombing. The 138th retained its F-86H Sabres. In 1960, the squadron received both the Governor's Air Trophy and the Commander's Trophy as the most outstanding unit in the New York Air National Guard. In addition, the Air Force Association named it the best F-86 unit in the country.


=1961 Berlin federalization

= During the summer of 1961, as the 1961 Berlin Crisis unfolded, the 138th was notified of its pending federalization and recall to active duty and told to achieve maximum operational readiness in as short a period as possible. On 1 October the it was federalized and assigned to the
Massachusetts Air National Guard The Massachusetts Air National Guard (MAANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Massachusetts Army National Guard, an element of ...
's 102d Tactical Fighter Wing, which called to active duty for twelve months. Between 28 and 30 October, the 102d departed Otis for Phalsbourg Air Base, France as part of Operation Stair Step. The wing deployed 78 F-86H Sabres. Since the F-86H lacked an
air refueling Aerial refueling (American English, en-us), or aerial refuelling (British English, en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from ...
capability, the squadron deployed via the World War II North Atlantic ferry route. The squadron's mission in France was to provide
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
Seventh United States Army The Seventh Army was a United States army created during World War II that evolved into the United States Army Europe (USAREUR) during the 1950s and 1960s. It served in North Africa and Italy in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and Fra ...
and
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
ground forces and air interdiction with conventional weapons. It also had an air defense mission that required keeping its aircraft on armed 24 hour alert. Shortly after its arrival in France, the squadron began deploying to
Wheelus Air Base Wheelus Air Base was a United States Air Force base located in British-occupied Libya and the Kingdom of Libya from 1943 to 1970. At one time it was the largest US military facility outside the US. It had an area of on the coast of Tripoli. T ...
Libya for gunnery training. During its time in Europe, the squadron participated in USAFE and NATO exercises. In Operation Squadron Exchange squadron members joined Jagdgeschwader 72, a
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 ...
wing flying F-86s at Leck Air Base, West Germany, near the Danish border, while Luftwaffe ground and support crews of the 72nd operated with the 102nd Wing at Phalsbourg. On 7 May 1962, the squadron began planning redeployment to the United States during the summer, with the last Sabres departing on 20 July. Some Guardsmen, primarily pilots, volunteered to remain on active duty as the cadre of the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which would operated from Phalsbourg with
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak is an American swept-wing turbojet-powered fighter-bomber. The RF-84F Thunderflash is variant of the F-84F that was designed for photo reconnaissance. The design was originally intended to be a relatively simp ...
s, began to arrive. The unit's planes returned to the United States in July 1962 and the squadron was returned to state control on 1 September.


=Return to state control

= Upon its return to state control, the 107th Group moved back to Niagara Falls, and the National Guard element there was authorized to expand to a group level. The 174th Tactical Fighter Group was federally recognized on 1 September 1962. The 138th became the group's flying squadron. Other units assigned into the group were the 174th Material Squadron , 174th Combat Support Squadron, and the 174th USAF Dispensary. The squadron remained equipped with the F-86H and continued normal peacetime training and exercises. In the summer of 1965, the squadron took part in Exercise Oneida Bear II at
Fort Drum Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, near the western border of northern New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. ...
, which involved some 6,500 soldiers of the regular Army, the Army Reserve and the National Guard. Squadron aircraft provided close air support to both aggressor and friendly forces during the exercise, and were engaged in realistic tactical air strikes. In the exercise, conducted by the
First United States Army First Army is the largest OC/T organization in the U.S. Army, comprising two divisions, ten brigades, and more than 7,500 Soldiers. Its mission is to partner with the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve to enable leaders and deli ...
, the Second Brigade of the Army's Fifth Infantry Regiment was opposed by an aggressor force of selected Army National Guard and reserve Units. The 174th Group's pilots flew 77 sorties for a total of 114 hours without a single abort. The squadron trained at
Ramey Air Force Base Ramey Air Force Base also known as Borinquen Field, is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was named after United States Army Air Forces Brigadier General Howard Knox Ramey. Following its closure, it was redevel ...
, Puerto Rico, in early 1967 in an all service amphibious and airborne exercise. A detachment of unit pilots and support personnel participated. Twelve F-86H aircraft participated with three
Lockheed C-130 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 ...
for equipment and personnel support. All types of tactical air missions were flown. A special firepower demonstration was accomplished. Later in 1967 Operation Sentry Post I was held in August. This was a joint Air National Guard – TAC Exercise. Twelve F-86Hs were flown and squadron pilots worked with radar flying air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery with and without
forward air control Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC). ...
(FAC) type missions. A total of 204 sorties and 245, hours were flown in this operation.


=Vietnam activation

= In 1968, the squadron was federalized and placed on active duty. It was alerted for active duty on 11 April 1968, partially mobilized on 13 May and deployed to
Cannon Air Force Base Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) also known as "The Steadfast Line". It is under the jurisdi ...
, Clovis, New Mexico. The squadron's mission was to train forward air controllers for service in Vietnam. The FACs flew a light observation aircraft at low altitudes, visually observing enemy installations and movements and providing on-the-spot directions for fighters and bombers. The FAC dictated the type of ordnance to be delivered, observed the strike, and evaluated its effectiveness. The squadron gave FAC's in training actual experience in fighter aircraft so that they would be fully apprised of the requirements of the men they would be directing in combat in South Vietnam. On arrival at Cannon along with Maryland Air National Guard units, they comprised the 140th Tactical Fighter Wing. Originally based in Denver, Colorado, headquarters of the 140th moved to Cannon ith the deployment of the 140th Tactical Fighter Group to active duty in Vietnam. Only the group Headquarters, the 138th Squadron, and the 174th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron were mobilized. The unit was inactivated on 20 December 1968, and all members reverted to Air National Guard drill status.


=Close Air Support

= During 1970, the 174th began retiring its F-86H Sabres after over a decade of service, the squadron flying the last USAF/ANG Sabre sortie on 30 September. Replacing the Sabre was the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly and a newly conceived close air support tactical fighter mission in a ground insurgency environment which were gained by combat experience in Vietnam. After a decade of routine peacetime exercises and training with the A-37, in 1979 the 174th began a transition to the Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II close air support fighter. With the arrival of the A-10, the 174th became a Wing on 1 July 1979. The wing was one of three Air National Guard units equipped with the A-10 as part of the "Total Force" concept which equipped ANG units with front-line USAF aircraft. In 1980, after the transition to the A-10 was completed, the 138th deployed to Savannah Air National Guard Base, Georgia. On arrival, the unit was given sealed orders directing them to a remote, forward operational location and operate combat sorties, fully loaded with live ordnance. Not only was the 174th's combat readiness put to the optimum peacetime test, but the unit's mobility was tested to the fullest. In response, an additional six A-10s were assigned to it, making the squadron the Air National Guard's only "super" squadron, with 24 aircraft. With the transition complete, the unit deployed eight A-10 aircraft from Syracuse, non-stop to a forward operation location in West Germany. In exercise Cornet Sail, the 138th demonstrated for the first time the ability of an Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve unit to deploy this advanced aircraft in this manner. Combat readiness in West Germany was achieved 12 hours after departing Hancock Field. In 1984, the unit deployed to Exercise Air Warrior at the
National Training Center Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast ...
,
Fort Irwin Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast ...
, California; a three-week deployment to Lechfeld Air Base, West Germany and with the NY ANG 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group at Goose Air Base, Labrador. The 174th also was among the first A-10 close support aircraft organizations to provide temporary tactical air defense support from
Howard Air Force Base Howard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It discontinued military operations on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which specified that US military facilities in the former P ...
, Panama when the unit deployed to Howard in March 1985 when runway construction precluded the use of the LTV A-7D Corsair IIs that normally fulfilled the tactical air defense duties of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
. Shortly afterward, it deployed to Alaska for the first time. The 138th completed the 2,700-mile flight to
Eielson Air Force Base Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redesignated Eielson Ai ...
without external navigation aids. As in past years, continuing NATO deployments to West Germany in the late 1980s saw squadron personnel training and living side-by-side with their West
German Air Force The German Air Force (, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ) was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of West Ger ...
counterparts as they would in a combat situation. The squadron began 1988 on a high note when the Air Force announced the wing would convert from the A-10 to the Block 10 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon. With the Block 10 F-16, the 174th became the first Air Force organization to fly the Fighting Falcon with a close air support mission. The first F-16 aircraft started arriving in late 1988. These aircraft were passed down from regular USAF units who were upgrading to the F-16C/D model. During 1989 the 138th TFS was chosen as a test unit for a close air support version of the F-16. The aircraft were the only F-16s ever to be equipped with this weapon, intended for use against a variety of battlefield targets, including armor with the 30 mm gun pod.


=Operation Desert Storm

= In 1991, the 138th deployed to the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
with 516 members in support of
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. The 138th was one of only two Air National Guard units to fly combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. The close air support project however proved to be a miserable failure. Precision aiming was impossible for several reasons: the pylon mount wasn't as steady as the A-10's rigid mounting; the F-16 flies much faster than an A-10, giving the pilots too little time approaching the target; firing the gun shook the aircraft harshly and made it impossible to control the targeting; the essential CCIP ( constantly computed impact point) software was unavailable. The pilots ended up using the gun as an area effect weapon, spraying multiple targets with ammunition, producing an effect rather like a
cluster bomb A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy vehi ...
. It took only a couple of days of this before they gave up, unbolted the gun pods, and went back to dropping real cluster bombs – which did the job more effectively. The unit received the
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force ...
, with the "V" device, during Operation Desert Storm,; the Air Force Association Outstanding Unit Award, and the National Guard Association's Best Family Support Center Award.


Air Combat Command

In March 1992, with the end of the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, the squadron was redesignated the 138th Fighter Squadron. Shortly thereafter, the 174th Wing was reorganized under the Objective Wing organization and the 138th was assigned to the new 174th Operations Group. In June, Tactical Air Command was inactivated as part of the Air Force reorganization after the end of the Cold War. It was replaced by
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
(ACC). In 1993 the squadron started trading in its old Block 10 F-16 A/B models for newer Block 30 F-16C/D aircraft configured for Tactical Air Support. In that process the squadron had the 'honor' of sending the first F-16 to
Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (309th AMARG),Offici ...
storage. This happened on 20 July 1993, when an F-16A (#79-0340) was flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona for flyable storage. Although these aircraft were only 13 years old, they were put into storage due to more modern models becoming available and Block 10 wasn't needed any longer by the USAF. The general mission for the squadron remained unchanged with this transition. Also in 1993, the 138th became the first US unit to have a female F-16 fighter pilot, Jackie Parker, in 1993 immediately after combat roles were opened to females. In June 1995, the unit deployed for 30 days rotation to
Incirlik Air Base Incirlik Air Base () is a Republic of Turkey, Turkish air base of slightly more than 3320 ac (1335 ha), located in the İncirlik quarter of the city of Adana, Turkey. The base is within an urban area of 1.7 million people, east of the city ...
, Turkey as part of Operation Provide Comfort, assisting in the enforcement the No Fly Zone over Northern Iraq. In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, Expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation. The 138th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was first formed and deployed in August 1996 for
Operation Northern Watch Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997. The coalition partn ...
, a
US European Command The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven Unified Combatant Command, unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territori ...
Combined Task Force that was responsible for enforcing the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
mandated no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. This mission was a successor to Operation Provide Comfort which also entailed support for the Iraqi Kurds. During 1996–97, the squadron deployed to Andøya Air Station, Norway as part of the "Adventure Express 97" NATO exercise. In 1998, the 174th FW deployed to
Tyndall Air Force Base Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (3 ...
, Florida, for Exercise Combat Archer and to the
Dugway Proving Ground Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) is a United States Army facility established in 1942 to test biological and chemical weapons, located about southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah and south of the Utah Test and Training Range. Location Dugway Provin ...
, Utah, to participate in Exercise Global Patriot 98. Only six years later, in 1999, the 138th changed block types once more, sending its Block 30s to the
Illinois Air National Guard The Illinois Air National Guard (IL ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Illinois, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Illinois Army National Guard, an element of the Illinois Natio ...
's 170th Fighter Squadron and receiving older block 25 F-16s from 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 182d Fighter Squadron. This meant changing again from the General Electric engine to the Pratt & Whitney. An AEF deployment to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia resulted in the formation of the 138th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron in early 2000.
Operation Southern Watch Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from August 1992 to March 2003. United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of moni ...
was an operation which was responsible for enforcing the United Nations mandated no-fly zone below the 32d parallel in Iraq. This mission was initiated mainly to cover for attacks of Iraqi forces on the Iraqi Shi’ite Muslims. The squadron returned to the Block 30 Aircraft in 2004, receiving aircraft from the 50th Fighter Wing at
Spangdahlem Air Base Spangdahlem Air Base (International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: SPM, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: ETAD, former code EDAD) is a NATO air base with the United States Air Force as a tenant constru ...
, Germany shifting from engine type once more. As part of the Global War on Terrorism, the 138th EFS deployed twice to
Balad Air Base Balad Air Base () , is an Iraqi Air Force base located near Balad in the Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad, Iraq. Built in the early 1980s, it was originally named Al-Bakr Air Base. In 2003 the base was captured by the United States Armed Force ...
, Iraq in 2006 and 2008.


MQ-9 Reaper and Attack Mission

By 2008 the squadron prepared to transition to the
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomi ...
. In October 2009, the 174th Fighter Wing cut the ribbon on its new MQ-9 Reaper maintenance school, where it trains technicians from across the country, from all military branches. In 2010, the last F-16s departed Hancock Field, as the squadron became the first in the National Guard to fly the Reaper. In October 2104, the 108th Attack Squadron was activated at Hancock to assume the training of MQ-9 technicians, freeing the 138th to focus on operational missions. By 2020, the 138th Attack Squadron reached 60,000 hours of MQ-9 flight time. In 2022, the squadron won the Reaper Smoke exercise. This
exercise Exercise or workout is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardio ...
evaluates crews on a number of criteria, specifically identified because of their critical importance to everyday, real-world mission requirements.


Lineage

* Constituted as the 484th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 3 August 1942 : Activated on 10 August 1942 : Redesignated 505th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943 : Redesignated 505th Fighter Squadron on 30 May 1944 : Inactivated on 17 October 1945 * Redesignated 138th Fighter Squadron 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 1946Lineage, including assignments through 1946 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 608 * Organized on 26 September 1947 : Received federal recognition on 28 October 1947 : Redesignated 138th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 October 1952 : Redesignated 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Day) on 10 November 1958 : Federalized and placed on active duty on 1 October 1961 : Released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 31 August 1962 : Redesignated 138th Tactical Fighter Squadron c. 15 October 1962 : Federalized and placed on active duty on 11 April 1968 : Released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 20 December 1968 : Federalized and placed on active duty on 20 November 1990 : Released from active duty and returned to New York state control on 31 March 1991 : Redesignated 138th Fighter Squadron on 16 March 1992 : Redesignated 138th Attack Squadron on 9 September 2012174th Wing History (year only)


Assignments

* 339th Bombardment Group (later 339th Fighter-Bomber Group, 339th Fighter Group), 10 Aug 1942 – 17 Oct 1945 * 52d Fighter Wing, 28 October 1947 * 107th Fighter Group (later 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 107th Fighter Group, 107th Tactical Fighter Group), 8 December 1948 * 102d Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 October 1961 * 174th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 September 1962 * 140th Tactical Fighter Wing, 11 April 1968 * 174th Tactical Fighter Group (later 174th Tactical Fighter Wing, 174th Fighter Wing), 20 December 1968 * 174th Operations Group, c. 1 January 1993 – present


Stations

* Hunter Field, Georgia, 10 August 1942 *
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, 6 February 1943 * Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, 3 July 1943 * Rice Army Air Field, California, 17 September 1943 — 9 March 1944 * RAF Fowlmere (AAF-378), England, 9 April 1944 — 8 October 1945 * Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 16–17 Oct 1945 * Hancock Field, 26 September 1947 * Phalsbourg Air Base, France, 1 October 1961 * Hancock Field, New York, 31 August 1962 * Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, 13 May 1968 * Hancock Field (later Hancock Field Air National Guard Base), New York, 20 December 1969 – present


New York Air National Guard Deployments

* 1961 Berlin Crisis federalization, 1 October 1961 – 31 August 1962 *
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
federalization, New Mexico, 13 May 1968 – 20 December 1969 * 1990/1991 Gulf Crisis federalization (Operated from Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, November 1990 – March 1991) * Operation Provide Comfort II (Elements operated from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, May–September 1995) * Operation Northern Watch (AEF)(Elements operated from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, August–November 1996) * Operation Southern Watch (AEF) (Elements operated from Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, February–April 2000) *
Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
(AEF) (Elements operated from
Balad Air Base Balad Air Base () , is an Iraqi Air Force base located near Balad in the Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad, Iraq. Built in the early 1980s, it was originally named Al-Bakr Air Base. In 2003 the base was captured by the United States Armed Force ...
, Iraq, September–December 2006, June–August 2008) *
Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...
(AEF) (Elements operated from
Bagram Airfield Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base , is located southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Ministry of Defense (Afghanistan), Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient town ...
, Afghanistan, July 2010 – January 2011)


Aircraft

* Douglas A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943 * Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944 * North American P-51 Mustang (later F-51), 1944–1945, 1951–1954 * Republic F-47D Thunderbolt, 1947–1950 * Republic F-84B Thunderjet, 1950–1951 * Lockheed F-94B Starfire, 1954–1957 * North American F-86H Sabre, 1957–1970 * Cessna A-37B Dragonfly, 1970–1979 * Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II, 1979–1989 * General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon, 1989–1993 * General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon, 1993–2010 * General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, 2010–present


References


Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * (not all years reported) {{New York Squadrons of the United States Air National Guard Military units and formations in New York (state) Attack squadrons of the United States Air Force