Cold War Rhode Island Air National Guard

f-51d mustang assigned rhode island ang 152d fighter squadron, 1954

in 1946 unit reassigned state of rhode island , designated 152nd fighter squadron based @ t. f. green airport, warwick, rhode island. in september 1948 152nd received federal recognition , assigned continental air command program tasked air national guard units defense of u.s. airspace. flying republic p-47 thunderbolt , later north american p-51 mustang unit trained mission. usaf, in effort upgrade jet fighter force, required air national guard aerospace defense command units upgrade jet-powered aircraft republic f-84 thunderjet. requirement proved downfall of 152nd. rhode island airport commission , national guard authorities found in conflict on use of t.f. green municipal airport in warwick tactical jet operations. unable resolve these differences air force removed jets state; however, quick negotiations , national guard bureau s desire have flying unit located in every state brought new mission , numeric designation carried day, 143d.

the 143rd air resupply squadron received federal recognition in november 1955. national guard flying program once again alive , in state of rhode island. unit assigned grumman sa-16a albatross seaplane , short time retained douglas c-47 skytrain. there several minor mission designation changes, , c-47 replaced curtiss c-46 commando.

in 1963 first major mission change 143rd since days of fighters occurred. situations around world produced need specialized units insert small group of trained combat troops on land or sea anywhere @ moments notice. 143rd tasked 1 of representatives of national guard in air force s air commando group structure. c-46 commando replaced helio u-10a/d courier. during three-year period starting in 1965, u-10s belonging 143rd , other air national guard units transferred usaf use in vietnam, during u-10 replaced u-6 beaver.

in 1968 u-10s returned tour of duty in vietnam, , @ time unit redesignated 143rd special operations group. grumman sa-16a/hu-16a albatross, flown 143rd pilots since 1955, replaced in 1968 updated version of albatross, hu-16e. twice cargo capability , range, hu-16e opened new avenues of opportunity demonstrated in 1970. flight , ground crews of 143rd assisted scientists , engineers of naval underwater systems center, conducting studies of undersea acoustics, @ lake tanganyika in africa during april , again in august @ hudson bay, canada.

the unit work in special operations field 7 more years, during hu-16 aircraft retired in 1972 , replaced fairchild c-119g/l flying boxcar, aircraft 143rd fly 3 years. in 1975 part of general program upgrade countries air national guard units 143rd redesignated tactical airlift group , assigned lockheed c-130a hercules aircraft.

always pressed room @ tf green airport new c-130s, twice size of unit had flown, created quite concern 143rd tag commanders, flight crews , crew chiefs , maintenance folks of 143rd consolidated aircraft maintenance squadron. relief arrive in 1977 part of united states navy s 1974 closure of naval air station quonset point part of post-vietnam defense cutback , returning land , facilities state of rhode island. first time since 1915, when guard pilots flew curtiss f old national guard training camp @ quonset, rhode island air national guard flying unit have home call own - coincidentally site occupied 143rd airlift group in approximately same location facilities used in 1915. in 1980, after 3 years of negotiations , construction 143rd tag moved new home @ quonset air national guard base. new facilities provided room desperately needed grow , expand c-130 program. on next 7 years men , women of 143rd trained aging model c-130s. rhode island herks found in parts of united states, europe, africa, , south america , caribbean. rh air guard has consistently participated in deployments such as: volant oak, volant pine, red flag, dragon hammer, volant rodeo competition , humanitarian efforts such operation toy lift provided toys children of grenada after u.s. intervention there in 1983.