164th Airlift Wing: Difference between revisions

164th Airlift Wing
164th Airlift Wing emblem
Active	1946-Present
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Airlift
Part of	Tennessee Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tennessee

The 164th Airlift Wing (154 AW) is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, stationed at Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. If activated to federal service, it is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

The 154th Training Squadron, assigned to the Wings 164th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the World War I 154th Aero Squadron, established on 8 December 1917. It was reformed on 24 October 1925, as the 154th Observation Squadron, and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.

This unit was activated 23 December 1946 as the 155th Fighter Squadron with the F-51 Mustang as the assigned aircraft. On 1 April 1951, the unit was redesignated as the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron utilizing the same aircraft. During this same period, the 155th was activated for the Korean War. The 155th returned to state control as a night photo unit on 1 January 1953, equipped with the RB-26 Invader.

The unit was redesignated as a jet photo reconnaissance organization on 1 April 1956 and equipped with the RF-84 Thunderflash, the jets being received directly from the factory for use in this mission.

April 1961 brought a major change for this unit. The 164th Military Airlift Group was activated as parent unit and the 155th was redesignated as a military airlift squadron. At this time, the unit received the C-97 Stratofreighter, which was a converted Strategic Air Command (SAC) aerial refueling tanker. Conversion to this aircraft brought a worldwide mission with operations to such places as Europe, Japan, South America, Australia and South Vietnam.

During May 1966, the unit set numerous records, to include 10 round trips to Southeast Asia and 1702 flying hours in one month, all accomplished primarily dedicated part-time personnel.

May 1967 brought the introduction of the C-124 Globemaster, affectionately known as "Old Shakey". Along with Old Shakey, the group's personnel performed numerous humanitarian missions as well as routine support to Military Airlift Command (MAC). The C-124 was given a well-deserved rest in 1974 when she was retired from military service, reluctantly giving up her berth to the C-130 Hercules.

The unit's gaining command changed to the Tactical Air Command as it assumed a tactical airlift mission and was redesignated as the 164th Tactical Airlift Group. However, the unit's presence in TAC was short-lived when in early 1975 all C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory, to include the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve were transferred to the Military Airlift Command (MAC).

Operation Desert Storm brought on the activation of several units of the 164th, with the 164th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron (164 MAPS) being the first Air Guard Aerial Port unit activated, subsequently serving a six month tour in Southwest Asia with distinction. The C-130s were transferred to other units in April 1992 when the unit received the first of eight C-141 Starlifter aircraft. With this conversion came the strategic airlift mission and redesignation as the 164th Airlift Group. With the disestablishment of Military Airlift Command (MAC) in 1992, the unit became an operationally-gained asset of the newly established Air Mobility Command (AMC) and was later redesignated the 164th Airlift Wing on 1 October 1995.

In 2004, the 164th retired the C-141 and began operating its current aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy.^[1]

Bob Wilson, a former Commander of the 155th Airlift Squadron, former Deputy Commander for Operations of the 164th Airlift Wing and a veteran Command Pilot of over 30 years experience in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006.^[2]

2008 brought momentous changes to the 164th:

Due to organizational restructuring in the U.S. Air Force, the 164th Aerial Port Squadron was disbanded. The career fields under Aerial Port were relocated into other functional areas including Logistical Readiness and the Traffic Management Office, among others.

In September 2008, the unit relocated from the facility on Democrat Road, to a new base on Swinnea Road. The new base was designed to provide adequate facilities to support the size and mission of the C-5A, including 3 maintenance hangars large enough to fully enclose a C-5. The old facility and property was purchased by FedEx.^[3]

• 
  Billboard located at the entrance of the former Memphis Air National Guard Base on Democrat Rd at the Memphis International Airport.
• 
  A 164th AW C-5A in South Korea, 2006.

• Tennessee Air National Guard/Air Mobility Command (1992–Present)
• Tennessee Air National Guard/Military Airlift Command (1974–1992)
• Tennessee Air National Guard/Tactical Airlift Command (1971–1974)
• Tennessee Air National Guard/Military Airlift Command (1961–1971)
• Tennessee Air National Guard/Air Defense Command (1950–1961)
• Tennessee Air National Guard (1946–1950)

Source: USAF Unit Designations ^[4]

• 164th Airlift Wing (1995–Present)
• 164th Airlift Group (1992–1995)
• 164th Tactical Airlift Group (1975–1992)
• 164th Airlift Group (1961–1975)
• 155th Reconnaissance Squadron (1953–1961)
• 155th Fighter Interception Squadron (1946–1953)

• 155th Airlift Squadron

• Memphis International Airport, Democrat Rd., Tennessee (1946–2008)
• Memphis International Airport, Swinnea Rd., Tennessee (2008–Present)

• C-5 Galaxy (2004–2012)
• C-141 Starlifter (1992–2004)
• C-130 Hercules (1974–1992)
• C-124 Globemaster II (1967–1974)
• C-97 Stratofreighter (1961–1967)
• RF-84 Thunderflash (1956–1961)
• RB-26 Invader (1953–1956)
• F-51 Mustang (1946–1953)

• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award^[5]

• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/164aw.htm