122nd Fighter Wing

122nd Fighter Wing
122nd Fighter Wing
	A F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 122nd Fighter Wing taxis at the Fort Wayne Indiana Air National Guard Base in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Oct. 20, 2023. The aircraft was the first to arrive at the base since conversion began in April.
Active	1942–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Indiana
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Close Air Support
Part of	Indiana Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana
Tail code	"IN" Indiana
Commanders
Current; commander	Col. Joshua C. Waggoner
Insignia
122nd Fighter Wing emblem
Aircraft flown
Fighter	F-16 Fighting Falcon

The 122nd Fighter Wing (122 FW sometimes 122nd) is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard, stationed at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Fort Wayne, Indiana. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.

Units

122nd Operations Group (Tail code formerly "FW," now "IN.")

163rd Fighter Squadron

122nd Maintenance Group
122nd Mission Support Group
122nd Medical Group

History

Ten original members of the 358th Fighter Group pose in front of the U.S. Air Force 122nd Fighter Wing's heritage jet at their final reunion, which was hosted by the 122nd Fighter Wing in Terre Haute AGB, Indiana in October 2008. The 358th FG, the "Orange Tails", was activated in January 1943. During the Second World War this unit was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations and the Croix de Guerre.

Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt Serial No. 44-33240 of the 356th Fighter Squadron

The 358th Fighter Group trained in the Mid-Atlantic United States with P-40 Warhawks, 1943. While in training also used for air defense of Philadelphia area. Moved to England during September and October 1943, they were equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts and began operations on 20 December 1943 and served in combat with Eighth and later, Ninth Air Forces until V-E Day.

In 2005 the wing introduced the reconnaissance Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, becoming one of the first units to fly with it.

In 2008, after having flown for 17 years with the block 25 aircraft, these F-16s were nearing the end of their planned operational lifespans. The aircraft the 122nd received were only somewhat newer; Block 30 F-16C/Ds, manufactured between 1987 and 1989. These models were provided by the Michigan Air National Guard 107th Fighter Squadron, which was then transitioning to the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the time. With the upgrade to the Block 30 aircraft, the tail code of the 163rd was changed from "FW" (Fort Wayne) to "IN" (Indiana) in 2009 when the 181st Fighter Wing at Hulman Field became a non-flying unit. However, only a few of the F-16s were re-coded.

In 2009 – the year the unit honored its predecessor unit – the 358th FG – with a heritage jet – it was decided that the squadron was to retire their 20-year-old F-16s and become an A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron. The conversion happened in 2010.

In 2023, the unit converted back to the F-16 platform as a result of the National Defense Authorization Act. These started arriving in October 2023 and will continue until all 21 have arrived.

Lineage

World War II 358th Fighter Group emblem

2006 Operation Iraqi Freedom patch

Constituted as 358th Fighter Group on 20 December 1942

Activated on 1 January 1943

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Re-designated: 122nd Fighter Group and allocated to Indiana ANG on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition on 9 December 1946

Federalized and ordered to active service on: 10 February 1951

Established as 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing, extended federal recognition and activated on 10 February 1951

Group re-designated as 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Group and assigned as subordinate unit

Inactivated on 7 February 1952

Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 1 November 1952

Re-activated on 1 November 1952

Re-designated: 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1954

Group re-designated 122nd Tactical Fighter Group

Re-designated: 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing (Special Delivery), 1 July 1959

Group re-designated 122nd Tactical Fighter Group (Special Delivery)

Federalized and ordered to active service on: 1 October 1961

Operated as: 7122nd Tactical Wing (Special Delivery), 1 October 1961 – 31 August 1962

Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 31 August 1962

122nd Tactical Fighter Group inactivated 30 June 1974.

Re-designated: 122nd Fighter Wing, 16 March 1992 – present

Group re-activated and re-designated 122nd Operations Group

Assignments

I Fighter Command, 1 January–September 1943

Attached to: Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 28 April–September 1943

IX Fighter Command

Attached to: VIII Fighter Command, 20 October 1943

71st Fighter Wing

Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1944

70th Fighter Wing

Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1944

XIX Tactical Air Command, 16 January–July 1945
Second Air Force, 3 August – 7 November 1945
66th Fighter Wing, 9 December 1946
55th Fighter Wing, 7 December 1947
Indiana Air National Guard, 31 October 1950

Gained by: Tenth Air Force, Continental Air Command

Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command, 10 February 1951
Central Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command, 1 December 1951 – 7 February 1952
Indiana Air National Guard, 1 November 1952

Gained by: Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command

Gained by: Tactical Air Command, 1 July 1954

Ninth Air Force, 1 October 1961

Attached to Seventeenth Air Force, 1 October 1961 – 31 August 1962

Indiana Air National Guard, 1 September 1962

Gained by: Tactical Air Command

Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992 – present

Components

122nd Fighter-Interceptor (later Tactical Fighter) Group, 10 February 1951 – 30 June 1974

Re-designated: 163rd Operations Group, 16 March 1992 – present

112th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter) Squadron, 9 December 1946 – 30 September 1962 (Ohio ANG)
113th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter) Squadron, 9 December 1946 – 30 September 1962 (GSU at Terre Haute, IN)
163rd Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter, Fighter) Squadron, 9 December 1946 – Present
365th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
366th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
367th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945

Stations

Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 1 January 1943
Baltimore Municipal Airport, Maryland, 28 April 1943
Camp Springs AAF, Maryland, 28 May 1943
Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania, 16 June 1943
Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 13 August – 25 September—1943
RAF Goxhill (AAF-345), England, 20 October 1943
RAF Leiston (AAF-373), England, 29 November 1943
RAF Raydon (AAF-157), England, 31 January 1944
RAF High Halden (AAF-411), England, 13 April 1944
Cretteville Airfield (A-14), France, 3 July 1944

Pontorson Airfield (A-28), France, 14 August 1944
Vitry Airfield (A-67), France, 14 September 1944
Mourmelon-le-Grand Airfield (A-80), France, 16 October 1944
Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield (A-90), France, 9 November 1944
Mannheim/Sandhofen Airfield (Y-79), Germany, 2 April 1945
Reims/Champagne Airfield, France, c. 23 June–July 1945
La Junta Army Air Field, Colorado, 3 August – 7 November 1945
Stout Field, Indianapolis, Indiana, 9 December 1946
Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1 May 1951

Designated: Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, 1991 – present

Aircraft

P-40 Warhawk, 1943
P-47D/N Thunderbolt, 1943–1945
F-51D Mustang, 1946–1951
F-51H Mustang, 1951–1954
F-80C Shooting Star, 1954–1956
F-86A Sabre, 1956–1958
F-84F Thunderstreak, 1958–1962; 1964–1971

RF-84F Thunderstreak, 1962–1964
F-100D/F Super Sabre, 1971–1979
F-4C Phantom II, 1979–1986
F-4E Phantom II, 1986–1991
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, 1991–2010
A-10 Thunderbolt II, 2010 – 2023
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, 2023 – present

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0
McLaren, David. Republic F-84 Thunderjet, Thunderstreak & Thunderflash: A Photo Chronicle. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military/Aviation History, 1998. ISBN 0-7643-0444-5.