130th Airlift Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 130th Airlift Wing


caption= 130th Airlift Wing emblem
dates= 1955-Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type= Airlift Wing
role= Provide support for airlift missions at both the state and federal level
size= 12 C-130H's
command_structure= Air National Guard/Air Combat Command
current_commander= Colonel Tim Fyre
garrison= Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Mountaineers
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
anniversaries=

The United States Air Force's 130th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia.

Mission

History [ [http://www.wvang.ang.af.mil/ West Virginia Air National Guard ] ]

*First Air Guard unit to deploy outside the United States in February 1965.
*First Air Guard unit to participate in "Operation Bright Star" near Cairo, Egypt in 1981.
*First Air Guard unit to participate in Red Flag exercises in 1981.
*Only Air Guard unit to participate in the 40th year anniversary of D-Day held in France in 1984.
*First unit to combine with the active force for an ORI inspection in 1987.
*Aug 1990 - Headed volunteer package 1630th TAS(P) during Desert Shield. Based at Al Ain Air Base, UAE the 1630 flew missions to every country in the Southwest Asia AOR.
*Oct 1990 - Members of the 130th Tactical Airlift Sq, and 130th Maint. Sq were activated by Presidential Order and joined other members of the 1630th TAS(P) already in place for Desert Shield.
*Nov 1990 - The 130th Tac Clinic was activated by Presidential Order and sent to England to head up a hospial for war causalities.
*Dec 1990 - 130th Mobile Aerial Port activated by Presidential Order and sent to Dover AFB, DE in support of Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
*Jan 1991 - Desert Storm - Several members of the 1630th TAS(P) and aircraft deployed to King Faud AB, S.A. in support of the air portion of Desert Storm. The unit moved more cargo and troops (weight) in 12 days than in the entire Berlin Airlift.
*April 1991 - Unit returned home
*April 1992 - Some unit members and aircraft deployed to Rhine Maim AB, Germany in support of the Bosnian Airlift called "Provide Promise". The 130th has deployed several times since this date for "Provide Promise", the latest being 21 Sept 98 to 29 Oct 98.
*Aug 1993 - One aircraft and 2 crews were sent to Operation "Support Hope" for 30 days in Rwanda, Africa.
*Jan - Mar 1996 - Unit deployed 2 aircraft, 6 crews and maintenance support to Daharan, S.A. in support of "Southern Watch"
*Apr - Jun 1998 - "Southern Watch" again this time at Prince Sultan AB, S.A.

Recent Events

On May 13th, 2005, the Department of Defense released its Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) report, and the 130th Airlift Wing was one of the units slated to be eventually decommissioned. Its complement of 8 C-130H aircraft would be realigned to Pope Air Force Base, and its complement of expeditionary combat support (ECS) personnel to the 167th Airlift Wing.

Upon learning of this, several former commanders of the 130th Airlift Wing along with members of the local Kanawha County Commission and the Yeager Airport Board of Directors and formed the [http://www.savethe130th.com/ Keep 'Em Flying] grassroots organization to try and prevent the unit from being decommissioned. Following an outpouring of community support, money was raised for newspaper ads, radio ads, and hire analysts familiar with BRAC, all in an attempt to save the unit. On June 13th 2005, members of the BRAC commission came to Charleston to evaluate the base and talk to General Tackett, Governor Joe Manchin, Senator Robert Byrd, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and Col. Bill Peters, Jr, former commander of the 130th and chair for Keep 'Em Flying.

Following this visit, and taking in all the information that was presented to them during that time, the BRAC commission voted unanimously, 9-0, to keep the unit intact.

Assignments

Operation Southern Watch
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom

=Major Command=

*Air Mobility Command (1992-Present)
*Air Combat Command (???-1992)
*Military Airlift Command (???-???)
*Tactical Airlift Command (???-???)

Previous designationsRogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0

*130th Airlift Wing (1995-Present)
*130th Airlift Group (1992-1995)
*130th Tactical Airlift Group (1975-1992)
*130th Special Operations Group (???-1975)
*130th Air Commando Group (1960-???)
*130th Troop Carrier Squadron (1955-1960)

quadrons assigned

*130th Airlift Squadron (1955-Present)

Bases stationed

*Kanawha Airport/Yeager AIrport, Charleston, West Virginia (1955-Present)

Aircraft OperatedWorld Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3

*C-130E/H Hercules (1975-Present)
*C-54 Skymaster (1967-1971)
*U-6 Beaver (1965-1967)
*C-119 Flying Boxcar (1963-1975)
*U-10 Courier (1963-1974)
*C-47 Skytrain (1963-1967)
*SA/HU-16 Albatros (1956-1963)
*C-46 Commando (1955-1958)
*C-45 Expeditor (1955-1960)
*P/F-51 Mustang (1948-1955)
*B-26 Marauder (1947-1950)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1947-1948)
*T-6 Texan (1947-1955))

Decorations

* [http://wwa.afpc.randolph.af.mil/AwardsNet/SearchUnitAwards.aspx?Mode=Graphics Air Force Personnel Center Awards Search (Post-1991)]
**

References

External links

*http://www.globalsecurity.org/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/webinator/search/?pr=default&order=r&query=130th+Airlift+Wing+&submit=Submit