Ohio Air National Guard Article Index for
Ohio
Website Links For
Ohio
 

Information About

Ohio Air National Guard




  dates August 21 , 1946
  country United States
  branch Air National Guard <br>
  type Air Reserve Component
  size 5,000 personnel<br>4 flying wings<br>5 flying squadrons
  current Commander Maj Gen Harry W Feuchts, Jr


The Ohio Air National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force . It is comprised of approximately 5,000 airmen and officers assigned to four flying wings and eight non-flying support units. OHANG units are based in Columbus , Springfield , Mansfield , Toledo , Zanesville , Blue Ash, and Port Clinton . The Ohio Air National Guard maintains and operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon , C-130 Hercules , and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. The current commander of the Ohio Air National Guard is Major General Harry “A.J.” W. Feucht, Jr. General Feucht also serves as Ohio Assistant Adjutant General-Air.


HISTORY


Formation

Aviation units of the National Guard began operating in 1915 , evolving from military pilot training programs established in 1912 . The state of Ohio hosted its first aerial unit after World War I , when the 112th Observation Squadron (originally the 112th Aero Squadron) was created during a reorganization of the military's aerial assets. The majority of the unit was activated in World War II , and one of its members, Lt. Col. Addison E. Baker , was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor while commanding the B-24 -equipped 93rd Bomb Group during a mission against the Ploesti Oil Refineries on August 1 , 1943 . The 112th Observation Squadron continues today as the 112th Fighter Squadron, assigned to the 178th Fighter Wing in Toledo .

The Ohio Air National Guard was formed when the 357th Fighter Group , a highly-decorated fighter unit in World War II, was inactivated on August 20 , 1946 , and its squadrons redesignated for assignment to the Ohio ANG. The official site of the Ohio Air National Guard notes that it is "descended from the 357th Fighter Group". 1 The 357th Fighter Group was re-designated the 121st Fighter Group on August 21 , 1946 , and the 121st FG then allocated to the OHANG.