131st Bomb Wing: Difference between revisions

131st Bomb Wing
131st Bomb Wing emblem
Active	1943–present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	B-2 Spirit operations
Size	Shares B-2 with 509th Bomb Wing
Part of	Missouri Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Whiteman Air Force Base, Knob Noster, Missouri
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Gregory S. Champagne

The 131st Bomb Wing (131 BW) is a unit of the Missouri Air National Guard, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Knob Noster, Missouri. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Global Strike Command. It is an associate unit of the active-duty Twentieth Air Force 509th Bomb Wing.

The only Air National Guard B-2 Spirit Wing, the 131st Bomb Wing's mission is to bring massive firepower to bear, in a short time, anywhere on the globe through previously impenetrable defenses.

• 131st Operations Group

110th Bomb Squadron

• 131st Maintenance Group
• 131st Mission Support Group
• 131st Medical Group

Organized and trained in California during 1943. Moved to England in January 1944, being assigned to VIII Fighter Command. The 364th FG flew escort, dive-bombing, strafing, and patrol missions in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. At first the group operated primarily as escort for B-17/B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. The group patrolled the English Channel during the Normandy invasion in June 1944, and, while continuing escort operations, supported ground forces in France after the invasion by strafing and bombing locomotives, marshalling yards, bridges, barges, and other targets.

Converted from P-38's to P-51 Mustang's in the summer of 1944 and from then until the end of the war flew many long-range escort missions heavy bombers that attacked oil refineries, industries, and other strategic objectives at Berlin, Regensburg, Merseburg, Stuttgart, Brussels, and elsewhere. The 364th received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an escort mission on 27 December 1944 when the group dispersed a large force of German fighters that attacked the bomber formation the group was escorting on a raid to Frankfurt.

The 364th also flew air-sea rescue missions, engaged in patrol activities, and continued to support ground forces as the battle line moved through France and into Germany. Took part in the effort to invade the Netherlands by air, September 1944; the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – January 1945; and the assault across the Rhine, March 1945.

Although the last mission by the 364th took place on 25 April 1945, the group did not depart until November, returning to Camp Kilmer New Jersey for deactivation.

• Constituted as 364th Fighter Group on 25 May 1943

Activated on 1 June 1943

Inactivated on 10 November 1945

Re-designated: 131st Fighter Group and allotted to Missouri ANG on 24 May 1946

• Extended federal recognition on 15 July 1946

Status changed from Group to Wing, 31 October 1950

Re-designated: 131st Composite Wing, 31 October 1950

Re-designated: 131st Fighter Wing, 1 February 1951.

Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 March 1951

Re-designated: 131st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 July 1951

Released from active duty and returned to Missouri state control, 1 December 1952

Re-designated: 131st Bombardment Wing (Light), 1 December 1952

Re-designated: 131st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 January 1960

Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 October 1961

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

Re-designated: 131st Fighter Wing, 15 March 1992

Re-designated: 131st Bomb Wing, 4 October 2008

• IV Fighter Command, 1 June 1943 – 11 January 1944
• 67th Fighter Wing, 10 February 1944–

Attached to: 1st Bombardment (later Air) Division, 15 September 1943 – 3 November 1945

• Army Service Forces (for inactivation), 9–10 November 1945
• 57th Fighter Wing, 15 July 1946
• 71st Fighter Wing, 1 January 1947
• Missouri Air National Guard, 31 October 1951

Gained by: Tenth Air Force, Continental Air Command

• Tenth Air Force, Continental Air Command, 1 Mar 1951
• Eighth Air Force, Strategic Air Command, 9 Apr 1951
• Fifteenth Air Force, Strategic Air Command, 7 Aug 1951
• Tactical Air Command, 16 Nov 1951-15 October 1952
• Missouri Air National Guard, 1 December 1952

Gained by: Tactical Air Command

• United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 October 1961
• Missouri Air National Guard, 31 August 1962

Gained by: Tactical Air Command

Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992

Gained by: Air Force Global Strike Command, 4 October 2008-Present

Associated with: 509th Bomb Wing, Twentieth Air Force, 4 October 2008-Present

• 131st Operations Group, 15 March 1992-Present

• 110th Fighter (later Fighter-Bomber, Tactical Fighter, Fighter, Bomb) Squadron, 23 September 1946-Present

• 383d Fighter Squadron: (N2) 1 June 1943 – 10 November 1945
• 384th Fighter Squadron: (5Y) 1 June 1943 – 10 November 1945
• 385th Fighter Squadron: (5E) 1 June 1943 – 10 November 1945

• Glendale Airport, California, 1 June 1943
• Van Nuys Airport, California, 12 August 1943
• Ontario Army Airfield, California, 11 October 1943
• Santa Maria Army Airfield, California, c. 7 December 1943-c. 11 January 1944
• RAF Honington (AAF-375), England, February 1944-c. November 1945
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 9–10 November 1945
• Lambert Field (Later Lambert-St. Louis International Airport), St Louis, Missouri, 15 July 1946

Designated: Lambert Field Air National Guard Base, Missouri, 1991-2009

Operated from: Bergstrom AFB, Texas, 1 Mar 1951-Jul 1951

Operated from: George AFB, California, Jul 1951-1 Dec 1952

Operated from: Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 1 Oct 1961

• Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 4 Oct 2008-Present

• P-38J Lightning. 1943–1944
• P-51D/K Mustang, 1944–1945

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

• http://www.131fw.ang.af.mil/ (Official Website)
• Template:Myspace The unofficial Myspace page of the wing
• http://www.youtube.com/131stfwfan (The 131st Fighter Wing YouTube page)
• http://www.131stfwfan.blogspot.com (A Blog about the news of the 131st Fighter Wing)
• http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/aviation/131st.htm
• http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/tack/
• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/131fw.htm
• http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Nov02/0,4670,GuardJetCrash,00.html
• http://www.mostlo.ang.af.mil/131st_bomb_wing_whitemanpilotselection1.htm