137th Special Operations Wing

137th Air Refueling Wing
137th Air Refueling Wing emblem
Active	1943-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Oklahoma Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

137th Air Refueling Wing Boeing KC-135R 58-0121

The 137th Air Refueling Wing (137 ARW) is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

Overview

The 137th Air Refueling Wing's KC-135 Stratotanker mission is to provide the core aerial refueling capability for the U.S. Air Force and the Air Guard. This unique aircraft enhances the Air Force's capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied nation aircraft. The KC-135 is capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.

The wing is associated with the Air Force Reserve Command's (AFRC) 507th Air Refueling Wing (507 ARW). Under this Air Force Reserve Command - Air National Guard Guard associate organization, the 507 ARW is the host wing with all 12 KC-135 aircraft owned by AFRC. The Oklahoma Air National Guard maintains separate administrative and operational control, but is associated with the 507 ARW, working together to fly and maintain all aircraft. For deployable tasking, both the 507 ARW and 137 AW will function with six primary aircraft assigned.

Units

The 137th Air Refueling Wing consists of the following units:

• 137th Operations Group

185th Air Refueling Squadron

• 137th Maintenance Group
• 137th Mission Support Group
• 137th Medical Group

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 404th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 25 January 1943

Activated on 4 February 1943

Re-designated 404th Fighter-Bomber Group in August 1943

• Inactivated on 9 November 1945.

Assignments

• III Fighter Command, 4 February 1943
• IX Fighter Command, 4 April 1944
• 84th Fighter Wing,

Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1944

• XXIX Tactical Air Command, 26 October 1944
• IX Tactical Air Command, 16 January – 2 August 1945
• III Fighter Command, 1 September – 9 November 1945

Components

• 506th (formerly 620th Bombardment) Fighter Squadron (4K): 1 December 1943 – 12 February 1944
• 507th (formerly 621st Bombardment) Fighter Squadron (Y8): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945
• 508th (formerly 622d Bombardment) Fighter Squadron (7J): 4 February 1943 – 9 November 1945
• 455th Fighter Squadron:* 1 December 1943– 12 February 1944
• 623d Bombardment Squadron:* 4 February – 15 August 1943

Note* Third Air Force Operational Training Units (OTU) which were attached to the group in the United States; did not deploy to overseas combat area.

Stations

• Key Field, Mississippi, 4 February 1943
• Congaree Army Airfield, South Carolina, 5 July 1943
• Burns Army Airfield, Oregon, 4 September 1943
• Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, South Carolina, 13 November 1943 – 12 March 1944
• RAF Winkton (AAF-414), England, 4 April 1944
• Chippelle Airfield (A-5), France, 6 July 1944
• Bretigny Airfield (A-48), France, 29 August 1944
• Juvincourt Airfield (A-68), France, 13 September 1944
• Sint-Truiden Airfield (A-92), Belgium, 4 October 1944
• Kelz Airfield (Y-54), Germany, 30 March 1945
• Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany, 12 April 1945

• AAF Station Stuttgart/Echterdingen, Germany, 23 June – 2 August 1945
• Drew Field, Florida, 1 September – 9 November 1945
• University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport, Norman, Oklahoma, 18 December 1947
• Will Rogers Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 6 September 1949

Designated: Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma, 1991

• Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 October 2008-Present

Aircraft

• A-35 Vengeance (1943)
• A-24 Banshee (1943)
• P-39 Airacobra (1943)
• P-47 Thunderbolt (1944–1945)
• F-51D Mustang, 1947-1951
• RF-51D Mustang, 1951-1952
• RF-80A Shooting Star, 1952-1953
• F-51D Mustang, 1953

• F-80C Shooting Star, 1953-1958
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1958-1959
• F-86L Sabre Interceptor, 1959-1961
• C-97G Stratofreighter, 1961-1968
• C-124C Globemaster II, 1968-1975
• C-130A Hercules, 1975-1979
• C-130H Hercules, 1979-2008
• KC-135R Stratotanker, 2008-Present

References

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