Misplaced Pages

172nd Airlift Wing
172nd Wing C-17 Globemaster III at Camp Shelby Auxiliary Field
Active	1 July 1965 – present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Mississippi
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Airlift
Part of	Mississippi Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Allen C. Thompson ANGB Field, Jackson, Mississippi
Nickname(s)	Wings of the Deep South
Motto(s)	By Faith and Courage
Tail Code	Blue tail stripe, "Mississippi" in yellow letters
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Tommy Tillman
Insignia
172nd Airlift Wing emblem
Tail Flash

The 172nd Airlift Wing is a unit of the Mississippi Air National Guard, stationed at Allen C. Thompson Field Air National Guard Base, Mississippi. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

Mission

Media related to 172d Airlift Wing (Mississippi Air National Guard) at Wikimedia Commons

The 172nd Airlift Wing operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and has participated in an all-volunteer partial activation since 2005, flying weekly missions to return wounded patients of the military safely back to the United States. Also, the 172nd Airlift Wing provides the State of Mississippi support in the event of national emergency, maintains peace and order, and supports civil defense and pre-attack planning.

Units

The 172nd Airlift Wing consists of the following units:

• 172nd Operations Group

183rd Airlift Squadron

183rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

• 172nd Maintenance Group
• 172nd Mission Support Group
• 172nd Medical Group

History

In December 1963, the Mississippi 183rd Air Transport Squadron was authorized to expand into a group which would include the 183rd and supporting organizations, and the 172nd Air Transport Group was established. The 183rd became the new group's flying squadron. The support units assigned into the group were the 183rd Material Squadron, 183rd Air Base Squadron, and the 183rd USAF Dispensary. Flying Lockheed C-121 Constellations at the time of its activation, the group soon converted to Douglas C-124C Globemaster II heavy intercontinental airlift aircraft in 1966 which meant supplies and equipment could be carried around the world along with the personnel the Constellations could carry.

The C-124 was being retired in the early 1970s and the 172nd airlift mission was changed to theater support, as it equipped with Lockheed C-130E Hercules aircraft in May 1972. It upgraded to new C-130H aircraft in 1980 and continued to fly tactical airlift missions until the mid-1980s. On 12 July 1986 the group returned to the strategic airlift role when the first Lockheed C-141B Starlifter to be released from active-duty Air Force control was assigned. With a total of eight aircraft, the unit began its new mission.

In March 1988 the 172nd took part in the airlift of approximately 3200 troops and almost 1000 tons of cargo on an exercise to Palmerola Air Base, Honduras. The 172nd was the only Air National Guard unit that participated in this airlift to Honduras. On 6 December 1988 the Soviet Republic of Armenia suffered a powerful earthquake. The first Air Guard aircraft to fly to Armenia was a C-141B from the 172nd. Before relief missions ended, the 172nd flew six missions with its own planes and crew and furnished a crew to fly a United States Air Force C-141 whose crew could not continue because they had reached the maximum number flying hours to continue safe operations. In September 1989 a devastating hurricane struck the tiny island of St. Croix, leaving the island crippled. The 172nd flew eleven emergency relief missions, hauling 465 tons of cargo and 472 passengers.

From 20 December 1989 to 12 January 1990 the 172nd flew 21 sorties in support of Operation Just Cause, the incursion into Panama to replace Manuel Noriega as ruler. Cargo transported during the operation amounted to 403.6 tons and 1,274 passengers were airlifted. On 7 August 1990 the 172nd's support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm began when aircrew members started flying voluntary missions. Approximately 98 aircrew members flew these missions before 24 August 1990, when the 183rd Military Airlift Squadron was activated. The 183rd was one of the first two reserve and guard units to be activated. By May 1991 the 148 members of the 183rd had flown 2,880 sorties which transported 15,837 passengers and 25,949.2 tons of cargo.

In 2000, the C-141C with electronic "glass cockpit" was phased into service with the group. In October 2000 after the USS Cole bombing in Aden, seventeen members of the 172nd deployed to Ramstein Air Base Germany. Members of the 183rd Aeromedical Evacuation and 183rd Airlift Squadrons picked up four sailors from Ramstein and flew them home to Norfolk Naval Station. In February 2003 the 172nd retired its last C-141C Starlifter in preparation for the arrival of the wing's first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.

On 17 December 2003, Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, Director, Air National Guard, handed off the "keys" to the first Globemaster III to Maj. Gen. James H. Lipscomb III, adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard. The plane was the first Globemaster III assigned to the Air National Guard and was named the "Spirit of the Minutemen".

Lineage

• Established as the 172nd Air Transport Group, Heavy and allotted to the Air National Guard on 16 December 1963

Activated in December 1963 and extended federal recognition

Redesignated 172nd Military Airlift Group on 1 January 1966

Redesignated 172nd Tactical Airlift Group on 30 June 1972

Redesignated 172nd Military Airlift Group on 1 July 1986

Redesignated 172nd Airlift Group on 16 March 1992

Redesignated 172nd Airlift Wing on 1 October 1995

Assignments

• Mississippi Air National Guard, 1 July 1965 – Present

Gaining commands

Military Air Transport Service, December 1963

Military Airlift Command, 1 January 1966

Air Mobility Command, 1 June 1992 - present

Components

• 172nd Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – present
• 183rd Air Transport Squadron (later 183rd Military Airlift Squadron, 183rd Tactical Airlift Squadron, 183rd Military Airlift Squadron, 183rd Airlift Squadron), December 1963 – 1 October 1995

Stations

• Hawkins Field, December 1963
• Allen C, Thompson Field (later Allen C. Thompson Field Air National Guard Base), Mississippi, 1 July 1965

Elements operated from: Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, 24 August 1990 – 30 May 1991

Aircraft

References

Notes

1. Photographed on the occasion of the 1,000th Air National Guard flight to Vietnam.

Citations

Bibliography

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

• 172nd Airlift Wing history page
• 172nd Airlift Wing@globalsecurity.org
• Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0

External links

• Official website
• 172nd Airlift Wing at globalsecurity.org

v t e  Air National Guard
State and territorial units Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Centers Air National Guard Readiness ANG AFRC Test ANG Weather Readiness I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education
Wings and Groups Wings Composite 108th 113th 118th 119th 127th 140th 154th 175th 176th 178th 188th Air Control 116th Airlift 103d 105th 107th 109th 120th 123d 130th 133d 136th 139th 143d 145th 146th 152d 153d 156th 164th 165th 166th 167th 172d 179th 182d 189th Air Refueling 101st 117th 121st 126th 128th 134th 137th 141st 151st 155th 157th 161st 168th 171st 185th 186th 190th Attack 110th 174th Bomb 131st Fighter 52d* 53d* 54th* 55th* 60th* 61st* 62d* 63d* 66th* 67th* 71st* 86th* 104th 106th* 111th 114th 115th 122d 124th 125th 132d 138th 142d 144th 148th 149th 150th 159th 162d 169th 173d 177th 180th 183d 187th 192d Intelligence 102d 181st 184th Reconnaissance 147th 163d Regional Support 194th Rescue 106th 129th Special Operations 150th 193d Groups Composite 170th Airlift 135th* Air Operations 102d 152d 157th Air Refueling 112th* 127th 160th* Combat Communications 162d 163d 201st 226th 252d 254th 281st* Cyberspace Engineering Installation 251st 253d Operations 140th Reconnaissance 214th
Squadrons Flying Air Command and Control 128th Airlift 109th 115th 118th 130th 135th* 137th 139th 142d 143d 144th 155th 156th 158th 164th 165th 167th 169th 180th 181st 183d 186th 187th 189th* 192d 198th* 200th 201st 204th 249th Air Refueling 106th 108th 116th 117th 126th 132d 133d 141st 145th* 146th 147th 151st 153d 166th 168th 171st 173d 174th 191st 197th 203d Attack 103d 105th 111th 124th 136th 138th 160th 162d 172d 178th 184th 196th 214th Bomb 110th Fighter 100th 104th 107th 112th 114th 119th 120th 121st 122d 123d 125th 131st 134th 148th 149th 152d 157th 159th 163d 170th* 175th 176th 179th 182d 190th 194th 195th 199th Rescue 101st 102d 103d 129th 130th 131st 188th 210th 211th 212th Special Operations 150th 185th 193d Training 154th Non-Flying Air Control 103d 109th 116th 117th 123d 128th 133d 134th 141st 176th 255th Air Operations 112th Air Support 113th ASOS 172d Air Traffic Control 243rd 245th 270th Civil Engineering 285th Civil Engineering Squadron Combat Communications 143d 147th 149th 206th 221st 222d 223d 225th 228th 231st 232d 234th 236th 239th 240th 242d 244th 256th 261st 262d 263d 264th 265th 267th 269th 271st 272d 280th 282d 283d 291st 292d 293d Command and Control 119th 127th 153d 222d Engineering Installation 130th 202d 205th 210th 211th 212th 213th 214th 215th 217th 218th 219th 220th 241st 243d 270th 272d Force Support 187th Information Warfare Aggressor 177th Intelligence 101st 117th 123d 152d 161st 194th 234th Joint Communications Support 224th 290th Logistics Readiness 187th RED HORSE 202d 203d 819th Security Forces 187th Space Control 114th Space Operations 111th 148th Space Warning 137th 213th Special Operations Communications 193d 280th Special Tactics 125th Asterisk (*) denotes an inactive unit

v t e United States Air Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Air Staff Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Director of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Four-star generals Three-star generals 1940–1959 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Airland Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major commands ACC AETC AFGSC AFMC AFRC AFSOC AMC PACAF USAFE–AFAFRICA Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Expeditionary Fifteenth Sixteenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security Forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Personnel Rank officers cadets enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Security Forces Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: Air Force Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Aircraft Uniforms
History and traditions	History Aeronautical Division / Aviation Section / Division of Military Aeronautics / Army Air Service / Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Women Airforce Service Pilots Air Force One / Air Force Two Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Air & Space Forces Association
Category

v t e State of Mississippi
Jackson (capital)
Topics	Index Climate Climate change Geography Government Delegations Governors Lieutenant governors Legislature History Law Constitution Music State landmarks State parks Symbols Tourist attractions
Society	Abortion Crime Culture Demographics Economy Education Homelessness Gun laws Mass media Newspapers Radio TV LGBT rights Mississippians Politics
Regions	The Delta Golden Triangle Gulf Coast Mississippi Plain Natchez District North Mississippi Pine Belt Tennessee Valley
Metros	Gulfport-Biloxi Hattiesburg Jackson Memphis (TN) Pascagoula
Larger cities	Gulfport Jackson Southaven
Smaller cities	Bay St. Louis Biloxi Brandon Brookhaven Canton Clarksdale Cleveland Clinton Columbus Corinth Gautier Greenville Greenwood Grenada Hattiesburg Horn Lake Indianola Itta Bena Iuka Laurel Long Beach Louisville Madison Magee McComb Mendenhall Meridian Moss Point Natchez Ocean Springs Olive Branch Oxford Pascagoula Pass Christian Pearl Picayune Ridgeland Starkville Tunica Tupelo Vicksburg Waveland West Hattiesburg (Oak Grove) West Point Yazoo City
Counties	Adams Alcorn Amite Attala Benton Bolivar Calhoun Carroll Chickasaw Choctaw Claiborne Clarke Clay Coahoma Copiah Covington DeSoto Forrest Franklin George Greene Grenada Hancock Harrison Hinds Holmes Humphreys Issaquena Itawamba Jackson Jasper Jefferson Jefferson Davis Jones Kemper Lafayette Lamar Lauderdale Lawrence Leake Lee Leflore Lincoln Lowndes Madison Marion Marshall Monroe Montgomery Neshoba Newton Noxubee Oktibbeha Panola Pearl River Perry Pike Pontotoc Prentiss Quitman Rankin Scott Sharkey Simpson Smith Stone Sunflower Tallahatchie Tate Tippah Tishomingo Tunica Union Walthall Warren Washington Wayne Webster Wilkinson Winston Yalobusha Yazoo
Mississippi portal

• Wings of the United States Air National Guard
• Military units and formations in Mississippi
• Airlift wings of the United States Air Force