Who Were These Air Guardsmen and What Did They Do?

 

     Shortly after World War II ended, the U. S. established Air National Guard squadrons and assigned them to the states.  Just like their

army guard counterparts, they were reserve units placed under state control.  These new military units--mostly fighter squadrons--received surplus Army Air Corps aircraft and support equipment, and most of their personnel had recently fought in World War II.

     The 190th Fighter Squadron was formed on 13 October 1946, and sited at Boise Idaho's Gowen Field, a recently deactivated Army Air Corps bomber crew training base.  The 190th occupied several Gowen Field aviation buildings, and shared runways and navigational aids with Boise's municipal airport.  Today's Idaho Air National Guard continues to operate under this joint-use arrangement.

      A full-time supervisory force--the Air Technicians--maintained the aircraft and equipment, trained the part-time guardsmen, and handled the administrative and support functions.  The 190th quickly became combat-ready, but still needed new and replacement members from the civilian community.  Although the draft continued to sustain the nation's active forces, air and army National Guard units had to create their own recruiting programs to maintain their manpower.

     The 190th grew substantially in size and mission complexity over the years, as both Idaho's Air and Army National Guard assumed larger roles in U. S. national defense.  Within ten years, the Idaho ANG had outgrown squadron dimensions, and became the 124th Fighter Group, and by 1996 was designated 124th Fighter Wing.  However, the 190th squadron remained the core combat element within these larger organizations.  Despite the growth, our Guardsmen adapted, and continued a tradition of first-class performance.

     This book emphasizes the story of the part-timer, or 'traditional guardsman' as we now say, the person who maintains two careers, balancing the demands of employer, family, the Guard, and conscience.  To focus more closely on the people and events, this history is limited to a 37-year period, from 'day one' through the unit's air defense role under Aerospace Defense Command, which ended in 1975.

     This is just the first book of their exciting history.  The Idaho Air National Guard has continued its growth from 1975 until today, maintaining its reputation with national defense leaders as a shining star.  As this is being written, the 190th Fighter Squadron and other IDANG units continue performing vital combat and support service in Iraq and Afghanistan in the spirit of their motto:  First Class or Not at All.

William C. Miller

December 2008