Colorado Air National Guard
The history of the Colorado Air National Guard is in a sense the history of aviation. Although the early Guardsmen were not directly responsible for production and industrial development of aircraft, they were certainly the flying pioneers that preceded such motivation.
The first flying organization assigned to Colorado was the 120th Observation Squadron, 45th Division Aviation, which was mustered into State Service on 27 June 1923 and Federally recognized on the same date. The squadron was initially composed of eight officers and fifty enlisted men. Seven of the officers were ex-service men and former air service pilots.
Although actual flying could not be participated in at this time, due to the lack of equipment, much effort was expended in the purchasing of land for an air field and the subsequent erecting of hangars on the property. In April of 1924 the newly constructed field was dedicated and officially named Lowry Field in honor of 2nd Lt. Francis B. Lowry who was shot down and killed near Crepion, France, in 1918.
By May 1924 the Squadron received their first airplanes which were Curtis JNSE's familiarly known as Jennies. However, it was soon discovered that the Jennies were unsuited to Denver's elevation particularly during the day time. Therefore, all flying was accomplished immediately after sun‑up and just before sun‑down when the air was heavier and usually less turbulent.
In November of 1924 Flight "B" of The 120th Observation Squadron was organized in Pueblo, Colorado, and the spring of 1925 five Jennies were allocated to them. It was during this period that Lieutenant Carlos Reavis won a cross country race from Denver to Parco, Wyoming, traveling at a speed of barely 80 miles an hour.
During the years 1926 and 1,927 a program of replacement of the JENS was instituted by the Militia Bureau and in January 1926, two Douglas 0‑2C airplanes were received. In May, 1927 four PT‑l's were accepted by the Squadron. The ten original Jennies were placed on report survey and eventually destroyed by burning.
The years 1,927 through 1934 witnessed many improvements in the 120th Observation Squadron. In the first instance the Squadron received better aircraft such as the Douglas 0‑2C, with its 400 horse power, 12 cylinder Liberty engine, or the Consolidated 0‑17 and the Douglas 0‑38 which was equipped with a radio. Secondly, the 120th Observation Squadron showed the capabilities of airplanes by patrolling the Northern coal fields of Colorado during the series of bloody strikes in 1928. In Feb‑uary of 1934, Colonel "Hap" Arnold, supervisor of the Western section of the Airmail service for the 8th Corps area, ordered that all planes of the 45th Division Aviation be made available to the Airmail service; and within a short time, all planes of the 120th Observation Squadron were participating, plus a National Guard Maintenance crew on full time status servicing the airplanes. This action lasted for several months until commercial airplanes could adequately handle the airmails.
In 1935 the 120th Observation Squadron received the 0 ‑ 19, a two place, open cockpit, 450 horse power engine aircraft. Although it was an improvement over prior planes it was still underpowered for mountain flying, however by 1938 the 0 ‑ 47A and 0 ‑47B were received. They were an all metal, three place enclosed cockpit aircraft which had a 1820 horse power engine. Shortly thereafter one BC‑11A was shipped to the 120th Observation Squadron, this particular plane being similar to the present T‑6. In fact the 120th Observation Squadron upon being ordered into active Federal service in 1941 still had the 0‑47A and B plus the BClA.
In February of 1939, three units including the 120th Observation Squadron, were relieved from the 45th Division Aviation and attached to the 24th Cavalry Division and redesignated as the 24th Division Aviation. Later in 1940 the 120th Observation Squadron was relieved from the 24th Cavalry and designated as the 120th Observation Squadron, Army Air Corps.
During the latter part of 1937 the name Lowry Field was transferred from the Colorado National Guard Air Squadron to the Army Air Corps technical school, located in Denver. Thus, in early 1938 the 45th Division Aviation ceased operation at Lowry Field and moved to their new quarters at the Denver Municipal Airport.
Nineteen forty and forty‑one witnessed the calling of the Colorado National Guard into active military service of the United States. January of 1941 was the month that the 120th Observation Squadron went to duty and what a marked difference there was between the 1941 unit and the previous 18 years that they had been in existence.
During this period they had progressed from wooden and canvas aircraft to air-cooled engines, and from a unit of 58 men to a squadron of 150 men. These men had learned the intriguing aspects of mountain flying, some had written the first books on mountain navigation and the maintenance crews had learned how to hold an airplane together with bailing wire and make them fly. This was certainly knowledge that benefited the Air Force in the frenetic and temerious years ahead.
The 120th Observation Squadron's (later redesignated the 120th Reconnaissance Squadron) first duty station was Biggs Field, Fort Bliss, Texas, During 1941, 1942, and 1943 the Squadron moved between Biggs Field, Texas, and Lake Charles, DeRiddler and Esler Field, Louisiana. Later they moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where the unit was disbanded and placed on the inactive list on 30 November 1943.
By this time most of the officers and men had gone their separate ways forming new units, becoming the nucleus for the magnificent Air Force that arose from World War II. These same men who had flown the Colorado Rockies in more peaceful days were now engaged in flying the Hump in China, or the long haul from Saipan to Tokyo, or the first deep penetrations into Germany at Schweinfurt and Regensburg, and those earlier experiences in the 120th Observation Squadron were now becoming the realities for which they had trained.
Nineteen forty‑five brought the end of the war and 1946 the reorganization of the Colorado Air National Guard; and some of those men who had gone to duty in 1941 with the 120th Observation Squadron were returning to help in this reorganization.
The first unit in the Air National Guard of the United States to receive Federal recognition in the post war‑reorganization was the 120th Fighter Squadron, but by 1948 an additional 14 units of the Colorado Air National Guard had received Federal recognition.
Still the 120th Fighter Squadron was the bulwark of the entire organization as their lineage started with the beginnings of the Colorado Air National Guard.
The first planes received by the Air Guard after World War II were the F‑51, T‑6, C‑47 and A‑26. These aircraft could travel from two to five times the speed of the first Jennies that the 120th received in 1924.
Ten years had transpired since the 120th Observation Squadron had been called to active duty in 1941 and once again the Air National Guard was needed in defense of the Nation. During April and May of 1951, 1,500 officers and airmen were ordered to active military service. Pilots from the 120th Fighter Bomber Squadron were immediately sent to Korea. Here again the unit and men covered themselves with glory proving the Air National Guard is a dire necessity during time of war.
In early 1953 the units began returning to Colorado and once more the tremendous job of reorganization of the Colorado Air National Guard had to be accomplished. Men and equipment were slow in coming, but within one year the units were at 50% strength. The F80 jet fighter had been received and much of the support equipment had either been received or was duly on its way.
Even though equipment was difficult to acquire during the first years of reorganization the 140th Fighter Bomber Group (of which the 120th was now a part) took first place in the Air National Guard gunnery meet at Boise, Idaho, in the fall of 1954. Not only did they win the meet hands down, but they defeated units equipped with the F‑S6. Being so disposed the tactical unit began preparations to represent the entire Air National Guard, at the United States Ai ' r Force World Wide Gunnery Meet at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in the fall of 1955. No one expected an Air National Guard unit
to compete successfully with the best the United States Air Force had to offer, but with their innate flying ability the team came in third overall (the permanent party at Nellis and SAC were first and second respectively), taking second high in air‑to‑air gunnery and first for high team captain.
In this same period the "Minutemen" were born; a group of highly skilled pilots composing one of the finest jet precision flying teams to appear on the American scene. During the past several years the "Minutemen" displayed their acrobatic arrays from Alaska to Panama, from the provincial coast to New England to Hawaii. In the fall of 1956 the National Guard Bureau designated the "Minutemen" as the official team to represent the Air National Guard of the United States. For two and one‑half years, the team flew hundreds of air shows before thousands of spectators. However, in July of 1959 the "Minutemen" were disbanded.
Early 1958 saw the conversion to F‑86 aircraft. Two years later, the 120th Fighter Interceptor Squadron received a newer model of the F‑86 aircraft, the F‑86L which increased the potential of the ADC unit.
On New Years Day, 1961, the Colorado Air National Guard went from an Air Defense Wing to the Tactical Air Command. With their new assignment came new aircraft. On 10 January 1961, the first of the new F‑100C "Supersabres" was delivered to the Guard.
During the Berlin Crisis, the Guard was once again recalled to active duty. At the time of recall, the 120th had 35 officers and 65 airmen. This was augmented with approximately 27 officers and 405 airmen from the 140th TAC Wing, and was attached to the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing Andrews Air Force Base, under 12th Air Force, TAC.
While many of the recalled units were deployed overseas or to zone of interior bases, the 120th, with the exception of approximately 90 days spent at George AFB California while runways at Buckley ANG were repaired, spent its ten months active duty tour at its home base.
The 120th participated in many varied and diversified activities while on active duty. Firepower demonstrations at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Exercise "Falcon 62" at George AFB, "Bristle Cone" at Fort Irwin, Calif., "Clear Lake" at Brookley AFB and "Swift Strike II" in the Carolinas.
The 120th, once again, returned to the concept of being citizen‑‑soldiers ... and they were probably at their highest level of proficiency in history. In fact, they did score their highest combat capability score in '64.
The unit received the TAC Unit Achievement Award for 1962 and 1063 as well. as the ANG Flying Safety Award for 1963.
One interesting training problem in 1963 involved the tactical jet pilots. They were loaded into a bus and told they were going to Lowry to be airlifted to Ogden, Utah for an orientation ride in an exotic new fighter. Instead, they were hauled up to the mountains and dropped off. They were told where to report ‑‑ some rugged miles away‑by the next morning ... a valuable survival training exercise.
The Colorado ANG went global in December 1963 when F100's deployed directly and non‑stop to Puerto Rico, landing at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station. Support personnel were airlifted by ANG C‑97.
The unit also actively supported "Operation Desert Strike" with aircraft and personnel in 1964.
Some 140 personnel were assigned to "Operation Ready Go'...a deployment of F100's to Germany in August of "64.
Elements of the Colorado Air Guard participated in "Operation Diamond Lil", which saw 16 F100's with crews and support personnel deployed to Elemendorf AFB, Alaska in the fall of 1964.
The 138th AC&W Squadron in Greeley, received an "Outstanding" in their 1964 ORI. In the same year they provided key controller members for the ANG team competing at the USAF‑ADC interceptor weapons meet ... a meet where, incidentally, the ANG beat the regular USAF. All of this was in addition to maintaining 24 hours per day, 365 days per year radar surveillance.
In June, 1965, floods raged through Denver and onto the eastern farming areas. The Air Guard patrolled the disaster areas to prevent looting and helped Denver Police in directing traffic, The 233rd Mobile Communications Flight literally saved the town of Deer Trail by going out and setting up communications facilities, helping the citizens dig out, etc.
As of 1 July 1966, all flying operations ceased at nearby Lowry Air Force Base. The handling and servicing of all Transient Aircraft, Air Evacuation, etc, became the responsibility of the Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley ANG Base.
In October 1966, the 140th Tactical Fighter Group pilots flew close air support missions for the Fifth Infantry Divisions large scale "Ready Devil 11" exercise at Ft Carson, Colorado.
The United States Air Force "Outstanding Unit Award" was presented to the Colorado Air National Guard's 138th Aircraft Control and Warning on 31 March 67. Previously, the unit had won the "Air Defense Command's "A" award, the Air Force Association's Citation of Honor and three "Outstanding" ratings on Tactical Evaluations.
On 15 April 1967, the 120th Weather Flight was activated by the Colorado Air National Guard. Four Officers and 13 Airmen were authorized.
During the past half‑century the Colorado Air National Guard has flown thousands of hours of mercy missions, transporting sick or injured people to modern hospitals, dropping hay to stranded cattle, searching for missing persons or aircraft, amassing a record in WWII, Korea and the Berlin Crisis that, in any vernacular, is enviable. The pattern established in these few years is a heritage that if summed up... "It pays to keep your Guard up!"
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