The 113th Fighter Squadron, 181st Fighter Wing, Indiana ANG can trace it's lineage back to the
113th Aero Squadron, organized at Kelly Field, TX on 26th August 1917.
Redesignated the 634th Aero Squadron in 1918 and finally demobilized on 31st
March 1919, it's honor's and lineage was combined (in 1936) with those of the
137th Squadron, Indiana NG, which had activated at Fagley Field, IN during
August 1921 (equipped with Curtiss Jennies). Redesignated the 113th Observation
Squadron on
25th January
1923
, the unit
relocated to Schoen Field and then Stout Field (formerly Mars Hill),
Indianapolis
in October
1926.
Operating a
variety of Observation aircraft during the 1930's, eventually the 113th found
itself operating Douglas O-38Bs and North American O-47A/Bs when called to
active duty on
17th January
1941
. Ten days
later the unit transferred to
Key Field
,
MS
and began
flying (assigned to the 67th Observation Group, 3rd AF) ASW patrols with O-47s,
O-49s and O-52s. Between 1942 and disbandment at Birmingham Army Air Field, AL
on 30th November 1943 the 113th re-equipped with Bell P-39s and redesignated
twice, firstly in April 1943 to 113th Reconnaissance Squadron and then to the
113th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 11th August 1943.
Finding
itself back at
Stout Field
,
IN
at the end of the war,
the oldest Indiana ANG unit was extended Federal recognition as the 113th
Fighter Squadron (SE) and re-equipped with P-51Ds in April 1947. On 1st February
the unit was called to active duty (Korean War) and redesignated as a Fighter
Interceptor Squadron ten days later. Operating from Baer Field,
Ft. Wayne
,
IN
and
Sioux City
,
IA
the 113th
eventually arrived at Scott AFB, IL equipped with F-51Hs in May 1951. Seventeen
months later the 113th FIS returned to state control at Stout Field and
reorganized at a Fighter Bomber Squadron. In September 1954 the 113th made a
permanent station change to Hulman Field, Terre Haute, where in the summer of
1955 they began Jet conversion on the F-80C. Flying these until March 1956 when
it received F-86As. The 113th FIS converted to F-84F Thunderstreaks and
Redesignated 113th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1958/59. Trained in the Tactical
Nuclear role the unit was mobilized as part of the Berlin Crisis from
1st October 1961
to
20th August
1962
(remaining at Hulman Field). In October 1962 the 113th TFS
swapped its F-84F Thunderstreaks for recon configured RF-84Fs (but the unit
continued operating in the Fighter role!) This period also saw the 181st
Tactical Fighter Group being federally recognized as the parent unit of the
113th.
In 1964 the unit regained its
F-84Fs and continued operating them until re-equipping with F-100D/Fs
in September 1971. The unit had the honour to fly the last active AF/ANG F-100
mission when it flew F-100D 56-2979 to MASDC (now AMARC) in November 1979.
In the
summer of 1979 the unit had begun conversion to the F-4C Phantom II (actual
airframes were EF-4C Wild Weasel aircraft which had been de-modified). By
the 1st April 1988
the unit had completed its conversion
to more the advanced F-4E version of the Phantom II.
Beginning in
April 1991 the unit started its conversion to ex 50th TFW Block 25 F-16C/Ds
(last Phantoms left in October 1991) and completed this on
1st July 1992
. During this period the unit designation
changed to 113th Fighter Squadron, 181st Fighter Group (15th March 1992) and in
June its gaining command changed from Tactical Air Command to Air Combat Command
(
1st June 1992
). On 1st
October 1995 the 181st Fighter Group was redesignated as a Wing, this being a
force wide change. Since equipping with F-16s the Racers (The 113th's nickname
coming from the proximity of Terre Haute to the Indianapolis 500 racetrack) have
participated in a humanitarian deployment to Romania, provided security for the
1996 Summer Olympic Games and have deployed in support of Operation Southern
Watch (operating from Al Jabar AB, Kuwait) and Operation Northern Watch (from
Incirlik Air Base, Turkey).
The 113th
swapped their Block 25 F-16C/Ds for Block 30s in July/August 1995 and are still
equipped with these today. The units vipers are now equipped with LITENING II, a
precision targeting pod system designed for Air Force Reserve's and Air National
Guard's F-16 Block 25/30/32 Fighting Falcons. This precision targeting system
significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the F-16 during day, night
and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground targets with a variety
of standoff weapons.
'Sharpshooter' visited
Hulman Field in August 2001 where the the photos of the currently
assigned Vipers were taken. We would like to thank Lt.Col Edward A. Bunch, 181st
Fighter Wing Executive Officer for permitting us to visit the 'Racers' and also
the pilots of the 113th who gave up their valuable time to escort us on the
flight line.