103d Airlift Wing

103d Airlift Wing
118th Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules
Active	1942–1945; 1946–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Connecticut
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Airlift
Part of	Connecticut Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Bradley Air National Guard Base, Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Nickname(s)	Flying Yankees
Motto(s)	Audeo Latin I Dare
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with Palm
Insignia
103d Airlift Wing emblem(approved 1 May 1953)
Tail Code	CT

The 103d Airlift Wing (103 AW) is a unit of the Connecticut Air National Guard, stationed at Bradley Air National Guard Base at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, the 103 AW is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC).

The 103 AW was first activated in 1943 as the 324th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces. During World War II, the 324th served in combat with Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force, primarily in the Mediterranean, African, and Middle East Theater. It received two Distinguished Unit Citations for engagements in the Mediterranean and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for supporting French forces during the campaigns for Italy and France from 1944 to 1945.

In 1946 the 324th Fighter Group was redesignated as the 103d Fighter Group and allotted to the National Guard.

The 118th Airlift Squadron, assigned to the wing's 103rd Operations Group, was first established during World War I as the 118th Aero Squadron on 31 August 1917. It was reformed on 1 November 1923, as the 118th Observation Squadron, and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.