166th Airlift Wing

166th Airlift Wing
Senior Master Sgt. Michael Forsyth and Airman 1st Class Jennifer Quigg, load an M-1083 Tactical Vehicle onto a C-130 Hercules for deployment to New Orleans in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Active	7 April 1962-Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Delaware
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Airlift
Part of	Delaware Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	New Castle County Airport, New Castle, Delaware
Tail Code	"The First State" Blue Tail Stripe
Insignia
166th Airlift Wing emblem

The 166th Airlift Wing (166th AW) of the Delaware Air National Guard is stationed at New Castle Air National Guard Base, Delaware. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

The 166th Airlift Wing is based at the New Castle County Airport just outside Wilmington, Delaware. Operating eight permanently assigned, Lockheed C-130 H2 Hercules transport aircraft, the wing provides the U.S. Air Force with tactical airlift, airdrop capability of paratroops and cargo and aeromedical evacuation of patients anywhere in the world. Additionally, the wing has a civil engineer function and a network warfare unit (the 166th Network Warfare Squadron).

Under command of the Governor of Delaware, the wing is prepared to support the State of Delaware with trained personnel and equipment for various humanitarian missions to protect life and property and to preserve peace, order and public safety. The wing's gaining command is the Air Mobility Command, U.S. Air Force.

The 166th Airlift Wing consists of the following units:

On 7 April 1962 the Delaware Air National Guard, with the 142nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, enlarged to "group status" as the 166th Air Transport Group and then was reassigned from the Tactical Air Command to the Military Air Transport Service. The Delaware Air National Guard gave up its F-86 Sabrejets for the four engine C-97 Stratocruiser cargo planes.

Dr. Harold Brown, Secretary of the Air Force, announced that effective 1 January 1966, the Military Air Transport Service would be redesignated as the Military Airlift Command. In addition to the name change certain Air National Guard units were also redesignated, including Delaware's. The unit was named the 166th Military Airlift Group.

During the period from 1969-1971 the Delaware Air National Guard flew missions to Vietnam.

On 9 April 1968, the Delaware Air National Guard was called to state duty to quell civil disturbance and violence in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. The unit was released from state duty after several weeks. However, many individuals remained on state duty through 20 January 1969.