By Maj. William Carraway
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard.
On April 1, 1961, the Ga. Air National Guard’s 116th
Air Defense Wing, based at Dobbins Air Force Base in Marietta, Ga. was
reorganized as the 116th Air Transport Wing (Heavy).[1]
To prepare for the conversion, pilots of the 116th
began delivering their F-86L fighter jets to the California Air National Guard
in February and March and started the training to transition to the double-deck
multi-engine C-97. Flight crews and maintenance personnel completed training in
May 1961 at Randolph, AFB, Texas and the 128th Fighter Interceptor
Squadron, redesignated the 128th Air Transport Squadron received the
first four C-97s in June.
U. S. Air Force photo showing the cargo capacity of the C-97. Georgia National Guard Archives. |
The initial allotment of C-97s were assigned from
Strategic Air Command where they had been fitted as airborne refueling
platforms and designated KC-97s. Within six months of receipt, technicians
removed the refueling equipment and converted the aircraft to the C-97G model.
The pressurized cargo aircraft could fly at an altitude of 35,000 feet while
carrying 134 fully equipped troops for a maximum distance of 4,300 miles without
refueling.[2]
Brigadier General Bernard Davey, commander of the 116th
Air Transport Wing noted that the change in aircraft and mission would bring a
change in training with crews performing multiple overseas flights.
“We will depart from Charleston, AFB S.C., when making over-water flights over route structure assigned to us by the Eastern Transport Air Force, said Davey during a ceremony marking the assignment of the wing’s first C-97s. Davey went on to explain that these routes would include South America, Europe and the middle east with some flights traveling 4,000 non-stop miles.
By the end of 1961, 31 pilots and 29 flight
engineers had undergone home-station training on the C-97.[3] Subsequently, the Georgia Air
National Guard announced that the Savannah-based 165th Fighter Group
would also convert to the heavy transport mission. The 165th
received its first C-97 in 1961[4] and was redesignated the
165th MATS Heavy Transport on April 1, 1962.[5]
The Georgia Air National Guard flew the C-97 from 1961
to December 1966 when it was replaced by the C-124.
[1] “First
C-97 Stratofreighters Arrive for ANG.” The Georgia Guardsman Magazine, June
1961, 4.
[2] “Global
Missions Set for Air Guard as Win Converts to Air Transport.” The Georgia
Guardsman Magazine. December 1960, 2.
[3] Annual
Report of the Adjutant General of Georgia, 1961. (Atlanta: 1961)
[4]
“165th Gets First Stratofreighter.” The Georgia Guardsman Magazine,
April 1962, 6.
[5] “Kuhn’s Fighter Gp in Historic Switch to Transport Role.” The Georgia Guardsman Magazine, January 1962, 1.