144th Fighter Wing

144th Fighter Wing
144th Fighter Wing
	144th Fighter Wing emblem
Active	1950 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force/Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Fighter Support
Part of	United States Air Force/Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno, California
Commanders
Current; commander	Jonathan S. Flaugher
Aircraft flown
Fighter	18 F-16C Fighting Falcon
Trainer	1 F-16D Fighting Falcon
Transport	1 C-26A Metroliner

The United States Air Force's 144th Fighter Wing is a unit of the California Air National Guard, operationally gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC) and located at Fresno Air National Guard Base / Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California.

Mission

The 144th Fighter Wing's mission is to provide air defense protection for California from the Mexican border to Oregon utilizing the F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighter aircraft. The 144th also supports the nation's Counter Drug Program and responds to state emergencies when requested by the Governor of California.^[2]

History

The origin of the 144th Fighter Wing dates back to April 4, 1948. On that date, the 61st Fighter Wing received federal recognition at Naval Air Station Alameda, California, followed by activation of the 194th Fighter Squadron on June 25, 1948. On November 1, 1950 the 61st Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 144th Fighter Bomber Wing.^[3]

On November 1, 1954, the 194th accomplished the transition from the P-51 to its first jet aircraft, the F-86A. At the same time, the 194th relocated to Fresno followed by the 144th three years later. On July 7, 1955, the Wing was redesignated as the 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing, with the 194th becoming the 194th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

In 1979, the 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing was reassigned from the Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) to the Tactical Air Command (TAC). On October 1, 1989, the wing completed the transition the F-16A Fighting Falcon. The 144th continued to fly this aircraft until September 1995, when the transition to the newer F-16C became complete.

In 1992, the 144th was reassigned to Air Combat Command (ACC), and on March 16 of the same year the 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing was redesignated as the 144th Fighter Wing.

Throughout its history the 144th has earned a number of honors and distinctions. The wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1967, 1973, 1978, 1988 and 1994. Other honors include winning the William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons meet at Tyndall AFB in Florida, and numerous maintenance and safety awards.^[4] During a Red Flag exercise at Nellis AFB in 1999, a 144th Fighter Wing four-ship flight achieved simulated kills on four actual MiG-29 aircaft. These were the first-ever MiG-29 kills in a Red Flag exercise.