 Much has been written about the longevity and place in history of the 102nd squadron. The most recent study which addressed the question once again was conducted in 1970 by the New York National Guard which authenticates the claim the the 102nd is the oldest federalized flying unit in the Air National Guard.
The 106th Rescue Wing, New York Air National Guard, is the parent organization of the oldest Air National Guard flying unit in the Country, the 102nd Rescue Squadron. The unit traces its roots back to the 1st Aero Squadron which was formed in 1908 in a National Guard Armory in New York City. The USAF Historical Division compiled Study 98 on the United States Army Air Arm, which contains a great number of facts, names, dates and valuable information. A 1958 article in The National Guardsman celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Air National Guard, thus using the 1908 date as the start of the unit's flying activities. Thus, the 102nd can be said to be still flying after 99 years!
In 1915 the First Aero Company stood up as a New York National Guard unit and a year later, the organization was officially formed during a federal activation in November 1916 as an unnumbered aviation detachment of the 1st Battalion Signal Corps under the command of Captain Raynal Bolling.
The early flyers trained with JN4 "Jennys" on a field in the Town of Hempstead, near Mineola, Long Island, just 40 miles from the current base in Westhampton Beach. In 1972, the 102nd observed the 50th Anniversary of the unit. There was a Special Edition Momento issued to all the members.
Newsday, Long Island's Daily Newspaper, has printed a book titled, Take Off, about Long Island's role in aviation.
For those interested in collecting unit patches, the first patch of the 102nd was that of a gorilla. These are considered highly valuable collector items today.
First Flying Unit
In 1916, as today, not everyone was happy with the Federal callup, and a funny article appeared in the New York Times. Although the unit never left Long Island, many of the officers of the 102nd resigned their New York Commissions and volunteered to fly for the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)in France. It was there that Capt.. Bolling, on a ground mission, was killed. A monument in his honor has been erected in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he lived prior to the war.
First Use of Airplane as Recon Vehicle
In the summer of 1912 the U.S. Army held a full-scale war game to test the mettle of her troops. It was during the 10-day war games that the biplane was used to map troop movements. Major William J. O'Dwyer, USAFR (ret) has written a comprehensive article in the October 1997 issue of Flight Journal which has been reprinted here with permission of the author.The Flying Squadron of 1912
World War I Ace
The First World War also gave the unit a certified aviation Ace, Capt. George A. Vaughn, who returned following the War, and took command of the unit which was renumbered as the 102nd Observation Squadron and assigned to the New York Guard, a militia force of citizen soldiers.
First Female
The 106th also made history as the home of the first female officer in the Air National Guard, Lt. Col. Norma Parsons-Erb,during the 1950's.
First Time Flying
For a wonderful story about flying read a 1911 article written by Philip W. Wilcox, the Columbia University student who was actually the first aviator of the unit before it was federalized. The famous photograph of the aircraft he constructed at Columbia is seen elsewhere on this web site.
First Flying Unit
The 102nd is featured in several history books about the National Guard.
In addition to flying balloons, the 102nd has flown the JN4, 0-38, O-46, XO-16, P-47, F-86, F-94, B-26,B-29 , T-33, C-119, KC-97, the F102, HH3E, and now the HC-130 and HH-60G.
Medal of Honor
The 394th Bomb Group (now the 106th) is also famous for having a World War II Medal of Honor award holder, Captain Darrell Robins Lindsey
World War II and Korean War Ace
The airport which has been the home of the 106th for 33-years is named after Col. Francis Gabreski a former resident of Dix Hills, Long Island and the last commander of what was then called Suffolk County Air Force Base . Col. Gabreski was the last leading Ace of World War II and the Korean War. He visited the 106th infrequently, and even had the Wing Legal Office draw up his Last Will and Testament, which I witnessed.
The 394th BOMBARDMENT GROUP
is the precursor to the 106th. Formed in response to World War II, and the organization pedigree is often confused with that of the 102nd. Yes the 102nd came first but it was absorbed into the 106th when the 394th was disbanded. Got it? I still get confused. The important thing to remember is that the unit went to World War II as the 394th Bombardment Wing. The 102nd never got close to a war zone until Operation PROVIDE COMFORT, and while it achieved a number of aeronautical firsts, it was the brave members of the 394th that flew 271 combat missions; losing 180 men in action; and it was the 394th that was awarded the Croix de Guerre for heroism on D-Day. And it was the 394th that was Capt.. Darrell Lindsey's unit when he died and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
For more details about the 394th in World War II read The Bridge Busters by Guy Zieler. During the war the unit flew the Martin B-26 Marauder read here for details. The Aviation Art of Randy Green - The Bridge Busters
The Funniest Mission
On November 16, 1981 a helicopter crew from the 102nd made history of sorts. They achieved national recognition and front page headlines for buzzing the then Soviet Union's Envoy's House while on a mission. The New York Post front page of November 17, 1981 reads, RED-FACED! National Guard Copter Buzzed Soviets' Mansion on L.I. -- By Mistake.. The story, which continued above the fold on page 5, read LOST CHOPPER BUZZES SOVIET ENVOY'S HOUSE. The following day the Post ran a second story entitled FEDS CHECK SOVIET CLAIM ON COPTER. Not to be outdone, Long Island NEWSDAY ran a story and titled it Soviets Say Copter Buzzed Residence. And on the following day, the Post ran an editorial cartoon. The caption of the cartoon reads: "I swear on the beard of Lenin, comrades... now there's an AWACS on the roof!!" Wanting to enjoy the story, the New York Times ran: Low-Flying Copter Startles Russians in Glen Cove Mansion. The crew aboard the mystery chopper were Marty Ingram, Tom Schoeck, Gene Ressegiue and Kevin Kelly. In retirement now and living out-of-state, Marty Ingram considered the mission one of his most memorable. The New York Daily News ran a story on 12/18/81: A helicopter that mysteriously hovered over the sprawling Long Island mansion of a top Soviet official late Monday -- two days after gunmen pumped 12 bullets into the building --- was an Air National Guard chopper taking an elderly heart patient to Bellevue Hospital, authorities said yesterday.
Nassau County police said the helicopter never tried to land on top of the 157-rooom Glen Cove, L.I.,mansion, which is the home of Oleg Treyasovaky, Soviet ambassador to the United Nations.
Authorities said the chopper was flying a patient-- Joseph DeSantis, 76 -- from the State University Hospital in Stony Brook, L.I., to the 34th Street Helipad in Manhattan at about 8 p.m. Monday, when it ran into dense clouds at about 1,000 feet.
Police said the pilot turned on his floodlights to increase visibility and then dropped several hundred feet "to regain visual orientation."
Officials at the home on Desoria Lane, told police the helicopter's wheels touched the roof of the mansion. But a security guard at the nearby Glen Cove Nursing Home, adjacent to the compound, said the wheels never touched the building. The guard said the chopper took off toward Manhattan without incident.
The FBI and the State Department are probing the incident, as well as the shooting Saturday night. |
