III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 354 

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of military aviation in Indiana. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 11 (legislative day, AUGUST 10), 2021 

Mr. BRAUN (for himself and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of military aviation in 

Indiana. 

Whereas, on February 10, 1920, the Indiana National Guard 

was granted authority by the Department of War to organize an air unit within its infantry divisions; 

Whereas, on August 1, 1921, the 137th Observation Squadron at Fagley Field in Kokomo, Indiana, received recognition as an Indiana National Guard unit; 

Whereas, on July 1, 1942, Bunker Hill Naval Air Station 

was established as a training base for pilots of the United 

States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United 

States Coast Guard; 

Whereas, in 1947, the United States Air Force was created 

as a separate armed service, and the Indiana Air National Guard was formed, comprised of the 122nd FightVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:57 Aug 11, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR354.ATS SR354

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•SRES 354 ATS 

er Group, the 113th Fighter Squadron, the 113th Utility 

Flight, the 112th Air Service Group, and the 113th 

Weather Station; 

Whereas, on June 22, 1954, the former Bunker Hill Naval 

Air Station was reopened as Bunker Hill Air Force Base; 

Whereas, on February 1, 1959, the 38th Aviation Company, 

the aviation element of the 38th Division of the Indiana 

Army National Guard, was formed and federally recognized; 

Whereas, on May 12, 1968, Bunker Hill Air Force Base was 

renamed in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Virgil I. ‘‘Gus’’ 

Grissom, a native of Indiana and 1 of 3 astronauts that 

perished in the Apollo 1 capsule fire; 

Whereas, on January 15, 1971, the 434th Special Operations 

Wing was reactivated at Grissom Air Reserve Base; 

Whereas the 434th Special Operations Wing has been redesignated overtime and today is designated as the 434th 

Air Refueling Wing and colloquially known as the ‘‘Hoosier Wing’’; 

Whereas the original components of the Indiana Air National 

Guard and the 38th Division aviation element have been 

reorganized over time and today are designated as the 

122nd Fighter Wing, 181st Intelligence Wing, and the 

38th Combat Aviation Brigade; 

Whereas the Indiana Air National Guard is the aerial militia 

of the State of Indiana and an element of the Indiana 

National Guard; 

Whereas members of the Indiana Air National Guard and the 

38th Combat Aviation Brigade serve to protect Hoosiers 

during State emergencies and in national and international times of crisis; 


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•SRES 354 ATS 

Whereas the mission of the Indiana Air National Guard is 

to— 

(1) provide protection of life and property, while preserving peace, order, and public safety; and 

(2) maintain well-trained, well-equipped units for 

prompt mobilization during war and national emergencies; 

Whereas the mission of the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade is 

to— 

(1) mobilize, deploy, and conduct full spectrum aviation operations in support of the 38th Infantry Division 

to respond to State emergencies and directed missions 

throughout Indiana; and 

(2) mobilize, deploy, and conduct aviation operations 

to provide freedom of maneuver to United States and coalition forces during war time; 

Whereas the mission of the 434th Air Refueling Wing is to— 

(1) develop and maintain the operational capability 

of units and train reservists for worldwide duty; and 

(2) generate aircraft and crews in support of Air 

Mobility Command; 

Whereas aviation units from Indiana have served in various 

international conflicts since their inception, including the 

Korean War, the Berlin Crisis, the Persian Gulf War, 

and Operation Decisive Endeavor; 

Whereas the units have also served in the Global War on Terrorism, engaging in Operation Noble Eagle air defense 

over United States cities and deploying overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Odyssey Dawn; 


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•SRES 354 ATS 

Whereas the Indiana Air National Guard is one of 29 original 

observation squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed prior to World War II; 

Whereas the aviation units of Indiana have earned numerous 

awards over the 100 year history of military aviation in 

Indiana; 

Whereas military aviation in Indiana is currently composed 

of— 

(1) the 122nd Fighter Wing stationed in Fort 

Wayne; 

(2) the 181st Intelligence Wing stationed in Terre 

Haute; 

(3) the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade 

headquartered in Indianapolis; and 

(4) the 434th Air Refueling Wing stationed at 

Grissom Air Reserve Base; and 

Whereas, August 1, 2021, marks the 100th anniversary of 

military aviation in Indiana: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) celebrates August 1, 2021, as the 100th an3 niversary of military aviation in Indiana; and 

4 (2) recognizes the continued service of the Indi5 ana Air National Guard, the Aviation Brigade of the 

6 Indiana Army National Guard, and the 434th Air 

7 Refueling Wing of the United States Air Force Re8 serve Command. 

Æ 


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