Evening star., 1950-12-20
D. {. Air Guard
Called toActiye
DutyFebruary1 |
Jet-Equipped Fighter.
To Be Based Here
For Indefinite Time

Washington's Air National
Guard. located at Andrews All
Force Base, will become a part OF
the Air Force February l.
For an indefinite time the jet
equipped 113th Fighter Wing will
continue to train at Andrews.
Whether the group will be per-
manently based here in defense OF
the Capital is a matter Of specu-
lation.
Word of the wings activation
came yesterday in a directive
sending four other wings into ac-
ton across the Nation.
The 18th Fighter Wing is COM
manded by Col. Ladder B.
Mackall, 34-year-old attorney 1iv-
ing at 4434 CARRIED street NV,
veteran Of more than 80 bombing
missions against Japan in World
War II.
Units Affected.
Units to be inducted into active
service include the 121st Fighter
(White House, Squadron, COM
manded by 1t. Col. Willard w.
Millikan, 3346 Martha Custis
drive, Alexandria; the 113th
Fighter Wing headquarters, 113th
Fighter Group, commanded by 1t.
Col. Melvin c. Carlow. 46. of 100
North Fayette street, Alexandria:
18th Maintenance and Supply
Group, commanded by 1t. Col.
John F. Graham, 201 Danbury
road, Bethesda; the 113th Air
base Group, commanded by Col.
Henry c. B. Clagett, jr.. Of Upper
Marlboro, Md: the 113th Medical
Group, commanded by 1t. Col.
William H. Beard. 2814 Connecti-
cut avenue NV, and the 121st
Weather Station. commanded by
Capt. Donald E. Martin, 2902
South Abingdon street. Arlington.
The White House Squadron is
equipped with Republic Thunder
jets, product of World War II.
Unconfirmed reports are that the
113th Fighter Wing will be REIN
forced soon with two jet sQuadrons
from nearby States.
While the number of District
personnel involved in the Gallup
order is restricted. the authorized
strength Of the units is about l.
900 officers and men.
Enrolment Is High.
Complimenting the high morale
of the wing, Col. Mackall said en-
rollment stood at an all-time high.
The order included all segments
of the wing except the 18th Air
craft Control Squadron and two
fighter squadrons, the 104th at
Baltimore and the 149th at Rich
mond.
The Aircraft Control Squadron
is composed largely of specialists
in the field Of electronics and COM
munications and its experience
level is rated higher than that of
many regular Air Force units.
Whether the squadron may be
needed for local defense, or is
low on the high priority equip
ment needed for control units, is
not known. The outfit, with an
unusually large number of vet
Grams, trained in last summers
Air Guard maneuvers with the
Air Force Control Center on Long
Island, N. Y.
Many of the officers of the 18th
wing were enlisted men in the
old 121st Observation Squadron
which was organized in March,
1941, and called to active duty
September /, 1941. At that time
they had O-38s, the old open
cockpit bi-plane.
They reported to Langley Field
and served as observation planes
over the Atlantic and in air res
cue jobs. During the war, the
squadron lost it's identity, but
many of its airmen remained to-
gether.
Converted To Bombers.
The war converted them first to
BIB medium bombers, then to
B-24s for the latter part of the
African campaign. In November,
1914, flight group commanded
by Col. Mackall in Saipan was
among the first to man B-29s.
Most of their planes were de-
stroyed on the ground during a
Japanese raid late in December,
1914.
Under the Goth Bomber Com
mander Of the Goth Air Force, the
District airmen later participated
in fire raids over Tokyo and
dropped drums of supplies for
American prisoners of war in
Japan after the war ended.
3eactivated in 1946.
The wing was reactivated in
the National Guard here in June
1916. In addition to jet planes ii
has several types of piston-driven
aircraft. About 80 per cent OF
the fighter pilots are combat vet
Grams, most of them have fam
lilies and are well established in
business.
Col. Mackall, a 1898 Princeton
graduate, had completed three
years Of law at Georgetown Uni
versity when he decided the wal
In Europe might involve the
United States.
He laid aside his law books
joined military flying school and
enlisted In the old 121st Observa-
ton Squadron shortly before IL
was called to active duty.
Gun Enrfnry Workere