page_title: 117th Air Refueling Wing
section_title: Vietnam and late Cold War era
hierarchical_section_title: 117th Air Refueling Wing / History / Vietnam and late Cold War era
caption_attribution_description: English: 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF-4C Phantom II aircraft at Ramstein AB, West Germany, March 1976. Aircraft were participating in "Operation Coronet Sprint". McDonnell RF-4C-26-MC Phantom 65-0893 visible in foreground. 893 was retired to AMARC as FP0815 Feb 5, 1992. Still on AMARC inventory Jan 15, 2008.
context_page_description: The 117th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard, stationed at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base Birmingham, Alabama. If activated to federal service, it is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
  The 106th Air Refueling Squadron, assigned to the Wings 117th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the World War I 106th Aero Squadron, established on 27 August 1917. It was reactivated in 1922, and as the 106th Observation Squadron was one of 29 National Guard observation squadrons formed before World War II.
context_section_description: After the squadron re-formed in Birmingham, it re-equipped with RF-84Fs from active-duty squadrons that were receiving the McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo.   It continued to fly the Thunderflash reconnaissance aircraft throughout the 1960s.  As the RF-84F was not used during the Vietnam War, the 117th Wing was not activated for duty in Southeast Asia, although some pilots from the unit went through transition training to the RF-101C and McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II and were activated for combat duty.
  In November 1971 the Thunderflashes were retired as they reached the end of their service life and the 117th Group was chosen to be the first Air National Guard unit to receive the RF-4C Phantom II tactical reconnaissance aircraft.   The squadron received aircraft being withdrawn from Southeast Asia as part of the United States pullout from the Vietnam War.
  On 9 December 1974 the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group inactivated, and support organizations were assigned to the new 117th Combat Support Group.  The 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was assigned directly to the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
  Many awards were earned by the 117th; for having the best National Guard publication; for achieving flying milestones; for service to the United States Secret Service; and for outstanding accomplishments on Operational Readiness Inspections. The 117th also earned awards for having the best Air National Guard flying unit in the United States.
caption: 106th TRS RF-4C Phantom II aircraft at Ramstein AB, West Germany, March 1976. Aircraft were participating in "Operation Coronet Sprint". McDonnell RF-4C-26-MC Phantom 65-0893 visible in foreground.
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