142d Airlift Squadron The 142d Airlift Squadron ( 142d AS ) is a unit of the 166th Airlift Wing located at New Castle Air National Guard Base , Delaware . It is equipped with the C - 130 Hercules . Overview . The mission of the 142d Airlift Squadron is to provide combat ready aircrew for state , national and worldwide deployment in support of any assigned mission . The squadron ' s mission capability includes all weather , day and night , airland , airdrop and aeromedical evacuation capability . The C - 130 aircraft is inter - theatre and intra - theatre capable . The squadron is also capable of supplying specially trained aircrews for intelligence , surveillance and reconnaissance ( ISR ) operations when called upon . The " flying " squadron consists of pilots , navigators , flight engineers and loadmasters , and includes life support and administrative support sections . History . World War II . Established on 30 September 1942 at Mitchel Field , New York as the 342d Fighter Squadron , equipped with P - 47 Thunderbolts . Deployed to the Southwest Pacific Area ( SWA ) , and assigned to Fifth Air Force in New Guinea . Engaged in combat operations until August 1945 , then becoming part of the Army of Occupation in Japan . Returned to the United States during May 1946 and was inactivated . Delaware Air National Guard . On 6 September 1946 , the formal federal recognition and activation of the 142d Fighter Squadron , Delaware ' s took place at a ceremony in the Wilmington Armory . The ceremony was conducted by Brigadier General Paul R . Rinard , the Adjutant General and Colonel John B . Grier , U . S . Property and Disbursing Officer for Delaware . Shortly afterwards the squadron received it first fighter planes , F - 47N Thunderbolt s . Prior to being federalized during the Korean War on 1 February 1951 , the unit received F - 84C Thunderjet s . On 17 May 1951 , the unit was redesignated the 142d Fighter - Interceptor Squadron and in September 1951 the unit exchanged its F - 84Cs for the F - 94 Starfire interceptor aircraft to fit the unit ' s new air defense mission . On 1 November 1952 , the 142d Fighter - Interceptor Squadron was released from active duty in Korea and reorganized as the Delaware Air National Guard . On 1 December 1952 the unit was redesignated the 142d Fighter - Bomber Squadron and reverted to propeller - driven aircraft , the F - 51H Mustang . In 1954 the unit received F - 86A Sabre day interceptor fighters replacing the F - 51Hs . In July 1956 , Major David F . McCallister ( 142d Fighter Bomber Squadron Commander ) set a fighter record by flying his F - 86 Sabre 1 , 922 miles in three hours , 30 minutes , to win the Earl T . Ricks Memorial Trophy . On 10 November 1958 the unit was redesignated the 142d Tactical Fighter Squadron and was reassigned from the Air Force ' s Air Defense Command to the Tactical Air Command . On 7 April 1962 the Delaware Air National Guard enlarged the unit to " group status " and established 166th Air Transport Group and was reassigned from the Tactical Air Command to the Military Air Transport Service . The 142d Tactical Fighter Squadron was assigned to the 166th ATG and re - designated as the 142d Air Transport Squadron . The squadron was re - equipped with the four engine C - 97 Stratocruiser cargo aircraft . During the period from 1964 - 1974 the Delaware Air National Guard flew missions to South Vietnam . In September 1965 , only three years after receiving the C - 97 , the Delaware Air National Guard received the McCallister Trophy as the Air National Guard Outstanding Transport Unit . Dr . Harold Brown , Secretary of the Air Force , announced that effective 1 January 1966 , the Military Air Transport Service would be redesignated as the Military Airlift Command . In addition to the name change certain Air National Guard units were also re - designated . The 142d Air Transport Squadron was re - designated the 166th Military Airlift Squadron on 8 January 1966 . In April 1966 , the unit was awarded the Outstanding Unit Trophy by the Air Force Association based on our impressive collection of achievements and safety record . On 12 May 1971 the Group changed its name from the 166th Military Airlift Group to the 166th Tactical Airlift Group and replaced its C - 97s with C - 130A Hercules prop - jet cargo plane , and began transition from the Military Airlift Command to the Tactical Airlift Command . The 142d was subsequently re - designated as the 142d Tactical Airlift Squadron . The antiquated C - 130Bs were upgraded in October 1985 with the delivery of a brand new factory fresh C - 130H models . On 25 January 1991 selected personnel were activated for the Persian Gulf War known as " Operation Desert Storm , " ( 8 planes with crews and maintenance and support personnel . ) A majority of the unit was stationed with the 1670th Tactical Airlift Group ( Provisional ) at Al Kharj Air Base , Saudi Arabia . On 30 June 1991 the aircraft / personnel were released from active duty performed in support of the Persian Gulf War . Another name change occurred on 16 March 1992 - the 166th Tactical Airlift Group was redesignated the 166th Airlift Group and the 142d Tactical Airlift Squadron was redesignated the 142d Airlift Squadron . In conjunction , the unit ' s gaining command ( Military Airlift Command ) was redesignated the Air Mobility Command . In September 1992 , Colonel Dugar led a group of personnel as part of the Hurricane Andrew relief effort , and on 26 October 1993 the Gaining Command for the Delaware Air National Guard changed from Air Mobility Command to Air Combat Command . On 1 October 1995 , the 166th Airlift Group was renamed the 166th Airlift Wing . On 20 November the 166th Airlift Wing ( and all subordinate units ) were awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the period August 15 , 1993 through August 14 , 1995 . On April 1 , 1997 the Gaining Command of the Delaware Air National Guard changed from Air Combat Command to Air Mobility Command .