105th Airlift Squadron The 105th Airlift Squadron ( 105 AS ) is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard 118th Airlift Wing . It is assigned to Berry Field Air National Guard Base , Nashville , Tennessee and is equipped with the C - 130H Hercules aircraft . The squadron is a descendant organization of the World War I 105th Aero Squadron , established on 27 August 1917 . It was reformed on 4 December 1921 , as the 105th Observation Squadron , and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II . History . World War I . The 105th Airlift Squadron traces its origins to 27 August 1917 with the organization of the 105th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field , Texas . There , the squadron was assigned to indoctrination training , with the men taken up by drills , hikes , physical training and other exercises . Also the men attended various lectures about military courtesies and customs . In late October , the 105th received orders for overseas duty , and was transferred to the Aviation Concentration Center , Garden City , Long Island . It arrived at Mineola Field on 4 November 1917 where it was prepared and equipped for overseas duty . On 22 November the squadron was transferred to the Port of Embarkation , Hoboken , New Jersey , where it boarded the former White Star Liner RMS Baltic for the trans - Atlantic crossing . After an uneventful voyage , the squadron arrived in Liverpool , England on 8 December . Upon arrival in England , the squadron was transferred to a Rest Camp near Winchester , where three weeks were spent waiting for movement orders . Finally , on 23 December , orders were received to proceed to France , arriving in Le Harve on Christmas Day . From Le Harve , the squadron was ordered to proceed to Air Service Supply Depot # 1 , Clichy , Hauts - de - Seine , near Paris . The depot grew to be the largest supply and equipment depot in the AEF . It was there that the squadron experienced its first exposure to combat , when the Germans attacked with an air raid on 30 January 1918 . A memorable date was on 15 March when the very earth itself trembled with a shock . News came that the largest munitions factory in France had blown up . This factory was at nearby La Courneuve . Personnel from the squadron marched to the town to help , and upon arrival the town was still filled with a cloud of smoke . Also the town was nothing but a ruined mass of buildings . Unexploded shells were numerous and the ground was also covered completely by unexploded hand grenades . The men of the squadron did their best to find the injured bodies and also to keep an eager crowd of people back from the still exploding shells , while others assisted in loading a large bunch of airplane engines that were to be taken to the Depot for storage . Not long afterwards , the reports of the German " Big Bertha " long range artillery gun shelling Paris began , and during the day the squadron could hear the sounds of artillery at the front . Also the squadron saw the night air raids by German bombers over Paris . However , despite the danger , Clichy was much less dangerous than serving at the front lines . Regular work proceeded as usual , broken from time to time with leaves to Paris . The squadron remained at the Depot until after the Armistice with Germany in November 1918 . It returned to the United States in late April 1918 . Arrived at Mitchel Field , New York , where the squadron members were demobilized and returned to civilian life . Tennessee National Guard . On October 1 , 1920 , Adjutant General Baxter Sweeney gave formal recognition to the First Squadron , Air Service , Tennessee National Guard . Tennessee ' s unit was the first in the entire South . Only two similar units existed in the country at the time , one in California and one in New York . Veterans began recruiting efforts and conducting drills ( without pay ) . They raised funds ( $ 3 , 000 ) and H . O . Blackwood donated a farm adjacent to Andrew Jackson ' s Hermitage . The farm was converted to a 100 - acre flying site complete with a World War I hangar moved from Memphis and was known as Blackwood Field . On 4 December 1921 , the unit received federal recognition and was designated the 136th Air Observation Squadron , flying four new Curtiss JN - 6 HG " Jennys " and one DH - 4 B DeHavilland aircraft . On 20 July 1923 , the 136th Observation Squadron was redesignated as the 105th Observation Squadron . In the next fifteen years the Squadron developed strength and stature . It received O - 2 observation airplanes in 1926 . Beginning 29 November 1927 , it occupied McConnell Field , west of downtown Nashville , named after Lt . Brewer McConnell who was killed in a training accident . The old McConnell field is the current home of Nashville ' s McCabe Municipal Golf Course . The years 1928 - 1938 were characterized by frequent changes in assigned aircraft . The 0 - 11 Falcon and 0 - 17 aircraft were received in 1928 , 0 - 38 aircraft in 1931 , 0 - 25 aircraft in 1935 and 0 - 47 aircraft in 1938 . On 25 November 1930 , the 105th Observation Squadron was disbanded and the aircraft and equipment were moved to Memphis Municipal Airport , Memphis , TN . This was necessary in order to comply with the requirement by the Militia Bureau for National Guard air units to operate from an A - 1 airport . At the time there were only two such airports in the state , Sky Harbor , near Murfreesboro , and Memphis Municipal . The squadron had been using Sky Harbor on a temporary basis for some months , but its distance from Nashville made it a less desirable National Guard port . Memphis did not have facilities at the time of the squadron ' s transfer and the program for supplying them faltered . On 23 March 1931 the squadron transferred back to Nashville , at Sky Harbor , where it could share hangar space with American Airways ( now American Airlines ) . After relocation to Sky Harbor , the Militia Bureau accepted the recommendations of the inspecting officers and again extended federal recognition to the squadron 10 April 1931 . Finally , on 1 January 1938 , the squadron completed its move to its present home on a tract of land purchased by the City of Nashville . With financial assistance from the state and the Works Progress Administration ( WPA ) , a modern airport was constructed and named Berry Field after WPA Administrator Colonel Harry S . Berry , who directed the airport construction . Today this site is known as the Nashville International Airport . World War II . In September 1940 , after summer maneuvers in Louisiana , the squadron was called to active duty . It was sent to Ft . Jackson , South Carolina , and assigned to the newly organized 65th Observation Group which was equipped with O - 52 aircraft . Members of the 105th became a ready source of trained personnel and seasoned pilots as our nation entered World War II . The 105th was inactivated 18 October 1942 , but its personnel and aircraft were absorbed into the 521st Bombardment Squadron ( Heavy ) . Then on 29 November 1942 , this organization was redesignated the 16th Antisubmarine Squadron . On 9 April 1943 , the 105th Observation Squadron ( Inactive ) was redesignated the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Bombardment ) . The 16th Antisubmarine Squadron was redesignated the 820th Bombardment Squadron ( Medium ) on 24 September 1943 . Members of the 105th flew a variety of missions - observation , antisubmarine patrol , reconnaissance and bombardment . They found themselves switching organizations frequently and flying different aircraft as follows ; the twin engine Martin B - 10 Bomber , the Vega B - 34 Ventura , the B - 25G Mitchell Bomber , and the four engine B - 24J Liberator Bomber . Postwar formation of the Tennessee Air National Guard . In June 1945 , the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Bombardment ) was reconstituted on the inactive list . 24 May 1946 , the squadron was reorganized at Berry Field and assigned to the 54th Fighter Wing , Fourteenth Air Force . 26 November 1946 , the 105th Reconnaissance Squadron ( B ) was redesignated the 105th Fighter Squadron . 3 February 1947 , the 118th Fighter Group and the 105th Fighter Squadron were federally recognized with the 105th Fighter Squadron assigned to the 118th Fighter Group flying the P - 47 Thunderbolt aircraft . On 1 September 1950 , the 118th Composite Wing was constituted and on 1 November 1950 , it was federally recognized . It was assigned to Fourteenth Air Force , Continental Air Command , with Wing Headquarters at Berry Field . The 118th Fighter Group was redesignated the 118th Composite Group and along with the 105th Fighter Squadron was absorbed by the 118th Composite Wing . 1 February 1951 , the 118th Composite Wing , 118th Composite Group and 105th Fighter Squadron were redesignated the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing , Group and Squadron respectively . Korean War . The 105th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was activated for federal service 1 February 1951 . The 105th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron stayed at Berry Field . It was redesignated as the 105th Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 1 March 1951 and assigned to Air Defense Command . While on active duty , it operated two geographically separated units ; Detachment 1 flying P - 47 Thunderbolt aircraft , from McGhee - Tyson Airport at Knoxville , Tennessee , provided air defense for the Atomic Energy Commission at Oak Ridge , and Detachment 2 was the 4674th Ground Observer Squadron , Smyrna , Tennessee . Cold War . On 1 January 1953 the squadron was released from Federal Service and returned to the control of the State of Tennessee . Again assigned to the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Berry Field , The unit was equipped with the RF - 51 Mustang from 1953 - 1954 , the Lockheed RF - 80C Shooting Star from 1954 - 1956 , and the Republic RF - 84F Thunderflash from 1956 to early 1961 . In April 1961 the Wing converted to an airlift mission gained by the Military Air Transport Service . It was equipped with the C - 97G Stratofreighter . The 118th MAW converted to the C - 124C " Globemaster " transport and received the first of eight of these aircraft 6 April 1967 . Operating from Nashville during the Vietnam War , the squadron supported global airlift requirements of U . S . military forces . A well - trained group of officers and airmen at Berry Field operating 24 hours a day , seven days a week , coordinated the airlift of equipment and personnel by 18 Military Airlift Groups in 15 states . Beginning in December 1965 , the 105th MAS flew more than 100 missions to South Vietnam in a period of approximately a year and a half . In March 1971 , the Wing converted to the C - 130A Hercules aircraft , and on 9 February 1975 , the 118th Tactical Airlift Group was inactivated , and the 105th was assigned directly to the 118th TAW . In June 1978 the Wing was recognized for its achievements and was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award . In 1979 , the squadron was enlarged from eight to sixteen C - 130A Aircraft . Since acquiring the C - 130 airframe , the unit has supported a worldwide tactical airlift mission . Participation in exercises such as Brave Shield , Brim Frost and Red Flag were accomplished with some of the oldest aircraft in the inventory ( 1954 - 1957 A models ) . Rotations to Panama in support of Volant Oak beginning in 1977 became routine . Modern era . 1990 was the start of another conversion process . The 105th received a total of sixteen new C - 130H2 Hercules aircraft from Lockheed at Marietta , Georgia . The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 , placed the largest demand upon 105th personnel in almost 40 years . The Wing mobilized 462 personnel during 21 deployments for Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm in southwest Asia and flew a record 7 , 500 flying hours . On 1 January 1993 , the 118th Tactical Airlift Wing became the 118th Airlift Wing as a result of the Wing implementing an internal reorganization to the new Air Force directed objective wing structure . With the objective wing structure , the 105th Airlift Squadron , was assigned to the new 118th Operations Group . The 105th Airlift Squadron deployed three aircraft , six air crews and 65 maintenance and support personnel to Rhein - Main Air Base , Germany from 27 December 1993 to 7 May 1994 in support of Operation Provide Promise in Bosnia - Herzegovina . The 118 AW was deployed in support of this operation for seven of thirteen consecutive months . This commitment was in addition to six two - week CORONET OAK rotations to Panama and a normal schedule of local training , guardlift and AMC week - long floater missions .