General Mitchell Air National Guard Base General Mitchell Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Wisconsin Air National Guard 128th Air Refueling Wing . Overview . The 128th Air Refueling Wing , Wisconsin Air National Guard , has had a long and illustrious record of service to the State of Wisconsin and the United States of America . From natural disasters to service in the Korean War , Desert Storm , Restore Hope and Deny Flight , the men and women of the 128th Air Refueling Wing have responded to changing world events and tasking requirements with dignity , honor and courage . History . On October 5 , 1926 , the Milwaukee County Board approved the $ 150 , 000 purchase of a new airport facility . The land was owned by Thomas Hamilton , a local aviator who operated a propeller manufacturing business and small airport . Soon after the Hamilton land purchase , aviation activity at the Currie Park site ceased and was transferred to the new location . The first airport terminal , the Hirschbuehl Farmhouse , opened on the Hamilton Airport site in July 1927 . That same month Northwest Airlines , Inc . , initiated air service from Milwaukee to Chicago and Minneapolis - St . Paul . World - famous aviator Charles A . Lindbergh visited the Milwaukee airport on August 20 , 1927 . During the late depression years ( from 1938 to July , 1940 ) , a new two - story terminal building was constructed by the Works Progress Administration ( WPA ) . In 1941 , the name of the Milwaukee County Airport was changed to " General Mitchell Field " after Milwaukee ' s military advocate , Brigadier General William " Billy " Mitchell . Air Force Reserve units have been flying from what was then called General Mitchell field since 1952 . The 440th Airlift Wing has a long tradition of service and award winning excellence and traces its heritage back to World War II . The original 440th was a Troop Carrier Group , established in June 1943 . After a year of flying training and preparations for duty overseas , the unit began operations on the 6th of June 1944 : D - Day . Using C - 47 Skytrain s , and Waco CG - 4 A " Hadrians " the 440th flew paratroop drop and glider missions during the first critical days of the Normandy Invasion . For this , the 440th TCG earned the Distinguished Unit Citation . It went on to participate in the invasion of Southern France , Operation Market Garden missions into Holland , the re - supply of the trapped 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge , and the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945 , earning seven Bronze Battle Stars in the process . Established as a Reserve unit in 1949 , the 440th moved to Minneapolis - St . Paul where it assumed the airlift mission until 1 May 1951 , when it was activated for the Korean War . Three days later it was decided to use the personnel assigned to the 440th to supplement other Troop Carrier Wings and the unit was inactivated . After the Korean War the 440th was reactivated as a Fighter - Bomber Wing at Minneapolis - St . Paul , and re - equipped with F - 80 , and T - 33 jet aircraft . It performed this role until 1957 , when it recaptured the airlift mission and was re - designated the 440th Troop Carrier Wing and transferred to its present home at General Mitchell Air National Guard Base , Milwaukee , Wisconsin .