127th Command and Control Squadron The 127th Command and Control Squadron ( 127 CACS ) is a unit of the Kansas Air National Guard 184th Intelligence Wing stationed at McConnell Air Force Base , Wichita , Kansas . The 127th is a non - flying squadron operating the Distributed Common Ground System . The squadron is a descendant organization of the Kansas National Guard 127th Observation Squadron , established on 30 July 1940 . It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II . Overview . The mission of the 127 CACS is to provide communication support to the U . S . Government at all levels , including United States Department of Defense , Department of Homeland Security , Federal Emergency Management Agency , state , and local agencies . These agencies are provided redundant communities during Peace Time , Natural Disasters and National Emergencies . Equipment utilized in support of the mission is flexible and state of the art , enabling the 127th to provide services in a full spectrum of situations . Staffed with highly trained dedication citizen airmen , the 127th Command and Control squadron continues the proud heritage of the National Guard by answering out country ’ s call when needed . History . Established by the National Guard Bureau on 30 July 1940 as the 127th Observation Squadron , and activated in August 1941 . Initially the squadron had 115 men in its ranks . It was , however , still short of officers since it only had nine officers but was authorized a total of thirty - one . Moved to Sherman Field at Fort Leavenworth , by November 1941 the squadron had one BE - 1 , one O - 47A , one O - 38E and several L - 1 ' s . All of the aircraft were single engine observation / liaison planes . World War II . The 127th was ordered to federal service on 6 October 1941 , became a training unit for observation and liaison pilots . According to the original plans , the squadron was to be based at Brownwood Army Airfield , Texas until the " emergency " was over and it could return to its home base at Wichita . The 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changed all plans for American military units . A number of 127th personnel were off the base that Sunday ( 7 December ) and returned to find it almost impossible to get back on base . Was moved to Tullahoma Army Air Base , Tullahoma , Tennessee . Tullahoma Army Air Base was situated in close proximity to Camp Forrest , Tennessee , the site of a major infantry center . Trained on missions cooperating with the 33d and 80th Infantry divisions , both of which were stationed in the vicinity . At the same time the 124th Observation Squadron from the Iowa National Guard was stationed at Tullahoma . Beginning in 1942 , the squadron was assigned to the 75th Observation Group ( headquartered in Birmingham , Alabama ) for its higher headquarters . The squadron left Tullahoma on 5 September 1942 , for Barksdale Army Airfield , Shreveport , Louisiana to participate in the largest war games ever staged by the United States Army . During the Louisiana Maneuvers the 127th worked in close cooperation with their higher headquarters , the 75th Observation Group . On 19 August 1943 , the 127th was reassigned to the First Air Support Command ( headquarters at Morris Field , Charlotte , North Carolina ) . This command would soon become the First Tactical Air Division . Beginning in April 1944 the squadron received indications that it would not remain a training organization much longer . on 10 November 1944 , three years after mobilization , the squadron left the United States for the Pacific Theater . Docked at Bombay , India on 10 December 1944 being assigned to the Tenth Air Force in the China Burma India Theater . Squadron pilots were constantly involved in duties supporting the British Army . Their missions included such activities as photographic and reconnaissance duties , evacuation of wounded , supply drops , courier duties , and cargo flights . They were entrusted with secret messages , regular mail and with transporting fresh blood to the front . Their operations were directed from the Tactical Air Command headquarters of the Fifteenth Corps of the British Army ( their actual higher headquarters in this period was the Second Air Commando Group , United States Army Air Corps ) . The 127th Liaison Squadron ( Commando ) cooperated with the British Army from the beginning of the Burma offensive in February until the latter part of April 1945 . Through this campaign , every pilot that participated ( with one exception ) flew sufficient hours and missions to entitle him to an Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster , the Distinguished Flying Cross , and most of the pilots were eligible for a second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal . After the end of the war , was moved to Okinawa where the unit was inactivated . Kansas Air National Guard . The wartime 127th Liaison Squadron was re - designated as the 127th Fighter Squadron and was allotted to the Kansas Air National Guard , on 24 May 1946 . It was organized at Wichita Army Airfield , and was extended federal recognition on 7 September 1946 by the National Guard Bureau . The 127th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the history , honors , and colors of the 127th Liaison Squadron . The squadron was equipped with F - 51D Mustang s and was assigned to the Missouri ANG 131st Fighter Group for administration , however it was placed under the Kansas Military Department for operational control . The F - 51 was flown until December 1949 , when the unit received the F - 84C Thunderjet fighter . Korean War activation . The 127th was federalized on 10 October 1950 due to the Korean War . It was assigned to the federalized Oklahoma ANG 137th Fighter - Bomber Wing and equipped with F - 84G Thunderjet s . Along with the Oklahoma ANG 125th Fighter Squadron and Georgia ANG 128th Fighter Squadron , the wing was scheduled for deployment to the new Chaumont - Semoutiers AB , France , as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE ) . by 27 November , the wing assembled at Alexandria Municipal Airport , Louisiana for conversion training in the newer F - 84Gs . Deployment of the wing was delayed , however , by the need to transfer pilots to Korea from training and delays in receiving engines for the F - 84Gs , as well as the ongoing construction at Chaumont AB . Training and delays continued throughout 1951 . Due to these delays , many of the activated National Guard airmen were released from active duty and never deployed to France . With mostly regular Air Force personnel and all the delays behind them , the remaining Guardsmen departed Louisiana on 5 May 1952 for Europe , however , the 128th inherited a base that was little more than acres of mud where wheat fields used to be . The only hardened facilities at Chaumont was a concrete runway and a handful of tarpaper shacks . The 127th wound up being being stationed by USAFE at Neubiberg Air Base , West Germany until the facilities in France were suitable for military use . The aircraft arrived at Chaumont on 25 June , being the first USAF tactical air fighters to be based permanently in France , albeit working mostly in tents and temporary wooden buildings on their new base . The Guardsmen of the 127th ended their active - duty tour in France and returned to the United States in late June , leaving their F - 84 Thunderjets in Europe . Cold War . Upon the squadrons return to Wichita , the 127th Fighter - Bomber squadron was again assigned F - 51D aircraft due to the shortage of jets created by the Korean Conflict . In June 1954 , F - 80C Shooting Star jet fighters were assigned , followed by designation of the unit to the 127th Fighter Interceptor Squadron , and assignment of the F - 86D Sabre all - weather interceptor in January 1958 being used in an air defense mission for Air Defense Command . The unit converted to the F - 100C Super Sabre , and was designated the 127th Tactical Fighter Squadron in April 1961 , being assigned to Tactical Air Command . On 1 October 1962 , the 127th was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 184th Tactical Fighter Group was established by the National Guard Bureau . The 127th TFS becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 184th Headquarters , 184th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 184th Combat Support Squadron , and the 184th USAF Dispensary . In January 1968 , following the North Korea seizure of the USS Pueblo , the unit was ordered to extended active duty , and deployed to Kunsan Air Base , South Korea . The unit was assigned as part of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing until release from active duty and return to state control in June 1969 . On 25 March 1971 , the 184th was designated the 184th Tactical Fighter Training Group and acquired the F - 105 Thunderchief aircraft , receiving Vietnam War returning aircraft . As the USAF Combat Crew Training School , the unit conducted pilot training in the F - 105 for nine years . On 1 October 1973 , the 184th assumed the responsibility of operating and maintaining the Smoky Hill Weapons Range at Salina , Kansas . With over 36 , 000 acres , Smoky Hill is the Air National Guard ' s largest weapons range . On 7 August 1979 , the unit received its first F - 4D Phantom II , and on 8 October 1979 , was designated as the 184th Tactical Fighter Group , equipped with 50 F - 4D ' s . In April 1982 , the 184th was tasked to develop a F - 4D Fighter Weapons Instructor Course to meet the needs of the Air Reserve Forces and the USAF Tactical Air Command . In January 1987 , the 184th was tasked to activate a squadron of F - 16A / B Fighting Falcon aircraft , and conduct conversion and upgrade training in the F - 16 . On 8 July 1987 , the 161st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron was established as the third flying squadron at the 184th TFG . Formal activation ceremonies for the 161st occurred on 12 September 1987 , with the unit flying 10 F - 16s and conducting its first student training class . In August 1988 , the 127th Tactical Fighter Squadron graduated its final Fighter Weapons Instructor Course Class . The 127th TFS converted as the second F - 16 training squadron . The last F - 4D departed from the 184th TFG on 31 March 1990 . The 161st TFTS began converting to the F - 16 C / D when the first C / D model arrived at the 184th TFG in July 1990 . Post Cold War era . In July 1993 , the 184th Fighter Group changed gaining commands and became part of the new Air Education and Training Command . In July 1994 , the 184th Fighter Group was designated at the 184th Bomb Wing and again became part of the Air Combat Command , flying the B - 1B Lancer . The 184th was the first Air National Guard unit to fly bombers . It received its B - 1Bs from the former 28th Bomb Squadron / 384th Bomb Wing at McConnell . In order to save money , the USAF agreed to reduce its active fleet of B - 1Bs from 92 to 60 aircraft . The first B - 1B was flown to storage at AMARC on 20 August 2002 . In total , 24 B - 1Bs were consigned to storage at AMARC , with ten of these being retained in " active storage " which means that they could be quickly returned to service should circumstances dictate . The remaining 14 in storage at AMARC will be scavenged for spare parts to keep the remainder flying . The remaining 8 aircraft to be withdrawn from service were placed on static display at various museums . In exchange for retiring its B - 1s , the 184th was redesigned the 184th Air Refueling Wing on 16 September 2002 , flying the KC - 135R tanker . In addition to the tanker mission , the 184th also took on several new missions within the information operations mission set . BRAC 2005 . In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations , DoD recommended to realign McConnell Air National Guard ( ANG ) Base by relocating the 184th Air Refueling Wing ( ANG ) nine KC - 135R aircraft to the 190th Air Refueling Wing at Forbes Field AGS , which would retire its eight assigned KC - 135E aircraft . The 184th Air Refueling Wing ' s operations and maintenance manpower would transfer with the aircraft to Forbes . Realigning ANG KC - 135R aircraft from McConnell to Forbes would replace the 190th ' s aging , higher maintenance KC - 135E aircraft with newer models while retaining the experienced personnel from one of the highest - ranking reserve component tanker bases . In June 2007 , the 190 ARW gained custody of all KC - 135R aircraft from the 184th ARW . This action consolidated all of the Kansas ANG ' s KC - 135R assets into a single wing located at Forbes Field . In April 2008 , the 184th Air Refueling Wing was designated the 184th Intelligence Wing making it the first Intelligence Wing in the Air National Guard . With the loss of the flying mission the " Flying Jayhawks " are now the " Fighting Jayhawks " .