Why do National Guard cargo planes regularly fly in pairs over the Twin Cities? startribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from startribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Ben Henry Created: January 16, 2021 06:19 PM
This weekend marks a century of service for the Minnesota Air National Guard.
Sunday will be exactly 100 years since a squadron at the 133rd Airlift Wing became federally recognized on Jan. 17, 1921 and according to the 133rd Airlift Wing, it was the first Air National Guard in the country.
Based at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the 109th Airlift Squadron is a direct descendant of the original 109th Observation Squadron. One hundred years ago Sunday, U.S. Army Gen. Walter Rhinow, Lt. Col. William Garis and Capt. Ray Miller flew to Washington D.C. in what was considered a daring seven-day journey at the time to receive the recognition.
Minnesota’s Air National Guard: A century in the sky
A 1,600-mile journey not only set a course for military aviation in Minnesota but also for the United States. 3:23 pm, Jan. 17, 2021 ×
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Greg A. Haase, left, former commander of the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 133 Airlift Wing, and Lt. Col. Dana Novinskie, commander of the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Squadron, with a C-130 Hercules transport plane at the Wing’s home at Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Sunday, Jan. 17, will mark exactly 100 years since a squadron at the 133rd Airlift Wing received federal recognition, creating the first Air National Guard unit in the country. (John Autey / St. Paul Pioneer Press)