Delaware Air National Guard
Deployments/Exercises/Missions/Encampments
Deployments generally last fifteen or more days. Exercises are usually shorter. The incomplete list below
attempts to capture the activities of the 166th AW.
1947 The unit's first annual field training encampment at New Castle was scheduled for July 20-August
3, 1947. It was cancelled just two weeks prior due to a lack of appropriated funds from Congress. A five-day
training encampment was held in September in lieu of this cancelled field training encampment. The
September camp included gunnery exercises and practice bombing missions as well as ground training and
marksmanship for the enlisted personnel.
A well publicized Air show and base open house was held in perfect flying weather at New Castle on
August 2, 1947 featuring aerobatics and parachutists to mark Air Force Day, the slogan of which was "Air
Power is Peace". About 2600 people came to witness the free event. This was the first time the Delaware Air
Guard demonstrated its aircraft, equipment and capabilities to the public, with a mass formation of F-47s,
along with the squadron's utility flight, some 28 airplanes in all; cargo drops from the C-47 and static
displays on the ground.
1949 Home Station Summer Encampment 13-27 August, including a 20 ship cross country to
Columbus Ohio
1951 Some four and half years after its initial founding, the 142nd Fighter Squadron (J), 1 February
1951, Special Order No. 1 activated the Delaware Air National Guard for federal service to serve for 21
months during the Korean War. Twenty five officers and about 100 airmen eventually served overseas,
mostly in Korea. Nineteen pilots saw combat. One pilot was killed in action, and one was missing and
presumed dead.
1952 The 142nd participated in a Washington DC parade for General Douglas MacArthur in 1952
making three passes with 22 jets of the 113th Fighter Interceptor Wing led by Lt Col Ross Adams over the
parade route down Pennsylvania Avenue.
1953 The 142nd held its first post-war encampment at McGuire AFB New Jersey, in August 1953,
labeled in polite protest, "Operation Muzzle Loader" in homage to their antique F-51 aircraft.
1954 Nine of the unit's men piloted their planes on a routine cross country training flight to Boston,
Logan Airport where they dined with their counterparts om the Massachusetts Air Guard. The units'
second post Korean War summer encampment was in 1954 at Cape Cod at Otis AFB, the final hurrah for
the F-51's.
1956 July, Major David F. McCallister (142nd Fighter Bomber Squadron Commander) set a fighter record
by flying his F-86 Sabre jet 1,922 miles in three hours, 30 minutes, from California to New Orleans to win
the Earl T. Ricks Memorial Trophy.
1957 Annual field training was conducted at Travis Field, Savannah Georgia on July 13-27 with the 113th
FIW.
1957 Ten Delaware Air Guardsmen participated in nuclear tests at the Nevada nuclear test site in Indian
Springs in August 1957.
1958 Annual field training was conducted at Travis Field, Savannah Georgia on July 20-Aug 3 with the
113th FIW.
1959 Annual field training was conducted at Travis Field, Savannah Georgia on July 11-25 with the
113th FIW.
1965 Operation Christmas Star USO Tour (Bob Hope)
1969 Operation Papa Noel, Lajes AFB Azores
1973 Exotic Dancer VI Camp Lejeune NC
1973 Elmendorf AFB AK
1974 Solid Shield, Pope AFB NC
1975 Pope AFB, NC
1976 Pease AFB, NH
1976 Solid Shield, Pope AFB NC
1977 Savannah GA Annual Field training
1978 Volant Oak, Panama
1978 Brave Shield XVII, Nellis AFB NV
1978 Savannah GA Annual Field Training
1979 Torrejon Spain
1979 Savannah GA Annual Field Training
1979 Volant Oak, Panama
1980 Pope AFB NC
1980 Sentry Medic, Delaware
1980 Volant Oak Panama, and Nicaragua Relief Mission
1981 Torrejon Spain
1981 Border Star TX
1981 Red Flag, Nellis AFB NV
1982 Volant Oak Panama
1982 Red Flag 82-4, Nellis AFB NV
1983 Red Flag, Nellis AFB NV
1983 Maple Flag XI, Alberta Canada
1983 Volant Oak Panama (2X)
1985 Pope AFB NC
1986 Torrejon Spain
1986 Sentry Rodeo, Pope AFB NC
1986 Volant Rodeo, Pope AFB NC
1986 Volant Oak Panama and earthquake relief to El Salvador
1986 Volk Field Wisconsin
1987 Tucson AR HET Training
1987 Sentry Rodeo Pope AFB NC
1988 Savannah GA
1988 Hurlburt Field FL 166 SPS
1988 Volant Oak Panama
1989 Operation Cowboy, Zaragoza Spain
1989 Randy Travis USO Tour
1989 Lee Greenwood USO Tour
1989 Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders USO Tour
1989 Operation Medflag, Gabon
1989 AHAS TARA, JCS Event Honduras
1989 Operation Just Cause Panama
1990 Sentry Rodeo, Pope AFB NC
1990 Sentry Independence, Volk Field WI
1990 Pacific Medic Sentry Hawaii
1990 Operation Badge Torch 90-2, Koral AB, Thailand
1990 Hurlburt Field FL 166 SPS
1990 Desert Shield, United Arab Emirates
1991 Fuertes Caminos 92, Honduras, 166 SPS
1991 Hurlburt Field FL 166 SPS
1991 Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia
1992 Volant Oak Panama
1992 Volk Field WI
1992 Savannah GA
1992 Pacific Medic Sentry Hawaii
1992 Sentry Pacific Exercise Hawaii
1992 RAF Alconbury England 166 CES
1993 Operation Restore Hope, Egypt, Somalia
1993 Gulfport MS, Pope AFB and North Field NC (longest ORI, part 1)
1993 Phoenix Partner, Mildenhall RAF England
1993 Phoenix Oak, Panama
1993 Operation Night Rider, Camp Smith NJ, 166SPS
1994 Provide Promise, Frankfurt Germany
1994 NAS Key West FL, 166 SPS
1994 Airlift Rodeo, McChord AFB WA
1994 Operation Blue Light, Ft. Dix NJ 166 SPS
1994 Coronet Oak, Panama
1994 Alpena MI
1994 Gulfport MS, McGuire AFB NJ (longest ORI, part 2)
1994 Support Hope, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda
1995 Coronet Oak, Panama
1995 Gulfport MS
1995 Ramstein Germany 166SPS
1995 Operation Nomad Vigil, Germany
1995 Broken Body NATO Exercise 142 AES
1995 Operation Bull Frog, Warren Grove Range, NJ 166 SPS
1996 Operation Southern Watch, Muscat Oman
1996 Operation Joint Endeavor, Ramstein Germany
1996 Airlift Rodeo, McChord AFB WA
1996 Operation Blue Light 96, Warren Grove NJ 166 SPS
1996 Coronet Oak, Panama
1996 MARE Major Accident Response Exercise, Lum’s Pond DE
2001 Coronet Oak, Puerto Rico
2001 Joint Forge, Germany
2002 Coronet Oak, Puerto Rico
2002 Joint Forge, Germany
2003 Joint Forge, Germany
2004 Joint Forge, Germany
2005 Coronet Oak, Puerto Rico
2007 Joint Forge, Germany (projected)
Deployments/Exercises/Missions/Encampments
Deployments generally last fifteen or more days. Exercises are usually shorter. The incomplete list below
attempts to capture the activities of the 166th AW.
1947 The unit's first annual field training encampment at New Castle was scheduled for July 20-August
3, 1947. It was cancelled just two weeks prior due to a lack of appropriated funds from Congress. A five-day
training encampment was held in September in lieu of this cancelled field training encampment. The
September camp included gunnery exercises and practice bombing missions as well as ground training and
marksmanship for the enlisted personnel.
A well publicized Air show and base open house was held in perfect flying weather at New Castle on
August 2, 1947 featuring aerobatics and parachutists to mark Air Force Day, the slogan of which was "Air
Power is Peace". About 2600 people came to witness the free event. This was the first time the Delaware Air
Guard demonstrated its aircraft, equipment and capabilities to the public, with a mass formation of F-47s,
along with the squadron's utility flight, some 28 airplanes in all; cargo drops from the C-47 and static
displays on the ground.
1949 Home Station Summer Encampment 13-27 August, including a 20 ship cross country to
Columbus Ohio
1951 Some four and half years after its initial founding, the 142nd Fighter Squadron (J), 1 February
1951, Special Order No. 1 activated the Delaware Air National Guard for federal service to serve for 21
months during the Korean War. Twenty five officers and about 100 airmen eventually served overseas,
mostly in Korea. Nineteen pilots saw combat. One pilot was killed in action, and one was missing and
presumed dead.
1952 The 142nd participated in a Washington DC parade for General Douglas MacArthur in 1952
making three passes with 22 jets of the 113th Fighter Interceptor Wing led by Lt Col Ross Adams over the
parade route down Pennsylvania Avenue.
1953 The 142nd held its first post-war encampment at McGuire AFB New Jersey, in August 1953,
labeled in polite protest, "Operation Muzzle Loader" in homage to their antique F-51 aircraft.
1954 Nine of the unit's men piloted their planes on a routine cross country training flight to Boston,
Logan Airport where they dined with their counterparts om the Massachusetts Air Guard. The units'
second post Korean War summer encampment was in 1954 at Cape Cod at Otis AFB, the final hurrah for
the F-51's.
1956 July, Major David F. McCallister (142nd Fighter Bomber Squadron Commander) set a fighter record
by flying his F-86 Sabre jet 1,922 miles in three hours, 30 minutes, from California to New Orleans to win
the Earl T. Ricks Memorial Trophy.
1957 Annual field training was conducted at Travis Field, Savannah Georgia on July 13-27 with the 113th
FIW.
1957 Ten Delaware Air Guardsmen participated in nuclear tests at the Nevada nuclear test site in Indian
Springs in August 1957.
1958 Annual field training was conducted at Travis Field, Savannah Georgia on July 20-Aug 3 with the
113th FIW.
1959 Annual field training was conducted at Travis Field, Savannah Georgia on July 11-25 with the
113th FIW.
1965 Operation Christmas Star USO Tour (Bob Hope)
1969 Operation Papa Noel, Lajes AFB Azores
1973 Exotic Dancer VI Camp Lejeune NC
1973 Elmendorf AFB AK
1974 Solid Shield, Pope AFB NC
1975 Pope AFB, NC
1976 Pease AFB, NH
1976 Solid Shield, Pope AFB NC
1977 Savannah GA Annual Field training
1978 Volant Oak, Panama
1978 Brave Shield XVII, Nellis AFB NV
1978 Savannah GA Annual Field Training
1979 Torrejon Spain
1979 Savannah GA Annual Field Training
1979 Volant Oak, Panama
1980 Pope AFB NC
1980 Sentry Medic, Delaware
1980 Volant Oak Panama, and Nicaragua Relief Mission
1981 Torrejon Spain
1981 Border Star TX
1981 Red Flag, Nellis AFB NV
1982 Volant Oak Panama
1982 Red Flag 82-4, Nellis AFB NV
1983 Red Flag, Nellis AFB NV
1983 Maple Flag XI, Alberta Canada
1983 Volant Oak Panama (2X)
1985 Pope AFB NC
1986 Torrejon Spain
1986 Sentry Rodeo, Pope AFB NC
1986 Volant Rodeo, Pope AFB NC
1986 Volant Oak Panama and earthquake relief to El Salvador
1986 Volk Field Wisconsin
1987 Tucson AR HET Training
1987 Sentry Rodeo Pope AFB NC
1988 Savannah GA
1988 Hurlburt Field FL 166 SPS
1988 Volant Oak Panama
1989 Operation Cowboy, Zaragoza Spain
1989 Randy Travis USO Tour
1989 Lee Greenwood USO Tour
1989 Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders USO Tour
1989 Operation Medflag, Gabon
1989 AHAS TARA, JCS Event Honduras
1989 Operation Just Cause Panama
1990 Sentry Rodeo, Pope AFB NC
1990 Sentry Independence, Volk Field WI
1990 Pacific Medic Sentry Hawaii
1990 Operation Badge Torch 90-2, Koral AB, Thailand
1990 Hurlburt Field FL 166 SPS
1990 Desert Shield, United Arab Emirates
1991 Fuertes Caminos 92, Honduras, 166 SPS
1991 Hurlburt Field FL 166 SPS
1991 Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia
1992 Volant Oak Panama
1992 Volk Field WI
1992 Savannah GA
1992 Pacific Medic Sentry Hawaii
1992 Sentry Pacific Exercise Hawaii
1992 RAF Alconbury England 166 CES
1993 Operation Restore Hope, Egypt, Somalia
1993 Gulfport MS, Pope AFB and North Field NC (longest ORI, part 1)
1993 Phoenix Partner, Mildenhall RAF England
1993 Phoenix Oak, Panama
1993 Operation Night Rider, Camp Smith NJ, 166SPS
1994 Provide Promise, Frankfurt Germany
1994 NAS Key West FL, 166 SPS
1994 Airlift Rodeo, McChord AFB WA
1994 Operation Blue Light, Ft. Dix NJ 166 SPS
1994 Coronet Oak, Panama
1994 Alpena MI
1994 Gulfport MS, McGuire AFB NJ (longest ORI, part 2)
1994 Support Hope, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda
1995 Coronet Oak, Panama
1995 Gulfport MS
1995 Ramstein Germany 166SPS
1995 Operation Nomad Vigil, Germany
1995 Broken Body NATO Exercise 142 AES
1995 Operation Bull Frog, Warren Grove Range, NJ 166 SPS
1996 Operation Southern Watch, Muscat Oman
1996 Operation Joint Endeavor, Ramstein Germany
1996 Airlift Rodeo, McChord AFB WA
1996 Operation Blue Light 96, Warren Grove NJ 166 SPS
1996 Coronet Oak, Panama
1996 MARE Major Accident Response Exercise, Lum’s Pond DE
2001 Coronet Oak, Puerto Rico
2001 Joint Forge, Germany
2002 Coronet Oak, Puerto Rico
2002 Joint Forge, Germany
2003 Joint Forge, Germany
2004 Joint Forge, Germany
2005 Coronet Oak, Puerto Rico
2007 Joint Forge, Germany (projected)
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